4 or 5 strand Dutch braid?

[Doreen]

I have been trying forever (well, 3 or 4 months) to get this braid right and I still haven't managed to do it well enough to go out in public wearing it. I absolutely love the look of the 5 strand Dutch but have been trying the 4 strand version for now as I try to master it. I have watched countless videos but I can't seem to do it on myself without dropping a section or misweaving. I seem to have the most trouble with dropping because I feel like I don't have enough fingers (even though I see people do it on themselves in videos with no problem).

Does anyone have any tips on this or some system to add, cross, swap in a certain order? Should I start with thin sections or thicker? My hair is nearing FTL so another problem I've been having is tangling at the ends if I don't pull through each time, and when I pull through I either forget to cross or I drop a section :-( Any insight you have would be helpful. I can do a regular 5 strand no problem and a regular 6 strand is challenging but doable.

[Simsy]

I’m still learning and use one of 2 methods when doing 4 or 5 strand braids. Either start from one side, add hair and move the strand all the way across; then start again from the first side. Or go into the middle from each side. I also sing to myself as I’m braiding, “over, under; under, over” for 4 strands; and “under, over; under, over, under” for 5 strands.

As for the tangling ends; I’m having issues with that myself. The ends just don’t like separating for me anymore. Leave-ins seem to make the issue worse; but a good brushing of the length once you pull it over your shoulder seems to alleviate some of the issues.

[Doreen]

I’m still learning and use one of 2 methods when doing 4 or 5 strand braids. Either start from one side, add hair and move the strand all the way across; then start again from the first side. Or go into the middle from each side. I also sing to myself as I’m braiding, “over, under; under, over” for 4 strands; and “under, over; under, over, under” for 5 strands.

As for the tangling ends; I’m having issues with that myself. The ends just don’t like separating for me anymore. Leave-ins seem to make the issue worse; but a good brushing of the length once you pull it over your shoulder seems to alleviate some of the issues.

I will try these tips after my next wash! I'm really determined, I think they just look so pretty. I noticed that a lot of people in the tutorial videos have hair quite a bit shorter than mine, which probably helps with the tangling ends too. Probably my combination of lack of skill plus excess hair is why I keep failing. But practice will hopefully make perfect...

[lillii]

I do a five strand dutch at least 3 time a week, it's really my preferred braided style. I go from right to left so in my right hand, I have section 1 in my pinky, 2 in my ring finger, 3 in my middle, 4 in my index, and then I begin working the braid with section five that is in my left hand. Section five under 4. 4 goes to left hand, 5 now goes over 3, 3 goes to left hand and as I work the braid over, the left hand begins to have the same placement as the right in the beginning (the outermost stand in the pinky, then the next in the ring, et cetera.) The pro of this is once you complete a cycle of braid, you can release the outermost section that you have to add hair to - it will not get lost in your hair. So I do maybe 3 round of just 5 strand braiding before adding hair so the sections are really defined and I get adjusted to how my fingers are going to have to move.

One strand being loose and the rest of the sections in only one of your hands, it gives you the freedom to use your free hand to finger detangle the ends of the other strands from the braid and part out a new section of hair. When you have your new section of hair, add it to the outermost strand that is loose and work it to the middle. Then you add the 4 strand to your right hand with your thumb and hold while the fifth remaining strand is loose and you detangle and part out the new hair, and repeat.

I also like this method because when you're detangling, you have time to rest your arm as well which is almost a necessity when you're braiding your own long hair!

I really hope that helps a little!

[spidermom]

I've been trying this off and on for years. Every once in awhile, I pull it off, but most of the time no. All I can advise is keep trying, as will I.

[Doreen]

One strand being loose and the rest of the sections in only one of your hands, it gives you the freedom to use your free hand to finger detangle the ends of the other strands from the braid and part out a new section of hair. When you have your new section of hair, add it to the outermost strand that is loose and work it to the middle. Then you add the 4 strand to your right hand with your thumb and hold while the fifth remaining strand is loose and you detangle and part out the new hair, and repeat.

I also like this method because when you're detangling, you have time to rest your arm as well which is almost a necessity when you're braiding your own long hair!

I really hope that helps a little!

This helps a lot! Not having to switch hands will hopefully prevent me from making a lot of the mistakes. I think the way I have been trying to do it is the way that would work on someone else's head, but doing it on my own head, the movements get lost in translation.