How do you think this braid was done?

[raspberrytea]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarkio11/3724952947

It is in relief like a dutch braid, however its not pointing downward. I've never seen anything like it and I'm very curious because the upsidedownness of the dutch braid is my only gripe with it.
Any insights?


EDIT//
Video instructions on how to do this braid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJanxXYF1b8

[raspberrytea]

Ok I just tried out a technique I suspected and I think I've answered my own question.
It is actually a variation on the French braid, not the Dutch braid. When adding hair to your active sections, you take it from the opposite side of your head. It's kinda tricky, but doable with practice.
Here is my really quick and messy version
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/freakshowoperations/reliefbraid.jpg

[ecologystudent]

I think you're right, and that looks very cool. I'll have to try that.

[CindyLea1]

I don't get it. Maybe I'm braid-handicapped it looks like a dutch braid.

Are you saying you want to know how they get the braid to sit above the hair and not flush/under the added hairs?

My mom used to do this to my hair all the time. She would braid it going under instead of over. Like a regular french braid you fold the sides OVER the middle, she would fold the sides UNDER the middle. And added in the hairs as you would from the right side into the right strand and then fold under the middle.

[ecologystudent]

I don't get it. Maybe I'm braid-handicapped it looks like a dutch braid.

Are you saying you want to know how they get the braid to sit above the hair and not flush/under the added hairs?

My mom used to do this to my hair all the time. She would braid it going under instead of over. Like a regular french braid you fold the sides OVER the middle, she would fold the sides UNDER the middle. And added in the hairs as you would from the right side into the right strand and then fold under the middle.

It does look at first glance like a dutch, but the difference is that for this braid you're folding the sides over the middle (so that's the french method), but when you add hair to the left stand, you're taking it from the right side of your head. Or at least that is how it looks to me. A slight variation, but interesting.

[CindyLea1]

AHHHHHH HAAAAAA!!!! Got it now! I can see the difference..sneaky sneaky. Going to have to try this.

So you section out the chunk on the left, bring it under the braid, add it to the right strand, fold over middle, section chunk on the right, bring it under the braid add it to the left fold over middle and repeat??

[raspberrytea]

AHHHHHH HAAAAAA!!!! Got it now! I can see the difference..sneaky sneaky. Going to have to try this.

So you section out the chunk on the left, bring it under the braid, add it to the right strand, fold over middle, section chunk on the right, bring it under the braid add it to the left fold over middle and repeat??

Yes exactly.
The difference in the look is that the braid point down instead of up

[PatGear]

Wow! You're perceptive. I wouldn't have noticed that it was anything other than a Dutch braid if you hadn't mentioned it.

[Tressie]

Very interesting! You folks are so smart! (o: I am definitely braid challenged, but I am getting inspired!! (o:

[Gumball]

Ooh that's nifty. That will have to be logged in my brain book!

[shadowclaw]

While I can't say exactly how it was done, it looks like an upside-down dutch braid. I have a hair book with instructions on how to do the french version. However, I cannot do french braids (or dutch, for that matter). It may very well be a variation of the french style as you suggested that creates a dutch-like braid :)

Anyway, to do the upside-down version of the french braid, the instructions are as follows:

1. Turn your head upside-down and comb your hair. Gather a section of hair from the nape of your neck.

2. Divide the section into three and begin to french braid as normal, working from the neck towards the crown.

3. Continue french braiding until you reach the crown. From here, you can choose to make a bun, or continue braiding towards your forehead.

4. If braiding towards the forehead, continue french braiding until there is no more hair left. Braid the remaining length like an English braid.

5. Tuck the braided length beneath the french braid just before your forehead and pin down. This won't work as well for very long hair!

[Arctic]

Hahah, I tried it and it ended up looking really weird! :p

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20091208002_muoks.jpg

I need to re-try later :D I consider myself quite good braider, but this was so difficult (and obviously I did it all wrong! :laugh:) and my hair was constantly tangling and needed to be detangled.

[florenonite]

Hahah, I tried it and it ended up looking really weird! :p

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/20091208002_muoks.jpg

I need to re-try later :D I consider myself quite good braider, but this was so difficult (and obviously I did it all wrong! :laugh:) and my hair was constantly tangling and needed to be detangled.

It doesn't look like the picture, but it still looks nice :)

I'll have to try this braid and see if I can add it to my braid repertoire :p

[Sherri]

I would love to try this but just not following. I can french and dutch but just not understanding what the directions are:( Need help please!

[SimplyViki]

Wait... so what's a dutch braid look like, then? They're upside down? I never noticed.... :confused:

[florenonite]

Wait... so what's a dutch braid look like, then? They're upside down? I never noticed.... :confused:

The Vs in a Dutch braid are upside-down, whilst the Vs in a French braid and in this braid are right way up.

[saskia_madding]

I tried this type of braid a long time ago, but in lace braid version. Needless to say it did NOT work and the braid just kept twisting over on itself.

But now that I tried it again and anchored both sides, it holds nicely. I really like it and did one today as part of my hair challenge to wear all my toys once. I'll post a pic of just the braid later tonight.

As far as instructions go, I think these ones by CindyLea1 are the most clear:

"So you section out the chunk on the left, bring it under the braid, add it to the right strand, fold over middle, section chunk on the right, bring it under the braid add it to the left fold over middle and repeat??"

Basically, you just add hair from the opposite side of your head to each strand before you French braid (so take hair from left crown and add it to right thread of braid) by bringing the hair *underneath* the braid to join them.

[Arctic]

Thank you Florenonite!

I have figured out what I did wrong: I did otherwise as instructed but in a dutch braid. I was able to make it again, only this time neater!

[enfys]

I want it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can do braids but I cannot, even with my hyper flexible joints, do a French/Dutch type braid.

It's embrassing really...

[raspberrytea]

I've worked out a way of holding the hair that works quite well for transferring the strands under, so I'll try posting a video tomorrow, or try to explain it well at the least.

[rchorr]

Well, I french braid my hair all the time, but I've never gotten the hang of the dutch braid. I'll have to give this one a try. Thanks for sharing!

RCHORR'

[saskia_madding]

I tried this last night when I read this thread.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4225&pictureid=57169

And I wore it out today ending in a bun.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4403&pictureid=57168

This is clearly going to replace the Dutch braid for me. I like the look of this one much better. Thanks for posting this!

[SheaLynne]

Yes, thanks for posting this. I *never* would have noticed the difference or figured out how it was done. I've been doing French braids on myself for over 30 years and have never been happy with them (because without great length and with layers, it keeps loosening and just doesn't stay neat looking).

I did this braid today (sorry, no pics...I'll try to get some soon) on myself and dd, and I L-O-V-E it! At the end of the day, I looped the tail of the braid up and around and used a stick to hold it, and it made a great comfortable updo that looks like I have a lot more braid than I have. I 'm going to be using this variation alot!

[florenonite]

I did this one this morning on my fringe.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=1012&pictureid=57177

I apologise, my hair needs washed. It's been doing this irritating thing lately by which, on day 5 after a wash (today), it looks perfectly clean in my sleep braid, and it's only when I take the braid out to put it up that it suddenly looks greasy :rolleyes: I took the braid out because my hair looks less greasy when it's not in a French braid. I'll do it tomorrow or Friday and leave it in, though.

[yellowchariot]

This is an awesome technique! I'll also see if I can get the hang of it. I think that the flow of the plaits look interesting and creative. A "French" Mohawk!

BTW raspberrytea, I wonder if there is a method to do a french braid, with the crossovers of the plaits, in the pattern of the "Dutch" version? Except the braid does not sit on top of your head, it is in the head like the "french" technique, just with the dutch pattern?

[florenonite]

This is an awesome technique! I'll also see if I can get the hang of it. I think that the flow of the plaits look interesting and creative. A "French" Mohawk!

BTW raspberrytea, I wonder if there is a method to do a french braid, with the crossovers of the plaits, in the pattern of the "Dutch" version? Except the braid does not sit on top of your head, it is in the head like the "french" technique, just with the dutch pattern?

I think you could do that by taking the hair from the other side, like you do for this one. I'll have to try it and report back. ETA: Never mind, it looks just like a Dutch braid when you do that. I'm curious now.

[Brownie]

My dutch braids look exactly like this :ponder:

[Arctic]

This is an awesome technique! I'll also see if I can get the hang of it. I think that the flow of the plaits look interesting and creative. A "French" Mohawk!

BTW raspberrytea, I wonder if there is a method to do a french braid, with the crossovers of the plaits, in the pattern of the "Dutch" version? Except the braid does not sit on top of your head, it is in the head like the "french" technique, just with the dutch pattern?


See my photo earlier in this thread, I did this in dutch technique and I liked the result.

[Arctic]

I think you could do that by taking the hair from the other side, like you do for this one. I'll have to try it and report back. ETA: Never mind, it looks just like a Dutch braid when you do that. I'm curious now.

My weird version I posted was actually a dutch version of this braid, I noticed later as I tried to re-create it. Did yours look ordinary dutch braid?

[florenonite]

My weird version I posted was actually a dutch version of this braid, I noticed later as I tried to re-create it. Did yours look ordinary dutch braid?

It did, but it was quite difficult to keep track of the strands, which might explain why yours didn't look like a Dutch braid.

[raspberrytea]

This is an awesome technique! I'll also see if I can get the hang of it. I think that the flow of the plaits look interesting and creative. A "French" Mohawk!

BTW raspberrytea, I wonder if there is a method to do a french braid, with the crossovers of the plaits, in the pattern of the "Dutch" version? Except the braid does not sit on top of your head, it is in the head like the "french" technique, just with the dutch pattern?

I'm trying to envision what you mean... are you thinking of a braid that sits under, like a french, but the V's are pointing upwards? That sounds very interesting! Maybe It could be done like a Dutch braid, but bringing strands from the other side and passing them OVER.

[yellowchariot]

I'm trying to envision what you mean... are you thinking of a braid that sits under, like a french, but the V's are pointing upwards? That sounds very interesting! Maybe It could be done like a Dutch braid, but bringing strands from the other side and passing them OVER.

^ Hey raspberrytea, you got it!
Exactly, just a french braid, with a "dutch" pattern where the "V" pattern is going down from the head like this "^"
btw your a genius! :D

[JamieLeigh]

Wow...if I hadn't read the replies to the OP, I'd have just thought it was a Dutch braid that was on the side of the head and bunned. That's a really neat way to braid, and I'll have to try it out on DD8. :D I wonder if it's the only one on the head, or if there are really two but you just can't see the other one.

[yellowchariot]

Wow...if I hadn't read the replies to the OP, I'd have just thought it was a Dutch braid that was on the side of the head and bunned. That's a really neat way to braid, and I'll have to try it out on DD8. :D I wonder if it's the only one on the head, or if there are really two but you just can't see the other one.

You see! We men, are observant creatures!!!
It is the women who aren't paying attention LOL j/k!!! :tongue:

[JamieLeigh]

You see! We men, are observant creatures!!!
It is the women who aren't paying attention LOL j/k!!! :tongue:

...I'm sure it's not the first time it's happened. But it's only the long-haired guys who pay attention. The shorties are still clueless. ;)

[yellowchariot]

I thought that I would give this a quick try, after reading up on the technique. . . I failed :D! This is what I got:

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc166/pix50/insideoutdb.jpg?t=1260411616

Apparently this is an Inside-Out-Dutch-Braid! The visible part of the "Mohawk" is on the inside, instead of setting on top of my head :laugh:

BTW: Laughing is NOT ALOUD! lol :o

[raspberrytea]

^ Hey raspberrytea, you got it!
Exactly, just a french braid, with a "dutch" pattern where the "V" pattern is going down from the head like this "^"
btw your a genius! :D

thanks hah
:o

I thought that I would give this a quick try, after reading up on the technique. . . I failed :D! This is what I got:


Apparently this is an Inside-Out-Dutch-Braid! The visible part of the "Mohawk" is on the inside, instead of setting on top of my head :laugh:

BTW: Laughing is NOT ALOUD! lol :o

I got basically the same result. It's kinda zigzaggy, more so than a regular braid. Not exactly the look we were going for, but it's still kinda interesting. I found it really hard to do though... much more so than the braid in the original post.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/freakshowoperations/IMG_6364.jpg

[Nightshade]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4403&pictureid=57168


AWWWWWW look at those EYES! And the nose! And the adorable bat-ears! :p

Oh, hair... uhm... that looks very nice too! :o

[yellowchariot]

thanks hah
:o


I got basically the same result. It's kinda zigzaggy, more so than a regular braid. Not exactly the look we were going for, but it's still kinda interesting. I found it really hard to do though... much more so than the braid in the original post.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/freakshowoperations/IMG_6364.jpg


I just now tried the french technique with using opposite sides of the sections of hair. . . FAIL! lol This is my result:

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc166/pix50/somethingfrench.jpg?t=1260413885

It's something "French" haha. It almost looks like a fishtail?! What is it?

I'll probably try to sell it or put it on Ebay. :D

[yellowchariot]

Ok I just tried out a technique I suspected and I think I've answered my own question.
It is actually a variation on the French braid, not the Dutch braid. When adding hair to your active sections, you take it from the opposite side of your head. It's kinda tricky, but doable with practice.
Here is my really quick and messy version
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/freakshowoperations/reliefbraid.jpg

^ Now how did you do this? :confused:

[saskia_madding]

Okay, I don't know if you guys are meaning to or not, but it looks like you're trying to make a completely different braid. To get the braid I have pictured, you have to pass the hair that you are adding *underneath ALL THE STRANDS of the braided section*. So you take a piece from the left crown, pass it under the left and middle sections of the braid, and then add it to the underside of the section of the braid furthest from the left crown.

Yellowchariot - your picture looks like you're adding from above.

Nightshade - I know, isn't she sweet? I love that foster kitty. Her sister has a neurological condition and I think we're going to keep her. But Jupiter and her teenage momma (* months old currently!!!) are going out on the adoption block together. :)

I added some more kitty pictures of the fosters to my photo album, if you're interested!

[yellowchariot]

Okay, I don't know if you guys are meaning to or not, but it looks like you're trying to make a completely different braid. To get the braid I have pictured, you have to pass the hair that you are adding *underneath ALL THE STRANDS of the braided section*. So you take a piece from the left crown, pass it under the left and middle sections of the braid, and then add it to the underside of the section of the braid furthest from the left crown.

Yellowchariot - your picture looks like you're adding from above.


Ah I see, I was adding sections from the furthest away OVER the top of my head, instead of UNDER, and then to the last section. :tongue:

[raspberrytea]

Ah I see, I was adding sections from the furthest away OVER the top of my head, instead of UNDER, and then to the last section. :tongue:
Hm maybe I confused you... I thought you were interested in trying a variation where the strand was crossed over. That's the newest picture I posted. To get the mohawk effect, you do it french-style and pass it under.

[yellowchariot]

Hm maybe I confused you... I thought you were interested in trying a variation where the strand was crossed over. That's the newest picture I posted. To get the mohawk effect, you do it french-style and pass it under.

^ I was trying for the mohawk, but I misread the instructions :o. I'm lysdexic. . . err. . . dyslexic! lol j/k :D

I will try this again later and re-post the results.

[saskia_madding]

I tried the modified Dutch version of this today and it was kind of interesting. I took pictures that I will post later tonight.

[raspberrytea]

Good news if you've been having trouble with this braid! I've made a video tutorial for it. I think it's pretty clear. Once you get the hang of it, it only takes a few minutes to do.

Here is the link
http://www.youtube.com/user/tragicheroine#p/a/u/0/iJanxXYF1b8

I'm guessing we can't embed videos in here. I wish I could edit the link in to my first post. Could a mod do that if possible?

[Islandgrrl]

I've been struggling with this one since yesterday. I need more hands.

FAIL!

[raspberrytea]

I've been struggling with this one since yesterday. I need more hands.

FAIL!

Try the video!

Also, I'm glad people are liking this braid! I wondered if it would be too similar to the dutch braid for anyway to care. I wish I could see more photos though. Everyone I guess except for yellowchariot uploads their photos to this site, so I can't see them yet. Soon I guess

[sneakybea]

I'm pretty sure I did it! However, I'm about to leave for my dance class (if I don't freeze on the way there!) so you'll have to wait for pictures until I get back!
Sorry to be so evil!

[saskia_madding]

Here's my modified Dutch braid, the braid that is the reverse of the original braid that started this thread. It is interesting, but I think I'll probably use the original (modified French braid) more often.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4225&pictureid=57334

[sneakybea]

Here's my attempt. I haven't watched the video yet (really slow internet up here), but it wasn't too tricky. I just freed up the hand on the side I was adding hair to, then reached over my head for the hair to add to it.

http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u358/sneakybea/100_0177.jpg

[yellowchariot]

sneakybea, your braid rocks!

I'm still having trouble with going under. It's easier for me to go over.
raspberrytea, thanks for that youtube vid! :thumbsup:

[mfreeland]

Hello everyone. That's me in the photo and I braided my own hair. I can tell you that I thought I was doing a simple dutch braid. When passing the hair over I pull a section from the opposite side of my head and under. This is how I was taught to do the dutch. There is another photo of my head here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarkio11/3617329313/

[Longlocks3]

Hello everyone. That's me in the photo and I braided my own hair. I can tell you that I thought I was doing a simple dutch braid. When passing the hair over I pull a section from the opposite side of my head and under. This is how I was taught to do the dutch. There is another photo of my head here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarkio11/3617329313/


THANK YOU! It's so cool to have the person in the picture come to give us advice.