play with weaving with cheap ribbon or thrift store yarn, just to refresh yourself?

Consider weaving the hair with something else as the weft--or is that the woof? That might add strength to the finished product. You could also braid it then weave.

I guess I'm afraid it will tangle.

I think I would take the big bunch of hair and separate it into a number of smaller bunches using those small clear rubber-bands (you can get at WalMart) so they are about the same diameter as cotton yarn. Leave about an inch on the other side of the rubber band and put a dab of glue right at the rubber band so all the strands stay put. Then do the same to the other end.


Then use a piece of corrugated cardboard with plenty of room and lay out the size of the Finished piece in the center.
Take the small bundles and pin them across the top with an even spacing, give your self an inch or so above the finished size you want - I don't think they will have to be right next to each other because the strands will spread, but if you have it use it.
Then starting on the left (or right it doesn't really mater) pin 1 bunch just above of the finished size, weave it through the vertical strands sing to your self along the way (over under, over under, over under) and pin it on the other side with some tension (pull hard enough that all the strands are snug).
Take the second bunch pin it and alternate your pattern (under over under over).
As you go along you have to sung up the verticals and make sure that the horizontals stay butted up to each other.

You can alter the look of the weave by altering the skip count over 1 under 2 etc. or by making some bunches bigger and smaller so they are wider and slimmer as they lay flat. When you are finished (go just beyond the finished size you can dab a line of glue or pick it up and sew across it (might be tricky) Then you can cut off the rubber-banded ends and you should have a piece of hair fabric that can be wrapped and glued to the back of your cover board.

I would try this with satin ribbon first. The last time I did this I did it with 5th graders and we used tissue paper strips - no pins just glue - They were gorgeous in the window.

I can see this with a backing of silk - like chocolate brown if you have blond hair or scarlet for brown - or just a smaller piece of woven hair fabric in the title area of the book and a regular fabric / paper cover.

If this is going to be a fine art piece - what about taking some of the hair and laying into some handmade paper? you could imprint some of the pages with scissors and combs and brushes and rubber-bands, barrettes etc......

Good Luck

Lark

how about taking a small amount of the hair and braiding it then using it as a bookmark? Perhaps donating the rest to Locks of Love?

or take the small amount of hair and make paper with it - much like flower petals in handmade paper - then use the paper to make the book's cover? or inside decorative paper?