How long did it take you to master the French braid?

[Prism]

I've been attempting a French braid every few days, and the results leave a lot to be desired. I can't seem to sort out where fingers and hair should go. If I'm struggling this much with shoulder length hair, it doesn't bode well for BSL hair. I keep seeing these wonderful french braids all around the face, and I'm struggling with a basic single french braid.

Do you have any tips to share? Any opinions yea or nay on braiding hair when it's wet? I find it easier to manage when it's wet, but it's still a challenge for me. How long did it take you to master french braiding? Here's my "baggy" french braid today:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4204/34808937452_33cb4fb343_z.jpg

[Anje]

Couple of weeks, maybe? I learned out of a book when I was a kid.

I personally prefer to do them dry. It's easy to end up with tight strands and loose strands when I'm working with damp hair, and it tends to pull back lumpy instead of in a smooth sheet because it's clumping together instead of my (slippery, straightish) hair sliding past itself. I know plenty of people who prefer to work with damp hair because it hold better, but my hair will stay wet indefinitely if I put it in anything snugger than a loose braid while damp, so I prefer starting off with completely dry hair for everything.

For what it's worth, your baggy braid looks like you've got the technique down just fine. At this point, it's just a matter of learning to work with your hands right up against your head to keep it snug. You'll get that in a few attempts. Also, you'll get quicker at it, so your arms won't be dying for much longer.

ETA: I should mention, I learned to do an inside-out/Dutch braid first. It was easier to keep the strands separate, using the handholds suggested by my book. Don't try switching between them immediately, since you're struggling with one and don't want to confuse your muscle memory too much, but be aware that sometimes one is easier than the other for a given person. Also, be aware that I'm pretty good with spacial stuff, knots, etc., which I think aids me in quickly picking up braids and buns. If you struggle a bit more with that sort of thing, be kind to yourself and give yourself more leeway to learn it in your own time.

[Prism]

Couple of weeks, maybe? I learned out of a book when I was a kid.

I personally prefer to do them dry. It's easy to end up with tight strands and loose strands when I'm working with damp hair, and it tends to pull back lumpy instead of in a smooth sheet because it's clumping together instead of my (slippery, straightish) hair sliding past itself. I know plenty of people who prefer to work with damp hair because it hold better, but my hair will stay wet indefinitely if I put it in anything snugger than a loose braid while damp, so I prefer starting off with completely dry hair for everything.

For what it's worth, your baggy braid looks like you've got the technique down just fine. At this point, it's just a matter of learning to work with your hands right up against your head to keep it snug. You'll get that in a few attempts. Also, you'll get quicker at it, so your arms won't be dying for much longer.

Yes, my arms have been dying--how did you know? lol I wonder if some dry shampoo would make it easier to work with? It seems like when I grab one section, it's getting messy loops of hair. Thanks for the encouragement. :)

[Arete]

I learned to braid on horses. Switching to myself I was atrocious for awhile. Just keep practicing, you'll be a pro in no time. How Are you grabbing your added bit? I hold with my fingers and grab it with my pinky to keep the tension even.

[Prism]

I learned to braid on horses. Switching to myself I was atrocious for awhile. Just keep practicing, you'll be a pro in no time. How Are you grabbing your added bit? I hold with my fingers and grab it with my pinky to keep the tension even.

The first several tries on myself resulted in an upside down (?) french braid. I've finally gotten to where I'm adding portions in the right direction, but still very messy. I haven't been doing it long enough to have a set way I'm doing it--sometimes I use a ring finger, sometimes a pinky. I'll switch to pinky and see if that will help. Thank you for the tip!

[Aunt Rapunzel]

Couple of weeks, maybe? I learned out of a book when I was a kid.

I personally prefer to do them dry. It's easy to end up with tight strands and loose strands when I'm working with damp hair, and it tends to pull back lumpy instead of in a smooth sheet because it's clumping together instead of my (slippery, straightish) hair sliding past itself. I know plenty of people who prefer to work with damp hair because it hold better, but my hair will stay wet indefinitely if I put it in anything snugger than a loose braid while damp, so I prefer starting off with completely dry hair for everything.

For what it's worth, your baggy braid looks like you've got the technique down just fine. At this point, it's just a matter of learning to work with your hands right up against your head to keep it snug. You'll get that in a few attempts. Also, you'll get quicker at it, so your arms won't be dying for much longer.

ETA: I should mention, I learned to do an inside-out/Dutch braid first. It was easier to keep the strands separate, using the handholds suggested by my book. Don't try switching between them immediately, since you're struggling with one and don't want to confuse your muscle memory too much, but be aware that sometimes one is easier than the other for a given person. Also, be aware that I'm pretty good with spacial stuff, knots, etc., which I think aids me in quickly picking up braids and buns. If you struggle a bit more with that sort of thing, be kind to yourself and give yourself more leeway to learn it in your own time.

I agree with Anje, that for me it's much easier to do a French braid on dry hair. And also to keep your hands right up close to your scalp. You've definitely got the technique down! It just needs tightening now. And your hair is very pretty!


I learned when I was maybe 12.

[Prism]

I agree with Anje, that for me it's much easier to do a French braid on dry hair. And also to keep your hands right up close to your scalp. You've definitely got the technique down! It just needs tightening now. And your hair is very pretty!


I learned when I was maybe 12.

Thanks for the encouragement and the compliment! I think I'll add this pic to my hair blog and hopefully will eventually look back and laugh at how it once seemed so hard. :)

[Arctic]

I can't remember how long it took, I was a child back then.

Yours looks very nice, only a bit on the looser side. Try to braid more snuggly, adding more hair at a time . Try to "use up" all the hair higher than you do now, so that the last sections will go upwards and won't sag downwards. Some people like to cross the final two added sections at the nape (so final left hand section will be put on the right side and the other way around), saying this prevents sagging. I don't seem to need that trick myself though.

A bit more practice and you'll be a pro!

[Prism]

I can't remember how long it took, I was a child back then.

Yours looks very nice, only a bit on the looser side. Try to braid more snuggly, adding more hair at a time . Try to "use up" all the hair higher than you do now, so that the last sections will go upwards and won't sag downwards. Some people like to cross the final two added sections at the nape (so final left hand section will be put on the right side and the other way around), saying this prevents sagging. I don't seem to need that trick myself though.

A bit more practice and you'll be a pro!

Wow, this is so helpful--thank you!

[Obsidian]

I'm 45 and still can't french braid. Not on myself or others, my fingers just don't cooperate.

[Prism]

I'm 45 and still can't french braid. Not on myself or others, my fingers just don't cooperate.

I'm 49. Maybe we can cheer each other on? Your attempt has to look at least as good as my sloppy braid does. :)

[Obsidian]

No, no it doesn't lol. You braid looks very neat, just loose. My attempts look more like something a 4 yr old would do. Pieces loose, chunks missed, braid going sideways across my head. Its terrible.

[Deborah]

I still can't do it and have given up. So you are doing way better than me!

[Prism]

No, no it doesn't lol. You braid looks very neat, just loose. My attempts look more like something a 4 yr old would do. Pieces loose, chunks missed, braid going sideways across my head. Its terrible.

This was far from my first attempt, and I do remember having ones that looked that way as well. Everybody's gotta start somewhere, right?

[Anje]

Yes, my arms have been dying--how did you know? lol I wonder if some dry shampoo would make it easier to work with? It seems like when I grab one section, it's getting messy loops of hair. Thanks for the encouragement. :)

I've had the dead arms many times from hairstyling. :D I recommend messing with it on lazy evenings at home, when you'd be vegging in front of the TV otherwise. Then there's no time pressure to finish a hairstyle before you have to leave for work, and no pressure to have it look presentable either.

For me, I like working with my hair at maximum slipperiness, so no dry shampoo or water or anything for grip. If my hair sticks to itself, it'll stick out away from my head in little lumpy loopies instead of gliding back in smooth sections, and I've got an irrational hatred of those on straight hair. (On curly hair, they're awesome. But on my hair, NO!)

I gather sections back by holding all the braid in one hand, then draw a part from my hairline to the braid, level with the point where I'm working, with the index finger of my other hand. I might comb the top layer of the section a time or two to help smooth it after I've added it. Then I tilt my holding hand away from my head just enough so I can reach under it with the free hand and grab the middle strand. I actually let the strand that was just added to (which becomes the new middle) fall unsupported, and then add the final strand to the new holding hand.
Everyone has a method of holding these things, though, and they don't always translate well. Mine were out of the old Klutz book Hair, by Anne Johnson.

[Obsidian]

How do you keep the braid sections from tangling with each other? I just tried and after three passes/twists, whatever you call them. My hair was so tangled I was ripping it out by the roots.

[Anje]

How do you keep the braid sections from tangling with each other? I just tried and after three passes/twists, whatever you call them. My hair was so tangled I was ripping it out by the roots.

Run your hand down the entire length of the not-yet-braided hair, every single pass, so that the strands aren't twisted around each other. This gets to be really automatic -- it's just part of my process of freeing up the hand that was holding the hair to run it all the way down.

This is also why people much longer than classic often don't do french braids. Once you can't get your hand down to the ends to prevent the reverse-braid for forming, it requires more gymnastics to braid without tangling.

[PixieP]

Oooh the arm pain the first time doing double Dutch braids on my hip length hair...! I was in tears by the time I was done :laugh:

It took me several weeks. I hadn't understood the difference between French and Dutch braiding (French = outer strands go over the middle strands, Dutch = outer strands go under the middle strands) so I kept switching unconsciously while trying to braid! It was a mess. Once I understood the difference, I braided a bunch of English braids, side, back and small random braids here and there over the course of several days, and realized I when I just braid without thinking about it, I do outer strands under middle strand. So then I started trying to Dutch braid instead, and that was much more natural for my hands. Once I became confident in my Dutch braiding, sectioning the hair and making it all look neat, I started to teach myself to French braid. I still have to repeat "over, over, over" under my breath while doing French braids so that I don't switch over to Dutch braids halfway :P

[Andthetalltrees]

Mmh, I started when I was little braiding my dolls hair. But for myself it took a few months of doing it everyday, and I still struggle with French braids. Try dutch braids, they hold in my hair better and I find them easier to do.

[Shiranshoku]

You are very close!

When I add from the right, I have the leftmost strand between my ring and middle finger. The middle strand is between middle finger and index, and the rightmost strand between index and thumb. All in my left hand, palm facing my head.

With my right index finger, I separte a section to add. I hold this between my thumb and index, and then drop the rightmost strand (by moving my left thumb). I join them together with my right hand and slip the combined right strand between the pinky and ring finger of my right hand. I move the middle strand to between my middle finger and ring finger of the right hand.

At this point, my left hand is only holding the leftmost strand, and I have my index and thumb free to wriggle. I use these to scoop the rightmost strand from my right hand and pass it over to the middle. You can quite safely drop it if you make a fist with your hand.

Using this holding method (palms facing my head) I almost always have the option to use my thumb and index finger. I hope I'm making sense :D

[Prism]

Dutch braids! I knew there had to be a name for the upside-down thing I started off doing. Thanks, PixieP!

Shiranshoku, I'll pull this up when I try the braid tonight/tomorrow again. Having trouble visualizing it and what I'm doing. Thanks!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I had to practise for two weeks daily, to master the French braid. My hair was just about shoulder length then.

[Prism]

I had to practise for two weeks daily, to master the French braid. My hair was just about shoulder length then.

Thanks for quantifying it. That helps me a great deal! I imagine it'll only become more challenging the longer it gets, so I'm gonna master this thing yet! :)

[Ligeia Noire]

I still cannot french braid my hair, I actually think I can do it already but my hair just tangles so much trying to grab each other that I just gave up.

[PixieP]

Dutch braids! I knew there had to be a name for the upside-down thing I started off doing. Thanks, PixieP!

Shiranshoku, I'll pull this up when I try the braid tonight/tomorrow again. Having trouble visualizing it and what I'm doing. Thanks!

You're welcome :) In general then a french braid means that the braid is hidden under the hair, and a dutch braid will lie on top of the hair and be more visible. But then some will also say french braid for all types of braids that use sections along the head.

[Siri]

I'm a failure at French Braiding, never been able to achieve it. You're doing fine, just keep with it. I've never gotten as far along as you. :cheer:

[mira-chan]

I still have problems with the french braid. My brain refuses to function that way. I automatically braid them as Dutch/ inside out braids. As for Dutch braids, about 5 tries.

[yahirwaO.o]

Im was a long haired guy and looking at youtube tutorials were very appeealing to me at the time so I decided to learn.

Actually learned practicing on other people's hair and little by little I started improving... I was 18 when I did my little cousin hair for a party and she loved it.

It took me years and years to master it on myself. Probably im very of few people here because my hair is king of sliperiness so damp not wet hair helps tremendously.

French braiding was fairly easy, dutch braiding was awfully difficult to learn. I have a couple of pictures with all sorts of lenghts and styles that envolve french dutch braids in my picture gallery and avatar of course.

So old keep practicing does make you a master at some point. Further notes my hair is almost a layered short bob and able to braid the back of my hair into two dutch braid styles with no tales and looks pretty nice. This is comming from a person who everything new is hard and insecure so keep on. :)

[Prism]

yahirwaO.o, thank you for the encouragement. :)

[pailin]

I gave up on it years ago, but at some point when I got serious about growing my hair and joined LHC, I gave it another try because it's so useful for other hairstyles. Took me a while. I wouldn't try it with wet hair because my hair is more tangly wet- sticks to itself too much. But that might be a matter of length. I finally figured it out just shy of waist length. And about 4 months before turning 40. Took me a few more months to manage dutch braids.
I really, really like Torrinpaige's YouTube video on french and dutch braids- that's how I finally figured it out. She explained exactly how she was holding her hands, which fingers each strand was in. I don't do it exactly like she does, but I was able to go from her explanations to finally make it work.
The other key for me (might have been in her video too) was to always detangle as you go- I'm constantly running my hands all the way down the section to keep them separated from each other.
My first couple of french braids I did feel like I lost a lot of hair though. Now it's not a problem.
I prefer the look of 2 braids, and I have had to learn to braid the right side first, because that's always harder for me, for whatever reason. That way my arms aren't already tired when I start on the more difficult side.

[Prism]

I gave up on it years ago, but at some point when I got serious about growing my hair and joined LHC, I gave it another try because it's so useful for other hairstyles. Took me a while. I wouldn't try it with wet hair because my hair is more tangly wet- sticks to itself too much. But that might be a matter of length. I finally figured it out just shy of waist length. And about 4 months before turning 40. Took me a few more months to manage dutch braids.
I really, really like Torrinpaige's YouTube video on french and dutch braids- that's how I finally figured it out. She explained exactly how she was holding her hands, which fingers each strand was in. I don't do it exactly like she does, but I was able to go from her explanations to finally make it work.
The other key for me (might have been in her video too) was to always detangle as you go- I'm constantly running my hands all the way down the section to keep them separated from each other.
My first couple of french braids I did feel like I lost a lot of hair though. Now it's not a problem.
I prefer the look of 2 braids, and I have had to learn to braid the right side first, because that's always harder for me, for whatever reason. That way my arms aren't already tired when I start on the more difficult side.

Yes, I notice she takes a brush and periodically brushes the length. I think I'll put a coney leave-in on it tomorrow before giving it a try. It needs more slip. I was noticing sometimes I lost the section that was in my hand, which probably accounts for some of the bagginess of my braid. TWO braids? I can't imagine even trying that at this point. As it was, I was hearing hair snap sometimes as I got the sections caught. I'll have to be a lot gentler so I don't break a lot of hair.

[lottiealice]

I still haven't, I was never any good at anything other than two plaits or a ponytail though (and I *hate* ponytails).

[pailin]

Yes, I notice she takes a brush and periodically brushes the length. I think I'll put a coney leave-in on it tomorrow before giving it a try. It needs more slip. I was noticing sometimes I lost the section that was in my hand, which probably accounts for some of the bagginess of my braid. TWO braids? I can't imagine even trying that at this point. As it was, I was hearing hair snap sometimes as I got the sections caught. I'll have to be a lot gentler so I don't break a lot of hair.

Well, I don't brush, just mostly detangle with fingers. Mostly making sure that the sections don't mix with each other or get random hairs caught up and added when they shouldn't be. And lots of patience. I don't try to do it unless I have lots of time, even now, and I don't bother if it's too hot (sweat makes it impossible, abd you don't exactly want to be standing in front of a fan!).
It was scary in the beginning - thought I was breaking a lot of hair. And probably I did the first couple times. But now that I'm more comfortable with it, not a problem. And they're great protection if you're going to spend a day at the beach.

[lapushka]

I've been attempting a French braid every few days, and the results leave a lot to be desired. I can't seem to sort out where fingers and hair should go. If I'm struggling this much with shoulder length hair, it doesn't bode well for BSL hair. I keep seeing these wonderful french braids all around the face, and I'm struggling with a basic single french braid.

Do you have any tips to share? Any opinions yea or nay on braiding hair when it's wet? I find it easier to manage when it's wet, but it's still a challenge for me. How long did it take you to master french braiding? Here's my "baggy" french braid today:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4204/34808937452_33cb4fb343_z.jpg

That looks like a good attempt - not bad at all. The braid looks nice, a little loose, but it's all there, so I'm figuring it's a matter of practice.

[Suze]

I could do it on the first attempt but I guess that is only because I was in a marching band when I was younger and we had to have a french braid in our hair. So two or three people would braid 25-30 girls and I just watched it been done so many times. They always told me my hair was very difficult and too soft/ slippery so I just did it myself one day and it turned out fine. :o

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

I think it is harder to do it on yourself if you have mastered it on other heads of hair first. I have not yet gotten the hang of it on myself but can do it on others. I have just mastered a single 3 strand english braid from the back of my head. I have improved each time I did it. French braid is a bit too much manipulation for me right now.

[Hairkay]

I'm not sure how long it took me since I was around 10 when I attempted to cornrow and ended up with what you call a French braid. Others call it wrong side cornrows. I was making braided headbands. Doing my whole head in just one is another story. It's so thick that tangles happen easily. I gave up on that. I'll put my hair in many plaits/braids first then French braid the lot easily. I mostly go for at least 2 cornrows

[Cherriezzzzz]

I went to Cosmetology school, NEVER learned there. Go figure. But years after I tried it on myself. It just clicked. See if one is easier and practice on yourself or others. Cause two friends of mine can do it on their daughters but not themselves!

[Simsy]

6 months of doing them every night to sleep in. I actually started French braiding because I outgrew the pigtails I had been using.

If you can braid normally, you should be able to French braid. Try starting on one side of your head so you can see what you are doing and adding to just one side (lace braiding).

[lapushka]

I discovered a braiding book (at the library I think), in my teens, that I always used to browse. Then I would go practice on myself. So I learned in my teens, after a few attempts, if I recall correctly. Didn't get it on the first go, but the French braid isn't that hard for me; I found a Dutch braid much harder to do (finger settings and all).

[hayheadsbird]

I'm not sure how long it took me since I was around 10 when I attempted to cornrow and ended up with what you call a French braid. Others call it wrong side cornrows. I was making braided headbands. Doing my whole head in just one is another story. It's so thick that tangles happen easily. I gave up on that. I'll put my hair in many plaits/braids first then French braid the lot easily. I mostly go for at least 2 cornrows
Are cornrows and Dutch braids constructed the same way? From looking at photos online I can't tell if they're made the same way.

ETA - Google came to the rescue
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=136957

Off to finish reading that thread now!

[Nique1202]

For Dutch braids, it took me practicing 2-3 times a day for about 3 weeks making twin braids before I was comfortable wearing them out of the house. French braids, I had fringe and odd lengths of hair and very short layers so for a long time I only tried once every couple of months, but if I'd practiced a couple of times a day every day in a row, it might have taken me about the same 3 weeks worth of tries.

Either way, it's definitely better to get the technique down when your hair is shorter and to practice at least once a week after that even if you don't wear the results out. That way your arm strength builds up as your hair grows down and you don't get too out of practice. I stopped doing all french and dutch braids for a couple of months recently and now my arm strength is gone right out the window, I can barely finish a french braid without taking a break.

[Prism]

Everybody, thanks so much for your replies and all of your tips and tricks. So it's between 3 weeks and 6 months. I'll keep doing them daily (probably will be my favorite sleeping hairdo now), and it WILL get easier. Woot!

[Hairkay]

Are cornrows and Dutch braids constructed the same way? From looking at photos online I can't tell if they're made the same way.

ETA - Google came to the rescue
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=136957

Off to finish reading that thread now!

There's a slight difference. Cornrows use all the hair, Dutch braids mainly use hair near the surface. I know that mine were Dutch braids because when I showed others my reverse conrows they complained about all the action on the surface.

[Prism]

I've been putting my hair in a french braid every night to sleep in. Last night I must have tried 5 or 6 times before finally getting something that was halfway decent. The problem I was having is where each finger goes and whether, when you go to add to one strand, do you release that section completely as you combine it with more hair, or do you keep a grasp on it somehow and somehow combine the hair you're holding? I've been releasing the section, but I'm getting sections kind of mixed up--often having to start over completely--and I'm hearing hair snap, which is freaking me out. shudder: I've also been noting that I always grab new portions of hair with my thumb as the rest of my hand feels like it's "full" of hair between most fingers. Argh!

[Arctic]

I don't release the sections.

Snapping is normal when you practice (of any new style). When you got the technique down, the snapping will not happen anymore.

[Arctic]

Maybe this thread - or some of the other numerous threads that discuss in detail how people hold their hair when french braiding - will help you?

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=139379

Also remember you can put you tube videos on low motion, which can help you to see the hands/fingers/sections better.

[Prism]

Arctic, thank you. That thread is helping me a lot of basic questions of finger placement and how to grab new hair.

And I didn't know you could make a video play in slow motion! If anybody else is wondering, to adjust playback speed if you're using the Chrome browser, click the Settings icon in the lower-right corner of the playback window, then click the Speed selector.

[Arctic]

You are welcome! Yes the thread goes into great detail about finger placements and holding sections. I am very intuitive braider myself and detailed descriptions only confuse me, lol, but I know many people really need the super detailed instructions. It always amazes me how differently brains work for different people. I always advice to watch and read many different tutorials, made by different people. One of them will click. Some people like videos, some text, some pictorals. There will be a tutorial that will make you go: "Ahhh! That's how it's done!" and then it will be easy peasy!

[Prism]

I'm still really struggling with the french braiding. Every night I put it in a french braid, and sometimes I have to try five or more times. Finger/hair placement is still confusing for me. I've found that rather than having each section between a separate finger, sometimes I have two sections spaced a little apart between the same fingers, and when I do that, it often ends up getting mixed with the other section, making me have to start all over. :headache:

I swear my hair was easier to french braid when I was blow drying it. Now it feels too...sticky? or something. The texture is healthier than it was, but it feels much harder to work with. All in my head? Anybody else experience this?

[Alex Lou]

I think you just needed to stop sectioning your hair when you got to the base of your skull, and just put the rest of the hair, no matter how thick into the 3 braid parts. In other words, you just need to make the transition from french braiding to normal braiding higher up.

I learned to french braid by watching a woman in class. I was bored, so I started braiding too. So I learned that same day, but I was well into adulthood by the time it clicked, after failed attempts as a child. I think it helps to not use a mirror.

[Robi-Bird]

I haven't mastered it yet. I've been growing my hair for 4 years. Oiy.

[Alex Lou]

I'm still really struggling with the french braiding. Every night I put it in a french braid, and sometimes I have to try five or more times. Finger/hair placement is still confusing for me. I've found that rather than having each section between a separate finger, sometimes I have two sections spaced a little apart between the same fingers, and when I do that, it often ends up getting mixed with the other section, making me have to start all over. :headache:

I swear my hair was easier to french braid when I was blow drying it. Now it feels too...sticky? or something. The texture is healthier than it was, but it feels much harder to work with. All in my head? Anybody else experience this?

I definitely drops sections while braiding. I don't have 3 hands! I smooth down the section onto the hair that I'm about to grab, then I part with my index finger of the free hand and grab new and old parts of the section together and deliver it to the opposite hand index finger which has to drop the middle section to take the new section. I'm sitting here trying to figure out how I do it. It all goes very fast.

Snapping does not sound normal to me.

[Prism]

I think you just needed to stop sectioning your hair when you got to the base of your skull, and just put the rest of the hair, no matter how thick into the 3 braid parts. In other words, you just need to make the transition from french braiding to normal braiding higher up.

I learned to french braid by watching a woman in class. I was bored, so I started braiding too. So I learned that same day, but I was well into adulthood by the time it clicked, after failed attempts as a child. I think it helps to not use a mirror.

I think what was happening was I was not lined up with the right area. Rather than being too low, my hands were too high, resulting in "bagginess". My braids are definitely getting tighter, but still looser than I like. Here's tonight's final attempt:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4280/34319445473_cbb71182af_z.jpg

(please excuse the raggedy looking tassel. I should have brushed it before the pic)

Interesting that you drop the section and then grab the new hair with it. I've tried both ways, and I can't tell which is easier.

I'm not using a mirror, for what it's worth.

[Arctic]

I think what was happening was I was not lined up with the right area. Rather than being too low, my hands were too high, resulting in "bagginess". My braids are definitely getting tighter, but still looser than I like. Here's tonight's final attempt:


(please excuse the raggedy looking tassel. I should have brushed it before the pic)

Interesting that you drop the section and then grab the new hair with it. I've tried both ways, and I can't tell which is easier.

I'm not using a mirror, for what it's worth.

I think it looks good enough to proudly wear in public! It looks snug enough to me, not too loose.

I see you have some "webbing" going on in there, which indicated you are not keeping the sections separated well enough. The webbing is what causes snapping too.

There are couple of ways that I think are "good ways" of adding hair - I don't count the dropping a section "a good way" because for me it would not help make my braid the best possible - it would cause tangling, webbing and would make it easy to loose a section and make me confused where I was. Maybe there are other methods too, but these I what I consider reliable ways. They all give the same end results:

1) add hair to the active section, THEN place the section and its added hair over the middle section. (This is how I do mine.)
2) place the active section over the middle section, THEN grab more hair and combine that with the section you already placed over the middle section.
3) extra hair is added on BOTH side sections and only THEN they are crossed over the middle section, one side section first, then the other.

The second might be easier for you, as you would have your whole hand free to take more hair, add it to the active section, and maybe quickly separate all the sections. There wouldn't be a need to drop a section either. (you would still need to learn to keep the 3 sections separated and in right order on the other hand).

Take your time, work on trying to learn to braid in a gentle, snug, non-web-forming, hair friendly way. When you learn that, the speed will come.

ETA: Also what was very helpful to me was to learn to FEEL with my fingers which section has crossed the middle section the last. When I learned that, I didn't need to try to remember the correct order anymore. If and when I get mixed up, I can "see with my fingers" where I was left off, and continue from there.

ETA2: Some people are tactile braiders, others are not. You might be one of the visual braiders? Of course it's difficult to see to the back of your head, but you could try dividing your hair in half (like for doing pigtails) and braiding one side while looking at the mirror. Who knows, maybe it helps you to learn. It would be easier to handle too, as it'd only be half of your hair. OR video yourself braiding, it might be very clear when you'd watch it what steps you might need to practice more and what you already do well.

[Aunt Rapunzel]

I think what was happening was I was not lined up with the right area. Rather than being too low, my hands were too high, resulting in "bagginess". My braids are definitely getting tighter, but still looser than I like. Here's tonight's final attempt:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4280/34319445473_cbb71182af_z.jpg

(please excuse the raggedy looking tassel. I should have brushed it before the pic)

Interesting that you drop the section and then grab the new hair with it. I've tried both ways, and I can't tell which is easier.

I'm not using a mirror, for what it's worth.


That looks lovely!! Great job!

[Prism]

I think it looks good enough to proudly wear in public! It looks snug enough to me, not too loose.

I see you have some "webbing" going on in there, which indicated you are not keeping the sections separated well enough. The webbing is what causes snapping too.

There are couple of ways that I think are "good ways" of adding hair - I don't count the dropping a section "a good way" because for me it would not help make my braid the best possible - it would cause tangling, webbing and would make it easy to loose a section and make me confused where I was. Maybe there are other methods too, but these I what I consider reliable ways. They all give the same end results:

1) add hair to the active section, THEN place the section and its added hair over the middle section. (This is how I do mine.)
2) place the active section over the middle section, THEN grab more hair and combine that with the section you already placed over the middle section.
3) extra hair is added on BOTH side sections and only THEN they are crossed over the middle section, one side section first, then the other.

The second might be easier for you, as you would have your whole hand free to take more hair, add it to the active section, and maybe quickly separate all the sections. There wouldn't be a need to drop a section either. (you would still need to learn to keep the 3 sections separated and in right order on the other hand).

Take your time, work on trying to learn to braid in a gentle, snug, non-web-forming, hair friendly way. When you learn that, the speed will come.

ETA: Also what was very helpful to me was to learn to FEEL with my fingers which section has crossed the middle section the last. When I learned that, I didn't need to try to remember the correct order anymore. If and when I get mixed up, I can "see with my fingers" where I was left off, and continue from there.

ETA2: Some people are tactile braiders, others are not. You might be one of the visual braiders? Of course it's difficult to see to the back of your head, but you could try dividing your hair in half (like for doing pigtails) and braiding one side while looking at the mirror. Who knows, maybe it helps you to learn. It would be easier to handle too, as it'd only be half of your hair. OR video yourself braiding, it might be very clear when you'd watch it what steps you might need to practice more and what you already do well.

Thanks for the compliment. I'll take it! :) I've been really frustrated, so it's nice to hear that maybe I could wear this outside the house.

Ok, as far as good ways to add hair, I think I'm doing the first one, but I'm not consistent. Sometimes I've got two sections in one finger slot with only a little space between them. Sometimes I'm dropping it. Webbing -- Yup, I can feel it getting all scrambled back there. That's what happened with the bottom of the braid in the pic--I would have preferred to keep braiding, but I had the sections combined by accident, and I had to put the elastic on or lose the whole thing.

I don't think I'm a visual braider, and it wouldn't matter if I were because we currently have no mirror setup that would let me to see what I was doing back there. I'd have to have another arm, which sure would be nice about now! I can't imagine trying to do all of this and watch in the mirror simultaneously!

Thanks for all of your help, Arctic. You are a sweetheart to write all of that out! I'm going to try to consistently use one of the three ways you've listed and see if that will help it all come together.

[Prism]

That looks lovely!! Great job!

Aw thanks :)

[Prism]

My 10th+ attempt tonight. I've watched tutorials and practiced over and over. I'm so frustrated I'm sitting here bawling. Yep, crying over a stupid hairdo. But a stupid hairdo everybody but me seems capable of learning.

Tonight's very-webby final attempt:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4249/35109942986_e94f223bda_c.jpg

Time to hang it up for the night.

[Arctic]

It's absolutely public worthy! Really lovely french braid!

You know even though I learned to braid as a child, it was only after I joined LHC when I learned to braid with a technique that doesn't break hairs (it didn't even occur to me back then that there was something to correct - shows how much hair-mindfullness LHC has tought me). I might have some notes in my blog - I needed to unlearn my old, deeply rooted technique and learn to do the braids so that there was no hair webs forming, because I had identified them as the reason my hair was snapping. I'm not sure if you can eliminate the webbing tendency 100% because after all we are talking about tens of thousands of tiny hairs, but I did learn to braid without breaking hairs (exception is, when I'm learning new braids - those always take some casualties of the hair kind). I needed to slow down my braiding and really be mindful. It took a while, and I needed to braid pretty slowly for a longish while, but eventually the speed picked up again. (Not that I am very fast braider even now.)

Much has to do with seperating the sections constantly, taking tidy sections to add to the active section (some people like to comb the added sections to make them alligned), learning to keep the 3 sections in your hand so that they are in right order and won't drop and being mindful (when I feel a web starting to form around my fingers, I stop and seperate the sections).

Be kind to your self, you have learned the basics (:cheer: :cheer:) and most non-LHC people would be perfectly happy with your skill! I don't think most people will see any webbing or think of it as a flaw, I just mentioned it because you have been mentioning getting some breakage. You can continue honing your technique, you are in much better place than I was, I had something like 25 years of not-the hairfriendliest braiding technique to unlearn, you can learn it right away!

[Prism]

Thanks for your kind words, Arctic. I should have stopped for the night instead of getting more and more determined to conquer the french braid. Diminishing returns!

[Lady Una]

Prism, I think your most recent pictures are great! It looks like you've got the hang of the braid. It will only get better as time goes by. :)
I learned to do a French braid when I was 15 or 16 (from the Klutz Press book Braids and Bows). For the longest time I couldn't do it on myself, only on my sister and cousins. All my tries on my own hair looked horribly loose and unsymmetrical. I kept practicing, and now I can do a French braid on my tailbone-length hair in about a minute and a half.

[Prism]

Prism, I think your most recent pictures are great! It looks like you've got the hang of the braid. It will only get better as time goes by. :)
I learned to do a French braid when I was 15 or 16 (from the Klutz Press book Braids and Bows). For the longest time I couldn't do it on myself, only on my sister and cousins. All my tries on my own hair looked horribly loose and unsymmetrical. I kept practicing, and now I can do a French braid on my tailbone-length hair in about a minute and a half.

Wow, that's great. Do you know which of the three techniques you use?

Thanks for the encouragement. ;)

[hayheadsbird]

There's a slight difference. Cornrows use all the hair, Dutch braids mainly use hair near the surface. I know that mine were Dutch braids because when I showed others my reverse conrows they complained about all the action on the surface.
Thank you :)

[LaLola73]

When I was a young adult I could French braid easily. Now it's been a few decades since I had hair long enough to braid; it has taken me about a month to do an ok one. I need to figure out how to hold my hands correctly.