9 strand french braid

[krn2891]

I have been lurking here for a long time but I had to post this since I knew people here would actually care. I managed after months of trying to do a 9 strand french braid on myself. I will hopefully post pictures tomorrow, but I wanted to share it tonight.

[DragonLady]

Cool. I can barely manage the three-strand french braid, so you have my respect. :)

[krn2891]

ok here is picture.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu318/krn2891/9strand2.jpg

[DragonLady]

Wow.

That's beautiful. :)

[misstwist]

Very nice. It looks like you started with three strands and added in strands as you added hair for the in-braiding. Is that correct?

[dragonfrog]

Wow that is a stunning braid! I am in awe of your braiding skills. Like DragonLady, I am still refining my 3-strand French braid skills, the thought of nine strands is mindboggling (but the result is beautiful... must practice braiding more).
Congratulations on your achievement!

[krn2891]

yes that is right I did start at 3 and just kept adding to the side until I was up to 9 strands. That was the problem I was having for so long is I would try to start right out with 9 and I would loose track of my strands before I could get started. Then I saw someone do a video on 5 strands and they started with 3 and then added two so I figured I could do the same thing adding up to 9. My next goal after I get really comfortable with 9 is 11.

[ericthegreat]

If you can seriously do a 9 stranded braid I must bow down to your dexterity! I don't think the majority of us here can do anything more than the regular 3 strand braid!

Oh you just MUST come back with pics! We need PROOF!

[Gumball]

That is really awesome! My fingers, at this stage, would just get confused and I would have to go look at the Lost and Found section of the hair amusement park for them.

[ericthegreat]

Ok I only read your first post when I posted that last reply. WOW! that is just stunning. My hands would simply get totally twisted around trying to do anything resembling what you just accomplished!

[Dementia1013]

Oh my goodness! I am in total awe of your skill! I can manage a nice 3 strand and decent 5 I make wonky 7 strands, but that is my ultimate goal it to make a 9 strand braid! Bravo! Spectacular work! Welcome to the LHC! :D

[Dachsdragon]

Wow, that is stunning!

[krn2891]

well if you can get your 7 to a decent level then you just move up to 9. I got the 7 last year but its not my favorite. 5 is my standard braid anymore. One of my friends has been letting me play with her hair so I figured some of it out on her hair but the problem is that the hand positions are backwards to do it one someone else and that always throws me off after awhile.

[Dementia1013]

Oh please can you tell us how you managed to hold all the strands? I can't even manage a 7 strand without dropping some and having to pick them up again. How did you do it? :D

[krn2891]

I held the middle five in my hand and kept the 2 side strands over my shoulder and used my mouth to hold the new outside stand for whatever side I was going from. It was a little tricky thought after I got low enough that i had to pull it over my shoulder and then I was just having to drop them and keep track of them in the mirror.

[Dementia1013]

Ok you've inspired me... I'm gonna go work on this right now! :D *runs out of thread*

[Ryanne]

That is really impressive, I'm awed! It looks stunning!

[Elainehali]

whoa...I can't even get a 3-strand to be perfect. You are basically amazing.

The only way I'm getting a 9-strand ANYTHING it to make 3 normal braids and sew them together. :D

[free_hug]

woow, amazing job :agape:

[Merlin]

On behalf of other people here who haven't asked yet - tutorial? video?

[Laylah]

WOW, that's amazing! :thud: The best I can do is seven strand normal braid, but I can barely even do a three strand french braid without some loops and uneven bits...

[Phalaenopsis]

How much I love to braid, this one is out of my league.

:bowtome:

[swanns]

Wow! I felt like I was going to get strangled by my hair even when I was doing a 5-strand braid. You have my respect :)

[Dementia1013]

:wail: BAH! Bested again! *sigh* I vow to never give up though! you have showed me that a person CAN braid a 9 strand french on themselves and as all of you as my witnesses I will do it too!!! *thunderous applause*

[Quixii]

Wow! I can't even do a three stand French braid! That's amazing! :O

[Poppy Seed]

I can't french braid myself, and barely on someone else. I have trouble with four strands - I just don't know how people have enough fingers!!! I certainly don't.

That looks absolutely fantastic.

[natt i nord]

At this point you wish yourself 3 fingers more. Stunning! I even get in trouble with four strands, and of five strands I've got too much respect...

[Silver & Gold]

Amazing! I've managed 5 on another person's head and I think perhaps I did 7 strands as well but 9 becomes an issue of the hands/fingers/strands ratio. I'm very impressed that you carried this off on your own head and so well.

[Exodus]

Very pretty. Myself I'm too lazy to even bother to try out something else than a 3-strand normal braid. I have managed to do a 3-strand french braid, but I don't think it's worth the energy... *Exodus is a lazy bitch*

[jeno]

WOW! I had no idea you could do that with 9 strands... I'm very very very impressed.

[Juanita]

Just lovely. Me I struggle with three strands.

[AprilElf]

Beautiful work! :applause
It looks amazing!

[neon-dream]

Whoahhh. :thud:
I'm amazed! That's stunning!

[NurseMama]

That braid is gorgeous! I am in awe and really inspired.

[ZadenWillowfyre]

Oh wow that is fantastic! Be fun to try!

[Bunnyhare]

What a feat! it looks like it was loom woven! your hands are amazing and it looks great!

[Merewen]

Ok, I am impressed. I can manage 5 strands but it's hard because I can barely hold on to them all. That is very pretty!

[Periwinkle]

Woooooooow......

[Mabel Grey]

WOW!!! That is incredible and very cool. Tutorial!! Please! I swear I think my finger are too short. I am going to try a five strand, right now. Amazing, simply gorgeous.

[nostalgic]

And I'm over her proud of myself for being able to do a basic french braid! Congratulations! It looks absolutely gorgeous!!!! :applause

[Amara]

Wow, that's so pretty. I'm very impressed.

[Newniepg]

I have great respect for your abilities! Honestly, my attempt at a 3 strand french plait looks like I have slept a night on it by the time I get to the end!

Well done you. I would love to see a video of you making it, not so I can try (I shan't even make the attempt) but just to admire. :)

[krn2891]

Ok as for the request for the video, I'll see what I can do. I did record myself doing this more so if I messed up I could see where I went wrong but next time I do this I will see if I can film it and explain what I'm doing and keep it under the 10 min limit for youtube. Until then I will try to write something up that will hopefully make sense to everyone. I'll work on that tonight so something to look forward to.

[Shermie Girl]

ok here is picture.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu318/krn2891/9strand2.jpg


Wow! :thud:

How many fingers do you have? :lol:

[LeaM07]

Wow. :bigeyes:

I don't think a tutorial would be enough for me. I'd need more hands and more fingers! Truly amazing!

[LisaB234]

WOW - 9 strands! I didn't even know that could be done. I'm just learning 3 strands. . . You mentioned that you advanced to 5 and 7, then 9. Can you point me toward the video you found helpful for that? I figure as my hair grows I can train my fingers. . . Again - AMAZING work - beautiful hair and beautiful braid!

[Zombiekins]

Holy great googly-moogly woman - that is a serious braid! I bow in awe to your great braiding skills which kick the **** outta my own! :agape:

[Coriander]

Holy braids woman, that is stunning!

My clumsy fingers bow to your manual dexterity :)

[viking_quest]

Wow, that's amazing. I have to practice this.

[AnneAdeline]

:thud: Amazing! And I've never heard of starting with fewer strands and working up--that's just genius.
I can barely manage a 5-strand English braid.

[Vrushali]

omg its gorgeous!!! looks like an antique lace!:applause

[enfys]

Oh wow!

One day. One day. After I buy some fingers, a stronger heart to pump blood to my arms, some patience and 482 more mirrors.

[krn2891]

Wow!

How many fingers do you have?

I promise I have 10 fingers like everyone else.

[LutraLutra]

Gosh, golly, wow. etc. That's like hair macramé! It's amazing. :)

[krn2891]

here are some instructions. Hopefully they are clear. I also have a picture at the end that hopefully with help clear some things up.
Start with 3 strands, and do an over braid.
Pick up more hair but instead of adding that the strand braid it under then over.
Repeat on the other side. You will have 5 strands at this point. This is where you really have to keep track of what side you are working from and where your strands are.
Again you’re going to pick up some more hair but don't add it to a strand you braid it over under over and repeat on the other side. At this point you have 7 and you’re going to want to drop the 2 outside stands in front of your shoulders.
Pick up more hair and it going to be under the strands that you have dropped and then go over under over.
Drop the outside strand on the side you were just working with leaving 2 strands over your shoulder.
Pick up hair on other side and it will be under the strand over your shoulder then over under over. Drop the farthest outside strand so that you have 2 on either side over shoulder.
You have 9 strands at this point.
The 2 dropped are going to be easy to tell which is the far outside and which is the second outside because the far outside will be higher than the other.
What I did was used my mouth to pull the second outside over the far outside strand then picked up more hair then braided over under over, with dropping the new 2nd outside strand.
Repeat on the other side.
If you get to the bottom your halfway there but the hardest part is going to be finishing it. When you get to the point where you have to pull over your shoulder make sure you know where all your strands are.
You are going to have to hold 5 with one hand and 4 with the other, using the hand with 4 strands to weave the strands on the other hand. This was the hardest part for me and required the most concentration and using the mirror.
Good luck.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu318/krn2891/9strandtutorial.jpg

[pdy2kn6]

masterpiece!!!

[Elphie]

Oh my, I think I need to grow extra arms, forget just fingers! Whoa....

[krn2891]

WOW - 9 strands! I didn't even know that could be done. I'm just learning 3 strands. . . You mentioned that you advanced to 5 and 7, then 9. Can you point me toward the video you found helpful for that? I figure as my hair grows I can train my fingers. . . Again - AMAZING work - beautiful hair and beautiful braid!

Well I started braiding my own hair when I was 10 then when I went of to college I started to experament with more strands. I figured out the 5 strand with the help of dreamweavers and it is that site and others like braided images that inspires me to keep adding strands as my hair gets longer. Check out videos by Loepsie on Youtube I think she has one on doing the 5 strand braid. I just can't get her page to load at the moment.

[Tressie]

Absolutely stunning! No way could I do that without a couple of extra hands! LOL!!

[Arielle8960]

That is a hair masterpiece. Now I'm off to force my sister to be my hair model for practice...

[Rentlle]

wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooow :love:
that's REALY cool!

[Fencai]

:thud:Oh... my.... goodness...! That's incredible!!!!!!
Needs long hair victim... erhm I mean friend to practice that on before attempting it on myself!

[krn2891]

yeah I practiced on a friend as well but she has lots of layers so I really couldn't do much before the layers started causing trouble, but it helped give me the basic idea of how it works.

[SimplyViki]

Wow.... add me to the :thudpile:
That's a heck of an intro! Welcome to LHC!

[Shorty89]

Wow! I can manage up to a five strand, but after that I have troubles. I can do six if I use braided strands, but wow! :thud:

[Pegasus Marsters]

That is really super impressive! Wow. I wish I had the patience to learn to do something like that.

[eadwine]

HOOOOOOLLLYYY S***

Wow!

I can manage a 5 strand, I wouldn't even THINK of doing a 5+ strand braid.. whoa! BEAUTIFUL.

[Isa-belle]

Holy guacamole! That looks so complicated. How did you manage to hold 9 different strands in your hands, let alone cross them over correctly? :thud: :applause:

[thankyousir74]

:bigeyes: Wow... that's just intense :thudpile:

I've got a 3 strand down pat maybe I should stop being a baby and try a five strand cos that puts me to shame

[krn2891]

Holy guacamole! That looks so complicated. How did you manage to hold 9 different strands in your hands, let alone cross them over correctly? :thud: :applause:
used my shoulder and mouth and really concentrated on the where I was. I also had a paper in front of me with under over under over to remember which way I needed to go.

When I did need to hold every strand it was 5 in one hand and 4 in the other.

[Fractalsofhair]

Wow! I can't even do a normal french braid!

[longhairedfairy]

That's just... WOW!:thud:

[coolbreeze212]

Whoa! That's amazing!

[Moonstruck]

:thud:
That is absolutely GORGEOUS and just...wow. Wow wow wow.

[Redheaded Raven]

WOW good job, I can barely even do a three strand french braid :o


ok here is picture.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu318/krn2891/9strand2.jpg

[nature-head]

Thanks for the inspiration! I may have to practice on my daughter in the morning. I've only managed a five strand on myself. There's no way I can attempt the 9 on myself right now as I am pregnant and can't even hold my arms up long enough to do a regular french braid before they fall asleep.

Can't wait for the video so I can save it to try later!

[adiapalic]

What... the... heck?! That's awesome! :D

[Jemoiselle]

ok here is picture.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu318/krn2891/9strand2.jpg

Oh my goodness, that is incredible. I've tried a four strand braid and it ended in disaster hehe. You have my respect for sure! Congrats! ;) I think it is interesting to note the differences in braid people versus bunning people. There seems to be a distinction, almost like cat and dog people! I think I am going to post a poll to see if braid people and bunning people are primarily one or the other, cat or dog people. Sigh. So which is it? :cheese:

[daydreamer]

That is absolutely gorgeous -- like an Elven braid! I can't even fathom trying to do that, heheh...

[Isa-belle]

Thanks so much for explaining, krn2891 :flower:

[krn2891]

here is part 1 of my tutorial I made on youtube. Sorry the video quality is not better. I don't have the greatest webcam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZbfcOU5ots

[Naamah]

Holy crap! I can't even do a decent 3-strand french braid. That's amazing. :)

[krn2891]

ok all three part of my tutorial are uploaded on youtube.
I hope the instructions are clear enough.

[Wicked Princess]

:agape:

:thud:

And here I was, proud of myself for managing my first simple, three strand, English braid last month...

I can't even imagine how one would accomplish this! It's a truly beautiful braid, though. Very surreal, like something out of a story :)

:flower:

[krn2891]

Hey we all start with the 3 strand braid. So congradulation on getting the English braid down. I've been braiding my hair since I was like 10 so I have 16 years of practice to get to this point.

[Juneii]

WOAH.

you are amazing.

[annuscka]

That is gorgeous!! :D

Am so going to attempt this once I can do the 5-strand in my sleep (5 strands in one hand still works for me, but this sounds so much more challenging... must practise on something else than own head first.)

[NurseMama]

Okay, I watched all three of your tutorials and I am confused! Not because you were unclear, but because my fingers are way underskilled for this type of endeavor. I think I need to practice on just a 5 strand braid!

This is a GORGEOUS thud worthy braid that I aspire to! You have truly inspired me!

[melrose1985]

that is so pretty! thanks for sharing

[krn2891]

yeah just keep practicing the 5 strand braid until you don't have to think about what your fingers are doing. That way all your concentrations just has to be on the extra 2 strands on either side.