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View Full Version : How do YOU do a braided bun?



white.chocolate
December 10th, 2012, 09:09 AM
Do you braid "normally" as in a French braid, or reverse braid as in a Dutch braid, and then bun? Or do you first split your hair into two horizontally, then split the bottom larger chunk, then braid and then bun? (Is there any other way you do it?)

I'm curious because I can get different results depending on which way I braid. (I can't be the only one...) When I simply braid normally, I get that annoying lump on one side when I start bunning, which is difficult to correct later. Sometimes, my bun becomes off-center, so my braids are often a little bit skewed to one side. I also know that some people braid rather loose so that it's easier to bun, but I tend to braid mine a little tighter. It took me many practices to get my bun looking neat.

Zesty
December 10th, 2012, 09:29 AM
I just braid normally and LWB or Nautilus it. Other than hiding the elastic, I don't have any problems doing it that way.

spidermom
December 10th, 2012, 09:34 AM
Most often, I dutch braid down the center back all the way to the ends, tie the braid off, then put a stick through my braid and wrap the braid around and around the stick. Then I either insert a second stick to pin the ends down or use a couple of roller pins to secure the ends. 2 sticks works the most reliably.

neko_kawaii
December 10th, 2012, 09:45 AM
All of the above. If I'm concerned about fly-aways (like on a windy day) I'll (double) dutch or french. If I want the bun up higher I'll do the top section/two bottom section style. If I need to be quick or it is already in a standard braid and I want it up, then that's that. I think it is just a matter of practice to get things consistent.

kaydana
December 10th, 2012, 10:32 AM
I do an english braid starting in the middle of my head, then cinnabun it. Never had any issues with it being wonky unless I've ignored it telling me it wanted to be coiled the other way (it will only look right done in one direction, which depends on which side went over first when I started the braid).

melusine963
December 10th, 2012, 11:21 AM
I braid normally, but only because I can't French braid yet. I have trouble getting the bun to stay up, unfortunately. I know a French braid would make for a much more secure base by giving the hair pins more to grip on to.

neko_kawaii
December 10th, 2012, 11:25 AM
Melusine, have you tried spin pins?

melusine963
December 10th, 2012, 11:48 AM
Melusine, have you tried spin pins?

Come to think of it, my last braided bun attempt does pre-date my spin pins. I will tentatively give it another go. Thanks for the tip! :)

white.chocolate
December 10th, 2012, 11:55 AM
Come to think of it, my last braided bun attempt does pre-date my spin pins. I will tentatively give it another go. Thanks for the tip! :)

Do you mind me asking, what have you held your bun with? Your hair is pretty long, so I'm not thinking your length (or texture) is the problem. I second spin pins. Also, when I use u pins to hold buns, I use up to 12.

melusine963
December 10th, 2012, 12:02 PM
Do you mind me asking, what have you held your bun with? Your hair is pretty long, so I'm not thinking your length (or texture) is the problem. I second spin pins. Also, when I use u pins to hold buns, I use up to 12.

I was using plain bobby pins before that. Unsurprisingly, they ended up bent out of shape more often than not.

white.chocolate
December 10th, 2012, 12:04 PM
I was using plain bobby pins before that. Unsurprisingly, they ended up bent out of shape more often than not.

I think that's why your buns did not hold. :) After a certain length, bobby pins just don't work.

Mountaingrrl
December 10th, 2012, 12:13 PM
+1 on the spin pins! My current preference is to split my hair into two vertical sections and braid each of them (reverse English braids work nicely) then rope-braid the two upward, coil them into a cinnabun, and hold with a spin pin or two.

jacqueline101
December 10th, 2012, 03:15 PM
English braid and wrap it into a bun. I secure ends with elastic then use snap clips to hold it.

gthlvrmx
December 10th, 2012, 04:04 PM
I just split my hair into 3 sections and braid as if i were making a dutch braid but without doing the actual dutch braid. It's easier for my fingers :p I don't secure with an elastic because i don't really use elastics unless i want to be really safe to make sure my ends dont unravel...well IF i wear my hair braided down. For some reason now my hair doesn't unravel much out of the braids i make O.o even a rope braid stays in its spiral. Not exactly tight as before but its still a pretty decent rope braid :p

but yes, i just bun the braid either in a pencil, knot, or cinnamon bun. pretty simple. or i can make an oval bun that is always fun and pretty :p just have to make 2 braids :)

melusine963
December 11th, 2012, 01:42 PM
Melusine, have you tried spin pins?

Well, spin pins have done the trick. :) I had to readjust them a few times to make sure I'd secured all the braid coils, but my bun is holding up well now. Thank you for your advice and encouragement, neko_kawaii and white.chocolate! :flower:

neko_kawaii
December 11th, 2012, 05:47 PM
Well, spin pins have done the trick. :) I had to readjust them a few times to make sure I'd secured all the braid coils, but my bun is holding up well now. Thank you for your advice and encouragement, neko_kawaii and white.chocolate! :flower:

Hooray! So glad that worked.

shutterpillar
December 11th, 2012, 06:57 PM
Right now my hair isnt long enough for many braided stick buns (mostly due to layers), so I will just do an english braid in the middle of my head, then coil it around itself and pin in place with two spin pins. Never had any problems from it.

KittyBird
December 12th, 2012, 02:24 AM
I make a French or Dutch braid and bun it, and I always slip off the elastic before I tuck the ends in. If I make a Rose bun, I French braid down to my neck, rope braid the rest and bun it. I only use elastics when I have to ;)

white.chocolate
December 12th, 2012, 02:36 AM
Well, spin pins have done the trick. :) I had to readjust them a few times to make sure I'd secured all the braid coils, but my bun is holding up well now. Thank you for your advice and encouragement, neko_kawaii and white.chocolate! :flower:

You're welcome! Glad that it worked.

QMacrocarpa
December 12th, 2012, 04:26 PM
Do you braid "normally" as in a French braid, or reverse braid as in a Dutch braid, and then bun? Or do you first split your hair into two horizontally, then split the bottom larger chunk, then braid and then bun? (Is there any other way you do it?)
All of the above at different times, not always with a strategic plan in mind. Sometimes I do sort of the reverse of the last way you mention (so two sections above and one below). I find that if I want to fold the braid flat up against the back of my head I get quite different results depending on whether I start with a French-type braid (makes more of a downward "bump" at the base of the braid) or a Dutch-type braid (smoother, less bump). Sometimes I prefer to avoid the bump, sometimes it seems like a plus. The braided buns I usually make are the "Ficcare braid" held with a Ficcare or similar clip (I like the downward bump here), the "upbraided" style (braid at the nape, in bump-avoiding fashion, lift the braid upward and clip it against the back of the head, then make a small high bun with what's left of the braid and secure with GHD or spin pins), or a braided cinnamon bun secured with 3 spin pins (or two smaller ones secured with 2 spin pins each). I occasionally try a braided lazy wrap, but I usually don't like it as well as the unbraided version, maybe because it seems to emphasize my taper. Lately I had two braids to play with and tried making a stickless braided Chinese bun, where I wrapped it around a place-holder stick, secured it with three spin pins and then removed the stick. I liked it, will try it again. I quit putting an elastic on the end of my braid before bunning it. My grippy hair tends not to unbraid itself much, and I think skipping the elastic is easier on my split- and breakage-prone ends.