French Braid Problem!

[Reptilia]

I can do a french braid perfectly, until I get to the very bottom (bottom of my scalp, that is). It ends up getting all poofy and loose! So I undo the bottom and keep trying over and over, trying to making it as tight as possible, but it doesn't make a difference!

Does anyone have any tips on how to make the braid nice and tight ALL the way down?

[yellowchariot]

Hey I've ran into this issue also! Sometimes I get it to come out great, other times it's loose and my side sections hang down like loops :o (which isn't very functional for outdoor/yardwork)

What I do is hold my fingers as close to the base of my neck as possible. As I crossover each strand, I pull it tight, and hold tension with all of my fingers. . . Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. . .sorry I couldn't be much help!

I would also like to know an answer to this myself!

[Reptilia]

Yeah, sometimes I can get it a BIT tighter, but it's still pretty loose and has those loops!

[Monkey962]

LOL, I saw a thread awhile back asking how to do french braids and one poster linked to an instructional video by our own Torrin Paige (she has several videos). I subsequently watched not just her french braiding tutorial, but all of her videos as well. They're all very informative and just plain entertaining. C: Anywho, one of her videos describes a method to get rid of the very poofiness you're talking about.









Oh, here's the video, by the way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC_unKDz_JA&feature=player_embedded

[rogue_psyche]

Miss Torrinpaige has a video with a fix for that. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC_unKDz_JA&feature=player_profilepage) Basically you braid like normal until you get to the last two times you add hair. Then you basically add the opposite of the side you normally add. (If you are adding to the right take the left half instead). I think she crosses them before adding them, but I've gotten the same results from just taking the opposite side (which doesn't require as much finger gymnastics).

EDIT: Monkey962 beat me to it. Well, shoot.

[Longlocks3]

OOOH. Have you seen torrinpaiges youtube? She does a great little trick that someone told her about on her French Braid Tutorial....

[Longlocks3]

rogue_psyche looks like we posted at the same time! lol

I love her youtube.

[yellowchariot]

^ That lady is a genius! How clever, If anyone knows her, tell her that! :D
P.S. I've seen the other videos that she has, but I must have overlooked this one!

[krn2891]

the answer is to cross the bottom 2 strands that you add. So grab from the left for the right side and the right for the left side and then braid on down your back.

[Monkey962]

Wow, Torrin's quite a celebrity, I suppose. Three of us posted about her at the same time!

[misstwist]

^ That lady is a genius! How clever, If anyone knows her, tell her that! :D
P.S. I've seen the other videos that she has, but I must have overlooked this one!

You can go to her profile page here and tell her that yourself. :p

[smilinjenn71]

I read or watched a vid one time that said not to look down as you get to the bottom of a french braid b/c it will make it loose at the base of your head.

Heck, it could have been TORRIN...I just can't recall right now.

[spidermom]

I've recently solved this problem by adding the last of my hair at the nape to the center strand all at once instead of adding part of it to one side, the rest to the other side. It was a little awkward at first, but now my fingers know what to do.

[yellowchariot]

I've recently solved this problem by adding the last of my hair at the nape to the center strand all at once instead of adding part of it to one side, the rest to the other side. It was a little awkward at first, but now my fingers know what to do.

^ Thanks for that tip spidermom, i'll try both methods the next time I try a braid. :thumbsup:

[Addy]

I have watched a lot of Torrin's videos and I have never seen this one until now! I love her and her videos! :D

I will definately have to try this because I so hate the poof at the end of a french braid!

OKAY! I just tried this and I'm AWE struck at how it fixes the poof! Why didn't I think of that! :D

On a side note, I can't french braid like Torrin and take from both sides and braid. I even tried using the fingers like she does when she holds them and I'm so lost so I did it my way feeding each side of the braid one at a time and crossed the last two pieces over and it looks FABULOUS! I'll probly wear a french braid more often now! I'm so excited!

[Reptilia]

Thank you thank you thank you!! That video is amazing! Ahh I'm so happy I can have a decent looking french braid now :D

[KarenLynn]

Another solution that at least works for me is to bend your neck as if looking down while you add the last two sections.

[sherigayle]

Genius! It also makes the braid hang straighter. I always had my braid wanting to fall over my left shoulder, this makes it hang down straight.

[yellowchariot]

Thank you thank you thank you!! That video is amazing! Ahh I'm so happy I can have a decent looking french braid now :D

^ She's lieing! I bet it's a mess! lol nah, j/k! :D

[Reptilia]

lol maybe I'll have to take a picture! haha

[yellowchariot]

Another solution that at least works for me is to bend your neck as if looking down while you add the last two sections.

KarenLynn, thank you for the tip! I'm always looking straight ahead and pulling back away!

[11eleven]

I find doing a french braid with slightly damp hair helps me to get a better grip.

Torrin Page's videos are EXCELLENT! At one point I was contemplating going short because I was so bored with hair that I could only style in a ponytail. After watching her videos I learnt so many beautiful styles and was inspired to keep my hair long. :)