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Heidi_234
March 28th, 2010, 02:00 PM
Hello there! :waving:

I have a small yet annoying problem. When I braid my own hair, no matter what I do, I get a dent at the exact point where I stop braiding at the nape and bring the braid forward. Mind you, I do switch from english/french braid to dutch braid when I do it. It's like I braid at just a slightly different angle, and it not just makes my braid uneven, but also makes it flip and prevents it from laying flat against my back.

I tried to continue on braiding at the nape to the end, it doesn't work because the braided part ripples and it make the braiding happening in different vertical angels (clear as mud?:o). I tried to braid it over the other shoulder - doesn't make a difference. I tried to braid it over my head, didn't work well. I tried to braid it as tight as possible, I tried to braid it looser (it was little better, but the braid became fuzzy faster). It doesn't help that I have uneven layer and taper, but my hair can be braided without flipping or bending.

Did you happen to have this problem and found a way to overcome it? I'd be happy to learn!

gmdiaz
March 28th, 2010, 02:11 PM
I am very interested to hear some suggestions about this too. . .

I can NOT keep the hair at my nape from being super puffy and then exactly like you said, I don't make a smooth transition when I bring it over my shoulder. There is always, some little something, not quite right. . .and then I get a fuzzy braid.

It's very frustrating. lol

prettydark
March 28th, 2010, 02:13 PM
I believe this is why I don't bring the end over my shoulder, I bend all the way over so the braid falls over my head, and braid it directly from the back of my head toward the floor. I get the feeling that is also as clear as mud.

JaclynBailey
March 28th, 2010, 02:17 PM
On the last add in of the french braid at the nape of my neck I just pull the hair a little tighter opposite of the side I plan on pulling the hair over. Since I started doing this I have never had a problem. Maybe that is just me though.

deviantkitten
March 28th, 2010, 02:24 PM
Easy solution- when doing a braid and you reach the nape and have all your hair, take the 2 outside strands, and cross them under the inside strands, so that the L outside is now the R outside, and the R is now the L. Then, continue braiding as normal.
I also do this when I am doing a 2 strand rope, or just a 3 strand english that starts at my nape.
Go try it!
I promise it works!

Ivy~Rose
March 28th, 2010, 02:24 PM
I used to bring it around, but like prettydark, I just keep braiding over my head! I just got too confused when I brought it around and usually started braiding the other direction.

deviantkitten
March 28th, 2010, 02:28 PM
EEP! Sorry! I thought your problem was having a pouf at the nape!
As for the angles created by bringing the hair over, I just braid as far down as I can, then gently bring hair over my shoulder, being careful not to tighten too hard because that will pull the plaits already created towards whatever side I brought the hair around to. You just have to be gentle

deviantkitten
March 28th, 2010, 02:29 PM
I used to bring it around, but like prettydark, I just keep braiding over my head! I just got too confused when I brought it around and usually started braiding the other direction.

Yup I do this too when I have the arm strength! LOL

GlassEyes
March 28th, 2010, 02:30 PM
I -know- Torrin Paige has a video on youtube about how to fix this...

yellowchariot
March 28th, 2010, 06:17 PM
Torrin does have a great video demonstrating this exact issue!

I've noticed that it can make a difference on the size of the section you use. If you can, try smaller sections at the bottom.

yellowchariot
March 29th, 2010, 12:22 AM
Heidi_234, Also I uploaded a tutorial on making a mohawk braid to my youtube channel. I dunno if it will help you out or not, but you can take a look at it. I find that dutch braids do not have the same issue as opposed to the french version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxb-8Jwe8P0

Hope this helps!

Phalaenopsis
March 29th, 2010, 12:50 AM
The trick is not to pull on your strands when you start braiding over your shoulder. You can braid tightly, by braiding tight with your fingers, keeping all the strands nice, close together. So braid tight at the place where you're braiding, don't tug the strands to make a tighter braid and then you won't have that denty-thing going on.

HTH

Heidi_234
March 29th, 2010, 12:56 AM
I tried to braid it over my head, the braid still turned out uneven. Maybe because it ended up tighter on the outer side rather the inside? (Mud anybody? :gabigrin:). I'd have to find that youtube by Torrin, her videos are so great! Do you remember the title? Was it part of a braiding tutorial or a Q&A or something?

naereid
March 29th, 2010, 01:04 AM
I thought I was the only one with that problem. :o The strange thing is, I only learned to braid my hair last month. And for a while it worked great, then it started to bend on me. You'd think that with practice I'd get BETTER at it, not WORSE... :p

Heidi_234
March 29th, 2010, 01:26 AM
I thought I was the only one with that problem. :o The strange thing is, I only learned to braid my hair last month. And for a while it worked great, then it started to bend on me. You'd think that with practice I'd get BETTER at it, not WORSE... :p
It's called beginner's luck ;)

Heidi_234
March 29th, 2010, 02:03 AM
And some photographic evidence for the laughs: :laugh:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=2075&pictureid=67983

yellowchariot
March 29th, 2010, 10:20 AM
And some photographic evidence for the laughs: :laugh:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=2075&pictureid=67983

^ That looks pretty cool, very shiny as well. It looks like your English braided down about half of the way, then turn it into a Dutch braid.

Heidi_234
March 29th, 2010, 10:31 AM
^ That looks pretty cool, very shiny as well. It looks like your English braided down about half of the way, then turn it into a Dutch braid.
Thanks!
The "breaking point" is pretty much where I brought it over my shoulder. It's supposed to be braided in opposite fashion when over the shoulder, but I'm missing something here obviously.

yellowchariot
March 29th, 2010, 10:54 AM
Thanks!
The "breaking point" is pretty much where I brought it over my shoulder. It's supposed to be braided in opposite fashion when over the shoulder, but I'm missing something here obviously.

hmm. . . that's what it looks like, as you brought it over your shoulder, you began dutch braiding it.

IMO think it looks awesome and creative, when long braids change up like that. It gives it a dynamic effect.

Heidi_234
March 29th, 2010, 02:48 PM
hmm. . . that's what it looks like, as you brought it over your shoulder, you began dutch braiding it.

IMO think it looks awesome and creative, when long braids change up like that. It gives it a dynamic effect.
Well, soon enough your hair will be too long for your arms, and you'll have to bring it forward too. You'll see that the back side of the braid would be facing out so you'll have to switch directions. Otherwise, it makes no sense to me. I think my problem is that I don't braid exactly in a 180 degrees turn, but with an angle, so the braid ends up facing sideways or something. :confused:

Aevra
March 29th, 2010, 04:05 PM
I don't know if this was mentioned yet or not, but, have you tried braiding like an inch or two after the nape THEN braiding over your shoulder?

Juliannaissance
March 29th, 2010, 04:07 PM
The same thing happens with me, but all I do is just push it back to its rightful place...hahaha :p

Ravenne
March 29th, 2010, 04:27 PM
I don't know if this will help anyone else or not.. but it worked for me. I had this problem a lot when I was first trying to do english braids. They were a catastrophic nightmare! Lol! Now braids are my hairstyle of choice. I love them. :)

When they started having the "kink" I looked at it really good in the mirror and figured out that I was twisting it somehow when I brought it over my shoulder. I thought about the anatomy of a braid. What gives it the shape it has, why the three strands hold each other together, and why the curves are effective as a "cord" of hair. Once it clicked I was able to ... switch my brain I guess so I was looking at the braid from the back and my fingers acted accordingly. If I'm doing a French braid, I'm putting the strands over the middle while I'm working down my scalp, but when I bring it over my shoulder, they start going behind the middle.

HTH... I can easily picture things in three dimensions though so I don't know if it will work for everybody....

Heidi_234
March 30th, 2010, 07:19 AM
I don't know if this was mentioned yet or not, but, have you tried braiding like an inch or two after the nape THEN braiding over your shoulder?

Just tried it this morning, now the whole braid turned sideways. I think I'm not braiding it well when I bring it over the shoulder.


I don't know if this will help anyone else or not.. but it worked for me. I had this problem a lot when I was first trying to do english braids. They were a catastrophic nightmare! Lol! Now braids are my hairstyle of choice. I love them. :)

When they started having the "kink" I looked at it really good in the mirror and figured out that I was twisting it somehow when I brought it over my shoulder. I thought about the anatomy of a braid. What gives it the shape it has, why the three strands hold each other together, and why the curves are effective as a "cord" of hair. Once it clicked I was able to ... switch my brain I guess so I was looking at the braid from the back and my fingers acted accordingly. If I'm doing a French braid, I'm putting the strands over the middle while I'm working down my scalp, but when I bring it over my shoulder, they start going behind the middle.

HTH... I can easily picture things in three dimensions though so I don't know if it will work for everybody....
I do change from bringing the strands over the middle to bringing when under the middle when it's over my shoulder, but it still kinks the way it does in the picture. It's like I'm braiding to the side when I do it over the shoulder. Even though I can't get how it this even possible, when there are only to ways to go - over and under. :confused:

Ravenne
March 30th, 2010, 07:25 AM
I do change from bringing the strands over the middle to bringing when under the middle when it's over my shoulder, but it still kinks the way it does in the picture. It's like I'm braiding to the side when I do it over the shoulder. Even though I can't get how it this even possible, when there are only to ways to go - over and under. :confused:

Are you certain you're starting with the correct side when you move over your shoulder? Like.. you're not accidentally taking from the left side twice? That may cause a sideways kink like you mentioned..

atlantaz3
March 30th, 2010, 08:05 AM
My head hurts! I am at that awkward length, not enough to pull around, too much pony left a the end of the french braid and my arms aren't long enough. Over the head was a big pouf! I'm really impressed by all of Y'all that make braiding look so simple.

Hiriel
March 30th, 2010, 08:52 AM
I do change from bringing the strands over the middle to bringing when under the middle when it's over my shoulder, but it still kinks the way it does in the picture.

Maybe you bring the braid forwards in a way that means you don't have to change from English to Dutch? I never did, and mine doesn't kink like that (I don't flip the braid over to braid it "upside down" when I bring it forward), but it can still bend a little if I braid tightly while the braid is hanging over my shoulder.

HairColoredHair
March 30th, 2010, 09:02 AM
Just tried it this morning, now the whole braid turned sideways. I think I'm not braiding it well when I bring it over the shoulder.


I do change from bringing the strands over the middle to bringing when under the middle when it's over my shoulder, but it still kinks the way it does in the picture. It's like I'm braiding to the side when I do it over the shoulder. Even though I can't get how it this even possible, when there are only to ways to go - over and under. :confused:

I do this on occasion. I really think it is just a switch from English to Dutch (well, English facing one way to English facing the other), but you end up wrapping the mistake strand to the middle and then back to the same side, kinking it to the side.

Heidi_234
March 31st, 2010, 06:49 AM
Okay, this morning I braided very slowly, paying close attention where each strand goes, making absolute sure I don't twist twice two strands instead of carrying on with the braid when I bring it over my shoulder. Well, it still flipped. I'm starting to think it is my hair to blame! Or I have two left hands and a thick skull.
:justy:

yellowchariot
March 31st, 2010, 08:50 AM
Okay, this morning I braided very slowly, paying close attention where each strand goes, making absolute sure I don't twist twice two strands instead of carrying on with the braid when I bring it over my shoulder. Well, it still flipped. I'm starting to think it is my hair to blame! Or I have two left hands and a thick skull.
:justy:

Heidi, can you get someone else to braid it for you?
Then you can observe whether or not, you are the one that is accidentally making this anomaly or it is your hair.

Just a thought: You may be twisting one of your strands, causing it to veer off in that direction :shrug:

Heidi_234
March 31st, 2010, 09:03 AM
Heidi, can you get someone else to braid it for you?
Then you can observe whether or not, you are the one that is accidentally making this anomaly or it is your hair.

Just a thought: You may be twisting one of your strands, causing it to veer off in that direction :shrug:
I did once already, but my hair was previously airdried in the rope braid so it was swirling clockwise either way. :? I have to try it again (:hmm: *thinking up a victim... :p :lol:).

You've got a point there with the twisting, because I do braid it in a different manner over the shoulder. :agree:

GlassEyes
March 31st, 2010, 06:01 PM
I -think- it was the french braid video, but it might've been the hawser braid.

Youtube is screwing up for me, though. Actually, according to 'down for you or just me' it's down for everyone.

Heidi_234
April 1st, 2010, 07:38 AM
I -think- it was the french braid video, but it might've been the hawser braid.

Youtube is screwing up for me, though. Actually, according to 'down for you or just me' it's down for everyone.
I watched both (and many more) and still haven't seen any mention of the braid kink fix yet. I adore her videos!