How to Make & Install Merino Wool Dreadlocks

** TO SKIP TO INSTALL: 7:35 **
A quick video on how to make and install DE merino wool dreads. I tried to answer any possible questions in the video already, but if there's anything else you'd like to ask (or add) feel free to leave it in the comments below!
Instead of rolling the dreads with your bare hands, I've also seen rolling it out on bubble wrap or with a sushi roller. I've tried both and didn't much care for either. I found this way to be faster, and I liked the results more to boot! But it all comes down to a matter of preference, there is no right or wrong way per-say.

[@p0nyexpr3ss]

Oh my goodness, thank you for this! I've been watching all of these videos on dreads and it makes me want to give them a go, but I'm worried I would hate them and I don't want to go twisting and ripping up my hair with a crochet hook without knowing I'll love them first. This is an excellent alternative! Roving isn't super expensive and it felts so well! I am so excited to give this a try!

[@dollowayx]

nice video, I tried the spray bottle first, boiled the kettle, poured the water in, it melted the spray bottle haha.. this technique is wayy better

[@ekmcreative]

Have fun with them! I was surprised with how quickly mine arrived, I doubt you'll have long to wait at all. Cheers!

[@kittoo10]

Great video! Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions, and your dreads look AWESOME! Where did you buy your wool?!

[@ekmcreative]

I only kept mine in for a few weeks, the little girl I was taking care of hated them so I let her and a few of her friends take them out sooner than I would have liked! (There were 3 girls and it took them about 20 minutes). If you're taking them out alone, I would guess just shy of an hour, but it depends on how quickly you work. As for how long you can leave them in, that depends on how quickly your hair grows! Think of how often you need to touch up your roots when you die your hair

[@anjelicaodom7790]

How long will the dreads last? Can you reuse them?

[@darknesofnight4u]

Mine never shrank I do the floor method when making them and it stretches them so they are longer than the wool piece that I started with.

[@ekmcreative]

I've never used kanelon, so I'm biased. You would need to actually dread the synthetic hair (as apposed to the felting technique used for wool). My understanding is that kankelon is heavier and itchier, which is why I chose to use wool! It's very soft (and cushy, makes for a nice pillow at bedtime ;) )and light weight (no headaches if you want to tie it back).

[@20LookInside12]

Where are you in Canada? There are tonnes of places to purchase wool rovings all over, from cities to small towns! Many places will sell it to you very cheap if raw, and a little more if cleaned and dyed. Also with a pixie cut, try a hairband, with a scarf around it. That works great. :)

[@misplacedwonder]

sweetie!!! thanks for this awesome vid!! i'm canadian, can you tell me where to buy the wool? and if i have to bleach my roots will it ruin the wool? and i have a pixie cut, and no hair to braid into really, can i just use the clear elastic and attach them as is? and if my hair is a bit thick, should i use bigger chunks of hair and DE locks? i have a lot of questions haha thanks sister!

[@littleglowbunny]

What if you want to tak them out, how long doe it take to get them out? or- how long can they stay in for?

[@beckyblank00]

I read in your comments where you were saying how long you can keep them in for depends on how long your hair grows. Theoretically could you dread the growth into the wool dread? Has anyone ever done that before?

[@ekmcreative]

Sorry for the late reply! I think the only way that would work is if you dreaded, rather than braided, the wool directly into your hair. If you left the dreads in as your hair grows out, the only part you would then be able to dread are the roots of your hair -- the rest of your hair is only braided around the dreads. That's one of the great perks of wool dreads. They don't damage your own hair!

[@ekmcreative]

As for your pixie cut: I'm sure you could install them simply using elastics, but they won't be as resistant to wear and tear; it's really the braid, not the elastic, that keeps the dread secure. I would try letting your hair grow just a tiny longer so that you can at least wrap the braid around the dread once or twice! Otherwise the elastic may slide off your hair with the dread. If you do end up giving it a go without the braids, let me know how it turns out!

[@pyronian93]

Do these stay wet for a long time after a shower? I know they take a while to dry. I was thinking of installing mine but worry about shower process as I need to wash my roots. I have naturally oily hair. Thanks/

[@kimsmithhappy]

Thank you so much, you are so real and it was super helpful. Going to try and instal a single dread on a friend tomorrow. :]

[@misplacedwonder]

well i ordered the wool, will have to wait a couple weeks for it, hair will grow a bit, but i doubt enuff to braid, tho my hair does grow fast.... i'll let you know :)

[@TheMidnightHag]

Would your hair dread into the wool if you wore them a few months?

[@Scr3amerrr]

where do you buy your wool? and what type do use use (length, quality etc.)

[@ekmcreative]

I didn't measure them! Decide how long you want yours to be, double it, then add a few more inches before cutting your merino wool :) it'll shrink down a bit.

[@Scr3amerrr]

also, how long is the wool you used? (a lot of websites i've looked at don't actually say)

[@ManiMassacre]

what's better? wool or kankelon?

[@melodyast6837]

and apple cider vinegar mixed with water use it after conditioning on just ur scalp it helps with your ph balance. trust me i was washing my hair everyday sometime s two times a day, and then i tried this. i really don't wash my hair everyday now. plus with dreads since i have been wearing synthetic dreads i only need to wash scalp twice a week. because my hair is actually the healthiest it ha s been ever. i do wash my bangs everyday

[@JiggleTheJamJar]

how long are the dreads you have in?

[@halainamoore9463]

How many dreads do you have in your hair?

[@ekmcreative]

I bought mine from world of wool (online), but I've ordered from them again since this video and find that the colours/pictures of the colours aren't accurate at all!

[@melodyast6837]

@pyronian93 k i have this same issue, things of advice for you, wash u your hair less, the more you scrub the more oil you produce, two don't use regular shampoo it has s.l.s. an ingredient that suds up allot. but the thing is that it strips all oils in your hair making your scalp produce more oil. so try some baby shampoo and use a bit of baking soda like once or twice a week. don't use conditioner on ur scalp only on ur hair,

[@3jdni]

I saw a comment that your wool came from World Of Wool which is where I'm planning on ordering mine from. Around how long would you estimate the 100g wool is?

[@ekmcreative]

I had the same question when I was first looking to buy from them. The length alone isn't an appropriate way to gauge how much you need, because you will need to separate it into the right width, as well. If I remember correctly, I order 300 g in total. 200 should be enough, but the shipping costs almost as much as the wool, and I'd rather have too much than too little. I hope this was helpful!

[@3jdni]

***** Ahh okay thank you :)

[@SandrineAnterrion]

Genius. Very witty

[@zeusari9249]

how to wash your head with Merino wool dreadlocks?

[@monikalezanska4973]

how many grams of woold do I need to make 40 dreadlocks?

[@ekmcreative]

I'm sorry for the late reply. That depends on how thick and how long they are! If I remember correctly, I usually order 300 grams

[@ekmcreative]

No bother, girl! I order mine online from world of wool (UK) the shipping costs almost as much as the wool, so if you're thinking of doing more than one set, order all your wool at the same time. If you have to bleach or dye your roots, do it before installing your dreads. Actually, I would wait until you receive the order so you can match your hair to the wool (online colours can be deceiving!)

[@IsisZamin]

Do you still have dreads

[@IsisZamin]

I took my synthetic ones out after 7 days they itched my head so bad caused a rash even

[@emmawales8991]

britta edwards Try the wool rather than synthetic! They are super light weight (except when you wash them and they're wet.... then they're hella heavy) and I don't find them itchy at all. They take a bit of getting used to at bed time, but after day one or two you love them like a built-in-pillow!

[@IsisZamin]

Yea I heard wool is better. I loved how my hair looked was so sad to take the synthetic out

[@sherrykunkle1776]

just needle felt the SE its easy

[@ekmcreative]

Nope, but unless your hair doesn't grow at all you wouldn't be able to get away with wearing them for a few months without re-installing some. If you were wanting to use them to kind of transition into real dreads but don't have the length, you might be able to dread your roots as they grow out? But the hair that's breaded around the dread won't matt into the wool

[@emmawales8991]

I order my wool from worldofwool.co.uk and order about 100 grams more than I think I'll use (since the shipping costs almost as much as the wool,I figure "might as well"). As for length, it's up to you; I think for the dreads in this video it was a bit longer than arm-length. However long you want your dreads to be, double it (if you're making double-ended dreads) and add a few inches to account for the shrinkage. Cheers!

[@ekmcreative]

Canadian! Good guess... Scottish? Really!?

[@coachd6100]

You need to practice your script or something because your talking speed and thinking time (uhhh...) is irritatingly delayed.

[@jaygeo8661]

you deff grabbed the wrong dread lol :)