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Kherome
January 16th, 2014, 10:11 AM
I love to keep my hair up. All of it. Down and half-ups annoy the crap out of me, I just can't do it.

So hairstyles that involve all of the hair up off the neck are my favorites. I've always loved the crown braid but I can never get it to work! It just doesn't. And I noticed that all the youtube videos for crown braid tutorials are people with a ton of hair, not ii hair. Plus they usually aren't Classic length.

So, can anyone help with getting ii Classic length hair into a crown braid? Is there a video I missed? Thoughts?

bunzfan
January 16th, 2014, 10:28 AM
Not classic but I have hair on the fine side I follow lilith moon tutorial the braid seems to stay thick almost all the way round.

Khiwanean
January 16th, 2014, 10:28 AM
I managed a crown braid once or twice back when I was a little longer than waist length. I haven't tried again since, especially now that I'm past classic, as my hair has been such a pain to detangle at this length. It's gotten easier to detangle now that I've gone back to cones, so I should try it again. I'm on the thick side of ii - nearly ii/iii, so I'm not sure how my hair compares to yours.

I have recently done a faux crown braid though. I made a regular english braid and wrapped it firmly around my head. I tucked the tail out of sight under the braid and then used a flexi-8 at the junction of the tail and the base to maintain the tension and hold it in place. It holds well with just that as long as I don't tip my head back, but I'm sure it could be better secured with a few pins.

heidi w.
January 16th, 2014, 10:33 AM
It seems you may not know how to braid. Practice on a doll to get the hang of it. Also, watch what each individual finger is doing when. A crown braid is fairly easy to create. Do not wait to pin the hair up until it's all done; pin while you circle the braid around your head.
heidi w.

Anje
January 16th, 2014, 10:49 AM
It seems to me that the longer hair gets, the less inclined people are to put it in french or dutch braids (especially ones with a long 'path' and a lot of additions, like a crown braid) due to tangling.

Are you at the point where you can do a faux crown (english braid wrapped around the head)? I estimate that it'll require my hair to be a little past classic for me to do it, but you're taller than I am. It balances well for me with a paranda braided in (which also adds thickness to the ends so that the weight is more evenly distributed) and the weight is different than with a bun. If I were you, that's probably what I'd be doing more.

ETA: My hair's a thinnish ii, so I've not been happy with how skimpy a dutch lace crown braid (lace braids being WAY easier than adding hair from both sides) turns out. This might be a contributing factor to why you see mostly iiis demonstrating it.

Ocelan
January 16th, 2014, 11:06 AM
I've only tried a crown braid a few times and I admit it is tricky, but I don't think there's really anything else that can help it besides practise, on yourself that is. It's so different to braid someone elses hair than yours. I can't even make any buns on other people. The handholds are tricky to figure out but it needs to be done. My crown braid has been a bit wonky the times I've tried it, but I guess after a few more tries it could end up decent. It may be easier to make and stay when your hair hasn't been washed in a while or is oiled, but atleast my hair gets really piecey then so the parts don't lay right and it looks nasty. So it's good for practising for not great for making it look nice.

What would you say is your problem with crown braids? Do you think the braid looks too thin or can you just not make it all around your head? Do you think there's too much scalp showing though at points? I think the length you have shouldn't atleast make it worse but instead better looking. The only problem with longer length might be keeping the sections separate when braiding. When you have a longer braid to finish with you can just twirl it around your head on the inside of the franch/dutch crown (personally I think the dutch looks better but the french might be esier to make it look decent on thinner hair).

I think in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZB9Ugq5U8U) the girls' hair might be about ii. Her hair looks about the thickness as mine and my circ is about 8cm (or 3 and some inches). She does have a bit smaller head though and they do poof the braid up in the end. Also, I've usually seen videos where they start doing the braid towards the back of the head from the ear and that makes it really hard to see what you are doing with all the hair in your face, so I think next time I'll try it starting towards the front too.

Kherome
January 16th, 2014, 11:11 AM
It seems you may not know how to braid. Practice on a doll to get the hang of it. Also, watch what each individual finger is doing when. A crown braid is fairly easy to create. Do not wait to pin the hair up until it's all done; pin while you circle the braid around your head.
heidi w.

Of course I can braid, who can't?

Kherome
January 16th, 2014, 11:15 AM
I've only tried a crown braid a few times and I admit it is tricky, but I don't think there's really anything else that can help it besides practise, on yourself that is. It's so different to braid someone elses hair than yours. I can't even make any buns on other people. The handholds are tricky to figure out but it needs to be done. My crown braid has been a bit wonky the times I've tried it, but I guess after a few more tries it could end up decent. It may be easier to make and stay when your hair hasn't been washed in a while or is oiled, but atleast my hair gets really piecey then so the parts don't lay right and it looks nasty. So it's good for practising for not great for making it look nice.

What would you say is your problem with crown braids? Do you think the braid looks too thin or can you just not make it all around your head? Do you think there's too much scalp showing though at points? I think the length you have shouldn't atleast make it worse but instead better looking. The only problem with longer length might be keeping the sections separate when braiding. When you have a longer braid to finish with you can just twirl it around your head on the inside of the franch/dutch crown (personally I think the dutch looks better but the french might be esier to make it look decent on thinner hair).

I think in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZB9Ugq5U8U) the girls' hair might be about ii. Her hair looks about the thickness as mine and my circ is about 8cm (or 3 and some inches). She does have a bit smaller head though and they do poof the braid up in the end. Also, I've usually seen videos where they start doing the braid towards the back of the head from the ear and that makes it really hard to see what you are doing with all the hair in your face, so I think next time I'll try it starting towards the front too.

Tangling is definitely an issue. With all the hair moving around it gets tricky. I also don't think it ends up looking even. I've tried different methods, starting in the back, starting in the front. It just never seems to work out right. I don't know. So I usually end up giving up and just doing a french braid and being done with it.

lunalocks
January 16th, 2014, 11:20 AM
I have one inch from BCL hair and the few times I tried the crown braid ended in frustration. I can french braid just fine. I don't know why this one is so difficult for me. I also have bangs. They seem to get in the way and are not long enough to stay in the braid.

I DO do the pinless braided bun, and also do an English braid and wrap it flat, oval-wise on the back of my head and that is impressive. Would love to do a crown braid, tho...

lapispimpernel
January 16th, 2014, 12:44 PM
The lace-crown braid has worked for me since MBL, and I'm a 3" ii. I think that one looks better, since it keeps the "inside hairs" (on the the crown of the head) from spreading out and looking thin, and the "outside hairs" around the face can spread and poof properly. I practiced on wet hair until my fingers were accustomed to the placement- lace braiding upside down and backwards was much different than doing it on someone else. Start in the flipped over position and work from one ear to the other. Your hair should be long enough that it will go around twice and and add some height and volume to the front of the crown. Make sure you pin as you go. :)

TiaKitty
January 16th, 2014, 07:31 PM
No problems here, even at a waist, I can get it done.

I think if tangling is the problem, you really have to be diligent about smoothing all three strands, after each cross-over. That's the only way I can do it without becoming frustrated.