Hairpin - Handcraft Ronghua Tutorial
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Ronghua(velvet flowers) were primarily used as hairpins in women's hair buns. Women adorned their hair with Ronghua(velvet flowers) on festive occasions: during the Spring Festival, they wore designs such as "Cornucopia," "Auspicious Fish," and "Everlasting Spring"; for the Dragon Boat Festival, to ward off evil spirits, they wore "Spiders," "Geckos," and "Centipedes"; and for the Mid-Autumn Festival, they had "Chrysanthemums," "Lotus Flowers," and "Moon Palace Towers." In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, Ronghua(velvet flowers) expanded to include uses such as corsages and decorative screen flowers. After 1949, innovations led to velvet birds, pandas, peacocks, and other velvet animals, enriching the variety of velvet flowers.
This book classifies the uses of Ronghua(velvet flowers) into three categories: hairpins, brooches, and floral arrangements. Hairpins are suitable for traditional costume enthusiasts for daily wear. Brooches can be gifts with a traditional aesthetic or accessories for traditional style shows, combining elegance with everyday practicality. Floral arrangements can complement traditional home decor, lasting longer and maintaining better luster than real flowers, with customizable themes like "Three Friends of Winter," "Magpies on Plum Blossoms," and "Three Blessings of Longevity." The final chapter of this book focuses on how to assemble these flowers and combine flower branches, aiding readers in learning the art of making Ronghua(velvet flowers).
Hairpins
Hairpins can be roughly divided into three types based on their main structure: single-prong pins, double-prong pins, and combs. Different structures can be matched with different flower shapes.
A. Single-Prong Pins
Single-prong pins are the most common type of hairpin, consisting of a single metal piece. The material can be gold, gold-plated silver, or gold-plated copper, with gold-plated copper being the most commonly used material today.
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1. Prepare the "Three Blessings of Longevity" flower design made previously.
2. Place the prepared flower on the single-prong pin and secure it tightly with matching silk thread.
3. Wind the thread downward.
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4. Wind the thread downward a bit more, then wind it back up.
5. Tie a knot at the top.
6. Cut off the excess thread with scissors.
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7. Use a lighter to seal the end.
8. Finish sealing the end.
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9. The single-prong pin is complete.
B. Double-Prong Pins
Double-prong pins are more stable in hair buns than single-prong pins and are suitable for larger Ronghua(velvet flowers). The materials are the same as for single-prong pins: gold, gold-plated silver, or gold-plated copper. In this tutorial, gold-plated copper is used.
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1. Take out a previously made lotus flower.
2. Wrap the flower around the double-prong pin with matching silk thread.
3. Wrap the flower stem to the left or right as per personal preference.
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4. Wind the thread from top to bottom, then from bottom to top.
5. Pause at the top where the double-prong pin and thread intersect.
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6. Wrap a figure-eight pattern at the junction of the flower stem and double-prong pin.
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7. Tie a knot and finish off as shown in picture 7.
8. The double-prong pin is complete.
C. Hair Combs
Hair combs are another common type of hairpin. In addition to gold, silver, and copper, they can be made of jade and horn (ox horn, sheep horn). The toothed design allows them to be inserted into hair buns more securely and prevents them from slipping out.
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1. Prepare a hair comb.
2. Take out a previously made narcissus flower.
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3. Combine the flower stem and hair comb with matching silk thread.
4. Wrap the thread section by section around the comb teeth as shown in picture.
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5. After wrapping the tail end, wind it upward again.
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6. Tie a knot and finish off as shown in picture 6.
7. The hair comb is complete.
