New to braiding

[SlightlySoprano]

So, since I've started my long hair journey, I've been attempting at braiding my own hair, and pretty much failing... I'm quite discouraged :(

Does anybody have any tips for a newb braider?:confused:

*needs moral support*

[curlylocks85]

When I started braiding my hair (French braiding), I was horrible at it. I watched many YouTube videos and practiced until I was successful. When it comes to new styles, patience and determination are key factors. Also if your hair is long enough braiding over your shoulder can help. Maybe try looking in a mirror so you can see what you are doing.

Hope this helps.

[Alf2]

I pretty much fail at all braiding except the regular English style. Look up "How to French Braid (the easy way)" Its a red-headed Irish girl and its a pretty good tutorial :)

[Libilou]

I learned to braid using my sister's Barbie dolls.

If you have access to someone's doll, practice there.

[GoddesJourney]

There are a million braiding tutorials on YouTube. Most of them are teaching you to braid someone else's hair (which might help you at first). torrinpaige has my favorite tutorials but there are many who regularly upload things to help the rest of us. 4ypnotica makes really cool bun tutorials. Anyway, look it up. The aforementioned mirror trick and braiding over the shoulder trick is also a good way to start. Once your fingers find an efficient way to hold everything and weave, it will pretty much happen by itself. I was taught to braid above my head. Don't worry if it takes you awhile. It takes everyone awhile. Also, your hair is APL so your braids will be a little shorter. I find this actually makes it a little more challenging because it's easier to let it slip. My suggestion? WET hair. It works great. Good luck!

[physicschick]

I found it easier to braid if my hair was put in a ponytail first. I spent a couple years getting used to that before I started trying to braid my hair when it was loose.

[Tornerose]

I'm with you. I've never been able to braid my own hair, but I can do lots of stuff on others hair.
Lately I've been trying to braid my own hair though, and I can't even make a regular braid look decent. I hope it will get better with practise.

[DanielleRenae]

I found it easier to braid if my hair was put in a ponytail first. I spent a couple years getting used to that before I started trying to braid my hair when it was loose.

I agree. Doing a basic braid can be difficult with loose hair because you're trying to keep equal tension on each strand as you go...putting your hair in a ponytail first is a good first step.

It also took me, like, 5 months before I could french braid my hair. Now I'm pretty good at it. What did I learn? Practice practice practice. ;)

[SlightlySoprano]

Thank you all for your advice! I am able to braid somebody (or something?) else's hair, but not quite yet my own.

I will definitely try it with a pony tail and wet!

Thanks and I hope everybody had/is having/will have a fabulous new years!

[HildeMV]

I remember being envious of all the girls with french braids when I was little, because my mom never braided my hair. :p But now I can braid it on myself. Both dutch and french. It takes some practice and patience. Mirrors just mess with my head so I don't like using it for braiding.
I'm glad I learned it when I had shorter hair, because it was easier then. I keep the braid tight with one hand, section out a horizontal piece almost to the middle with my finger one the other hand and lay it under or over with the outer strand depending on the type of braid.

With a "normal" braid I find it looks the best if I section it in a Y pattern on the back of my head. I have to take my time to make it look smooth with no bumps or twirly thingies.

[SlightlySoprano]

I think I have accidentally made different styles of braid with out realizing it :laugh:

[yellowchariot]

There are a million braiding tutorials on YouTube. Most of them are teaching you to braid someone else's hair (which might help you at first). torrinpaige has my favorite tutorials but there are many who regularly upload things to help the rest of us. 4ypnotica makes really cool bun tutorials.

^ +1

Some of the members here have great youtube vids, that's how I learned! :thumbsup:

[SlightlySoprano]

My hair is still too short for me to braid over my shoulder, and i get all wonked out trying to do it in a mirror. I have found that if I think about it too much, I can't do it, but if my mind is distracted, I can make a half decent braid. I haven't even tried french braiding yet, I have no idea how to do that, on myself or ANYBODY for that matter! lol

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I recently learnt french and dutch (dutch was way more difficult) braids. What you gotta do is NOT GIVING UP and finding a place to rest your arm while braiding :D

[Meni]

Practice makes perfect!

I just recently managed to do a French braid (finally!), and with every time I do the braid it gets better and easier. There are also tutorials with text and pictures, which you can print and then take with you when you stand in front of a mirror. The key is to practice practice practice. The first tries you will probably not succeed, but just try again the next day and the next. At a certain time your fingers start to "know" what they're supposed to do and the braid will be done.

Also, if possible start with an easy variation. For the French braid I did some first tries starting at the front/top of my head, but this was very difficult for me (well, for my arms mostly as they are not used to be kept up for that long :D ). When I started doing it from basically a halfup it did work for me. I am going to work the start of the braid more forward every time I do it.

[jasper]

I think I have accidentally made different styles of braid with out realizing it :laugh:

My first dutch braid was a failed attempt at a french braid. :agree:

The thing that holds me up from all the practice it will take is lack of arm strength. I've been able to wimp out while I practice if I'm in a high backed arm chair and can lean different ways for support.

[Hiriel]

Mirrors just mess with my head so I don't like using it for braiding.
Me too. I only look in the mirror occasionally to see if it looks good, never to see what I'm doing. I find it much easier to style my hair "blindly". I tried to look in the mirror when learning to French braid - I messed up so bad.

[julliams]

I taught myself to french braid. I used to go to bed, sit up comfortably and braid in the dark. The benefit to this is that you can focus on what you are doing with your hands and not get sidetracked or distracted by what you see in a mirror or anything else in the room. I found that I could only do a little at a time because my arms got sore but as time went on, my muscles got stronger and I could braid without thinking about it too much. Now I am learning to do an inside out braid which I have been practicing in front of the tv - this is working for me too. It really is just practice.