spliced braid

[Pierre]

I thought of this updo, and got as far as braiding to the right distance so that they meet behind my head, then freaked out. Is doing this on oneself possible?
1. Part the hair down the middle.
2. Make a Dutch braid on each side, stopping where the braid would cross the midline behind the head. Make sure that the last crossing is either on the bottom on both sides or on the top on both sides.
3. Flip the braid on one side.
4. Take one of the loose strands and weave it into the braid on the other side.
5. Repeat step 4 for the other five strands.

[Gumball]

Hmm. I'm not sure. With those directions I'm afraid I can't quite visualize it. Step 2 begins to lose me and steps 3 and on do really confound me. It's possible your idea could work though. No reason to say no simply because I don't quite understand it. :)

[rubyredslippers]

Do you know someone with long enough who would let you test it out on them? Maybe once you got a feel for doing it on someone else you could translate it into doing it for yourself more easily.

I can't tell quite what you mean from your instructions but then I'm not capable of doing anything much more complicated than a single dutch braid on myself.

Good luck!

[Arctic_Mama]

Ack, I always cheated on these. I'd cross the closest strands of each braid and then stick a hair tie (like one of those cheap ouchless elastics)so I could let go. Then I'd re-section it as a three strand (or however many strands the bottom plait should be) and finish it off. Then I'd take a mirror so I could see the back of my head and CAREFULLY cut off each little band. When that was done I'd have a pretty clean-looking braid with no signs of cheating.

I am guilty of using elastics as second hands quite often. I can't do a rolled ANYTHING without them, not a rolled rope braid, not a rolled bun or three-strand. I always have to tie them off before regathering the hair because I'm a spaz.

Hope this helps?

[LilyMunster]

I understand the instructions. Yes you could do this yourself. Another option would be weave one strand thru one side, one strand thru other side. Continue equal on both sides. Might look more symetrical.

[Stevy]

So - does it turn into a six-strand braid? And how do you do a six-strand braid anyway? I'm intrigued, but having trouble visualising it.

[Periwinkle]

So it's basically two Dutch braids that join together to make one six-strand braid?

If it is, then I see no reason you couldn't do it on yourself (unless you are a braid klutz like someone I know)

[freznow]

Anything's possible! http://dreamweaverbraiding.com/braid_examples/braid_examples_combos.htm

I'm not exactly sure what you mean, in this instance, but I'm sure someone could do it. (Would you mind elaborating? I might give it a try...)

[Pierre]

It's a three-strand braid, but each of the three strands is made of some left hair which ends up above the right temple and some right hair which ends up above the left temple.

[Morag]

So, you are taking the remainder of the left braid, and working it into the right braid, and vice versa. And it makes one complete braid that goes across the back of our head and shows no ends, nothing hanging down your back?

That is a really cool idea! I would think it would be very difficult to work the strands of hair into the existing braid on the other side, especially because you're working against the original direction of the braid. But I have so many layers that all the little ends would keep getting tangled with each other. Maybe with nice even ends it would work better.

Have you actually seen this done on someone? It sounds awesome!

[Pierre]

So, you are taking the remainder of the left braid, and working it into the right braid, and vice versa. And it makes one complete braid that goes across the back of our head and shows no ends, nothing hanging down your back?
Yes.

Have you actually seen this done on someone? It sounds awesome!
No I haven't. I've only seen drawings in Chapman of spliced ropes.

[Morag]

I've only seen drawings in Chapman of spliced ropes.


That is a really cool idea. (Did I say that before?) I hope you can get it to work. And take pictures!!! :)