French Braid Problem!

**Reptilia** · August 27th, 2009, 08:54 PM

I can do a french braid perfectly, until I get to the very bottom (bottom of my scalp, that is). It ends up getting all poofy and loose! So I undo the bottom and keep trying over and over, trying to making it as tight as possible, but it doesn't make a difference!

Does anyone have any tips on how to make the braid nice and tight ALL the way down?

**yellowchariot** · August 27th, 2009, 09:03 PM

Hey I've ran into this issue also! Sometimes I get it to come out great, other times it's loose and my side sections hang down like loops

(which isn't very functional for outdoor/yardwork)

What I do is hold my fingers as close to the base of my neck as possible. As I crossover each strand, I pull it tight, and hold tension with all of my fingers. . . Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. . .sorry I couldn't be much help!

I would also like to know an answer to this myself!

**Reptilia** · August 27th, 2009, 09:09 PM

Yeah, sometimes I can get it a BIT tighter, but it's still pretty loose and has those loops!

**Monkey962** · August 27th, 2009, 09:14 PM

LOL, I saw a thread awhile back asking how to do french braids and one poster linked to an instructional video by our own Torrin Paige (she has several videos). I subsequently watched not just her french braiding tutorial, but all of her videos as well. They're all very informative and just plain entertaining. C: Anywho, one of her videos describes a method to get rid of the very poofiness you're talking about.

Oh, here's the video, by the way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC_un...layer_embedded

**rogue_psyche** · August 27th, 2009, 09:17 PM

Miss Torrinpaige has a video with a fix for that. Basically you braid like normal until you get to the last two times you add hair. Then you basically add the opposite of the side you normally add. (If you are adding to the right take the left half instead). I think she crosses them before adding them, but I've gotten the same results from just taking the opposite side (which doesn't require as much finger gymnastics).

EDIT: Monkey962 beat me to it. Well, shoot.

**Longlocks3** · August 27th, 2009, 09:17 PM

OOOH. Have you seen torrinpaiges youtube? She does a great little trick that someone told her about on her French Braid Tutorial....

**Longlocks3** · August 27th, 2009, 09:18 PM

rogue_psyche looks like we posted at the same time! lol

I love her youtube.

**yellowchariot** · August 27th, 2009, 09:40 PM

^ That lady is a genius! How clever, If anyone knows her, tell her that!

P.S. I've seen the other videos that she has, but I must have overlooked this one!

**krn2891** · August 27th, 2009, 09:58 PM

the answer is to cross the bottom 2 strands that you add. So grab from the left for the right side and the right for the left side and then braid on down your back.