Not a highlight reel—her lived path. Merria traces small beginnings, patient mentors, and the clients who reshaped how she sees hair and identity. You’ll hear why clean tension, ethical choices, and body-friendly habits became non-negotiable; how privacy and consent sit at the heart of every consult; and what it takes to sustain craft over decades without losing joy. Personal, practical, and unapologetically honest—principles you can carry straight to the bench and into your business. A candid download from 25 years at the bench designed to elevate your eye, your setup, and every build.

In this intimate answers-only interview, Merria shares how hair shapes identity—and how a precise “matrix” of hairlines unlocked her process. She speaks about craft obsessions that make lace look alive, client impact from hair loss to runway, and the ethics of privacy. A candid download from 25 years at the bench designed to elevate your eye, your setup, and every build.

Start smart, build clean. This class teaches the fundamental mechanics of professional ventilation—how to control tension, understand knot structure, read lace, and train your hands to move with intention. You’ll learn the core knots, what each is best for, how to prevent tangles before they form, and the foundational habits that make every future build cleaner and more predictable. Think of it as the essential groundwork for becoming truly successful at the craft.

Before you tie a single knot, set yourself up like a pro. In this class, Merria walks you through the exact workstation, tools, and habits that make ventilation faster, cleaner, and pain-free over long sessions. You’ll learn how to prep your lace on a pad, block without overstretching, dial in magnification and lighting, seat your ventilation needle correctly, and organize hair on drawing cards so every pinch lands smooth and tangle-free. Small details, big results.

This is where your hands learn to think. Get precise with needle angles, loop size, and tension so knots lock reliably without bulky build-up. Understand how knot choice affects styling, durability, and maintenance, and how direction controls flow. By the end, your motion is rhythmic, your knots are repeatable, and your results finally match your eye.

Translate technique to real head geometry. Merria maps growth direction, parts, crowns, and tricky transition zones so the lace reads like a living scalp. Learn when to switch direction, how to handle swirls and cowlicks, and how to keep the surface stable without distorting the mesh. The outcome: ventilation that styles naturally—no fight, no fuss, just believable movement.

Design density with intention, not guesswork. Build transparent hairlines that thicken into wearable volume, stagger rows for realism, and balance sides/back so the silhouette sits right from every angle. You’ll see how single vs. multiple hairs, spacing, and patterning change the final look. Master this, and your pieces photograph beautifully and wear even better.

Build pieces that restore identity—comfort first, beauty always. In this class, Merria shows how to design for medical hair loss with cap choices that feel good today and adapt tomorrow: stretch backs that welcome regrowth, theater lace fronts for comfort and blend, and ventilating patterns that balance realism with durability (cross-knots up top, single at the sides, doubles where longevity matters). You’ll see attachment options for no-hair and regrowth phases (tape, headband with combs, clips, silicone stability), how to match texture and color from client photos and saved strands, and when to let the client’s own hairline lead for a seamless blend. From toppers for androgenetic alopecia to full builds for universal loss, the focus is dignity, privacy, and effortless daily wear—professional results that look like “you,” on camera and in daylight.

Craft that restores identity—comfort first, beauty always. Learn cap choices, lace selection, gentle hairline strategies, and low-friction workflows for sensitive skin. Merria covers measurement, weight, and color decisions that feel like “you” the moment the piece goes on, plus communication that centers dignity and privacy. Walk away with a client-safe system that serves the medical market with compassion and excellence.

Turn a good wig into a great one with a natural front. Remove and template the new lace, align color and texture, re-ventilate with progressive density, and blend the transition so edges disappear on camera and in daylight. Includes tinting/finishing touches and baby-hair logic for believable softness. A fast, high-impact upgrade that elevates wearability and value.

Fix the issues every working piece eventually shows—cleanly and durably. Patch tears without lumps, re-ventilate thinning areas to match original density, reinforce stress points, and refresh finish so the unit photographs like new. You’ll build a repeatable repair checklist that saves clients money and keeps your work in rotation longer. Sustainability meets craftsmanship.