5 strand braid with accents, how do you do it?

[Phalaenopsis]

I saw a very beautiful 5-strand braid style that I really like. But I seem to be unable to figure out how it's done. I'm hoping some of you could figure it out for me.
This is the style I'm referring to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spicybraids/320141912/in/set-72157594424677547/

It's a 5-strand braid and I think 2 little braids. But how are the two littles ones braided in? That's the question :?

Help...?

[FrannyG]

Ooh, that's just gorgeous! I almost wonder if the accents are woven in afterward. Sometimes that's what braiders do. I think if you make the two accent braids and experiment, you can probably figure out how to do it. Let's experiment!

[30isthenewblack]

That is really pretty. I can't wait until my hair is really long & I can start braiding it and experimenting with different styles.

[Meli]

I agree with Franny that the accent braids seem to be woven into the braid after it's finished. It looks like they are just pulled under one strand each time - the outermost strand on each side, then crossed and pulled under the outermost strand on the other side.

[Saranne772]

Oh gorgeous. I wish I could do this!

[Phalaenopsis]

I agree with Franny that the accent braids seem to be woven into the braid after it's finished. It looks like they are just pulled under one strand each time - the outermost strand on each side, then crossed and pulled under the outermost strand on the other side.

But how can the braid still look so neat? I mean, with my hair, a couple of little hairs would escape when woven in apart.
Couldn't there be a braiding pattern? So that the little braids are left alone, for say, 2 times and then taken in and then again be left alone or something?

[Finoriel]

I have crocheted accent braids into buns before and there was no problem with neatness, so this should work for braids too. A huge crochet hook does the trick :wink: but for braids ... I´m not sure if that will work if you want to braid your own hair. I think it would be necessary to develop a braiding pattern, because it will be difficult to feel (or see via mirror) the right place where to crochet the accent braids through the finished braid. Never tried it though.

[FrannyG]

I agree that this is a two person job in all likelihood. I think it would be extremely difficult to do on oneself--not that I won't be trying it. :)

[Phalaenopsis]

Me too :D
And maybe it won't be the exact same pattern, but it still can look nice. We'll see :)

[sahiba]

Is it a possibility that the accent is actually artificial hair?

[Finoriel]

Yes, now that I think of it, they are most likely artificial ones. Most accent braids with your own hair taper more than the ones in the picture do and when you x tiny braids over another braid several times you will most likely run out of length before finishing the pattern like it´s done here.
But it should be possible with own hair only, the accent braid pattern would just end before the tassel. Minor flaw in a beautiful braid :wink:

[MarilynMunster]

That is beautiful. I'd try to do it today - not much happening - but my neck hurts, so that idea is out. Hmmmmm. I also wonder if some of it isn't artificial, but with ENOUGH hair, you can probably get that braid without any fake hair used, I think? It's quite elegant!!

[LadyMoon11]

That is sooo beautiful! Her hair is gorgeous, too.
Perhaps one of us can recreate that style and provide tips...

[LadyMoon11]

These are nice, too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spicybraids/320141037/in/set-72157594424677547/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spicybraids/954690259/in/set-72157594424677547/

[Phalaenopsis]

Is it a possibility that the accent is actually artificial hair?

Hmm:( you're probably right, I didn't think about that.
Or... I have a pretty long tassle with the 5 strand braid. And the little ones you could braid with a short tassle, so maybe that way it evens out? :confused:

[kwaniesiam]

I think the crochet hook method of weaving them in afterwards would work best if you want to use your own hair as accents. That looks really pretty, did you do the 5 strand in your siggie? I hope to someday master that braid :)

[Phalaenopsis]

Yes, I did that braid in my sig :agree:
Now hoping I could put a picture in with the accents

[sahiba]

Why bother with accents? Use any pretty ribbon or other hair toy to adorn your already gorgeous and perfect braid.:)

[Phalaenopsis]

Why bother with accents? Use any pretty ribbon or other hair toy to adorn your already gorgeous and perfect braid.:)

:oThank you for the compliment.
*sigh* I'm just a braid addict. I like a new braidchallenge and I want to achieve it, I really like it when it are two braids and not ribbons or something. But great idea anyway :)

[camara]

Phalaenopsis wrote:
I like a new braidchallenge and I want to achieve it,

My words exactly.

I don´t know whether I can find the time in the next few days to try that braid, but I´ll try it, someday.
You might even use your own hair for the small braids, only there is going to be a long tassel, then.

[DeborahMC]

Hello,

I can help you with the 5-strand braid. It's very, very simple. The problem is being able to hold 5 strands in 1 hand. This is a flat braid, so, towards the bottom, it will also be very difficult to keep flat when your hair wants to roll and twist into a point.

Start with 5 strands all next to each other. I'm right-handed, so I always start with the right side. I number them 1 to 5, right to left. Take the first strand and go UNDER the 2nd and OVER the 3rd. STOP.

Do the same with the left side. Take the 5th strand and go UNDER the 4th and OVER the 3rd. STOP.

Start with the right again, only this time, take a little more hair and continue with UNDER, OVER.

Then start with the left, only this time, take a little more hair and continue with UNDER, OVER.

At the back of your head, there won't be any hair left to gather. I hold all of the strands in my right hand and move the braid over my right shoulder in front of me so I can see what I'm doing.

Remember, at that point, what you're looking at is the hair that will be against the nape of your neck, so you have to change the pattern to OVER, UNDER.

At the bottom, your hair will get to fine to braid. You'll have to have a small rubber band to tie it together.

This will put the braid on the OUTSIDE of the hair. I recently discovered this is called DUTCH.

You can also do the braid with OVER, UNDER, as well. The hair braid won't be as tight, and it puts the braid on the inside. This is called FRENCH. I always thought that FRENCH braiding was the underhand method, but I've recently discovered that this isn't true.

The pattern is very simple, but, again, changing 5 strands of hair from one hand to the other and back again takes a lot of skill.

Practice first on shoestrings draped over a drawer handle. Put the 2 center shoestrings together to make 5 strands, instead of 6. Practice OVER, UNDER first. You'll see the pattern with the center strand. It's quite beautiful.

You lose that center strand pattern when you do the underhand method, that's the trade off.

I hope this helps.

Deborah

[Phalaenopsis]

Thank you, but I have no problems with the 5- strand braid, getting the accents in, that's the problem here.

[sapphire-o]

I just want to say wow! Five-strand dutch braid with accents? My arms are getting sore just thinking about it. I can probably do it on other people's head, but not on my own. Three-strand dutch braid is my biggest accomplishment on my own head. Maybe she has a talented sister? :) Oh now that I looked more carefully at the album. Looks like she's a braider? So that must have been done on other people?

[sahiba]

Hello,

I can help you with the 5-strand braid. It's very, very simple. The problem is being able to hold 5 strands in 1 hand. This is a flat braid, so, towards the bottom, it will also be very difficult to keep flat when your hair wants to roll and twist into a point.

Start with 5 strands all next to each other. I'm right-handed, so I always start with the right side. I number them 1 to 5, right to left. Take the first strand and go UNDER the 2nd and OVER the 3rd. STOP.

Do the same with the left side. Take the 5th strand and go UNDER the 4th and OVER the 3rd. STOP.

Start with the right again, only this time, take a little more hair and continue with UNDER, OVER.

Then start with the left, only this time, take a little more hair and continue with UNDER, OVER.

At the back of your head, there won't be any hair left to gather. I hold all of the strands in my right hand and move the braid over my right shoulder in front of me so I can see what I'm doing.

Remember, at that point, what you're looking at is the hair that will be against the nape of your neck, so you have to change the pattern to OVER, UNDER.

At the bottom, your hair will get to fine to braid. You'll have to have a small rubber band to tie it together.

This will put the braid on the OUTSIDE of the hair. I recently discovered this is called DUTCH.

You can also do the braid with OVER, UNDER, as well. The hair braid won't be as tight, and it puts the braid on the inside. This is called FRENCH. I always thought that FRENCH braiding was the underhand method, but I've recently discovered that this isn't true.

The pattern is very simple, but, again, changing 5 strands of hair from one hand to the other and back again takes a lot of skill.

Practice first on shoestrings draped over a drawer handle. Put the 2 center shoestrings together to make 5 strands, instead of 6. Practice OVER, UNDER first. You'll see the pattern with the center strand. It's quite beautiful.

You lose that center strand pattern when you do the underhand method, that's the trade off.

I hope this helps.

Deborah






WOW , thats quite a description :applause. Very well done. Now just describe how to get over my apprehension and start trying for this beauty

[insideitall]

Thanks, DeborahMC. Those instructions seem clearer than the way I learned (and of course never managed to do successfully).

[DeborahMC]

WOW , thats quite a description :applause. Very well done. Now just describe how to get over my apprehension and start trying for this beauty
Hello, there,

Apprehension, huh? May haps if I tell you my story, it will help you. Some 20 - 30 years ago, my husband, who is now my ex-husband, had a book on survival in the wilderness. I leafed through it and stopped at the section on how to make rope and braid fronds. I was VERY intrigued. I really liked the 4 strand round braid. I have this thing about even and odd numbers, so I much prefer even numbered things. I looked at both 4 strand braids, the flat and the round. I realized that all of the methods shown, even for laying rope, could be applied to hair.

I practiced with shoe laces. I found out very quickly that the problem with even numbered flat braids is that they twist. One side will always start with over and the other side will always start with under. By the time you're done, it will look like macrame, which is great, if that's what you're doing. Not so pretty with hair. The 4 strand round one was AWESOME. This is how I almost always braid my hair, now. I never braid with 3. After I discovered alternative braiding methods, the 3 strand became much too boring.

For years, I've been searching for how to do a 6 strand round braid, and I finally found it a few days ago. I don't think I'd be able to do it on my own hair. I don't see how I could possibly hold 6 strands at once, but some day, when I have A LOT of patience, may haps I'll try.

So, to recap, even numbered round braids and odd numbered flat braids work best with hair.

Now, about your apprehension, like I said, practice on shoe laces with the over hand method. Then, practice the under hand method. Then, memorize the pattern. Close your eyes and chant it as you do it, "Under, over, stop. Under, over, stop." You won't be able to see the back of your head when you braid your hair, so you need to learn how to do it without looking at it. This is what will build up your confidence.

When you start actually braiding your hair, you'll have to hold your strands differently than you did when you practiced with shoe laces. The pattern won't be the issue, it will be paying attention to your hands. The skill to learn how to move one strand of hair while holding others and then moving 2 or 3 strands to the other hand while holding the others in the first hand, is very, very difficult. A lot of times, I have to start over, because somewhere along the way, one strand melded into another and all of a sudden, I have 4 strands, instead of 5. It's not easy.

I've also recently discovered alternative lacing methods for shoes, too.

It's all about the patterns.

Deborah

[Phalaenopsis]

I tried it yesterday. And yes, that has to be fake hair and added in. Too bad I can't make this style :(

[FrannyG]

I hadn't tried it yet. Bummer that it didn't work, Phalaenopsis. :( Where did you make your accent braids?

[Phalaenopsis]

Just at the top of my head where I would begin my braid. One on each side. Maybe I should mail the woman who made that site to ask how she did it. But I'm always to shy to email americans, because English is not my mother tongue so maybe I would be inpolite or something. Also a bit of a cultural thing I guess :shrug:

[eadwine]

I would just mail her and stop being so nervous about it ;) You are using the language here as well, do you not? Personally I cannot find many errors, so you are grasping it just peachy.

Go ahead and mail her, and let us all know the results :)

[Finoriel]

I have tried it, too. The 5 strand was more or less successful that day and I tried to weave in two green shoe laces :p not time for accent braids and ribbons look displaced on me, especially on a work day. Anyway, I could not insert them as periodic as they are in the pic, simply not possible for me on the back side of my head. I would need to see what I do.
For my next attempt I thought about altering the style a tiny bit: not weaving the shoe lace into the braid as it is in the pic. Instead I´m going to just "wrap" them around the braid and let them x in front of it. Under the braid I fiddled them through with a crochet hook, that worked very well. This will come very close to the style in the pic without being so tricky.

[Beldaran]

Given that the braid with the accents is done over and over again in those pics (http://www.flickr.com/photos/spicybraids/954665889/in/set-72157594424677547/) with different hair colors, I really don't think the accents are fake.

I know if I were to do the 5 strand it would take up a lot of length, so if I started the accents in the right spot I think it would work as for me a 3 strand skinny braid doesn't eat up length.

[Phalaenopsis]

Hmm, maybe I just need to try again. :)
Indeed, it doesn't seem as fake hair.

[Little_Bird]

GOSH! Someday I'll learn to braid my hair in a 5 strand braid :rolleyes:

I agree with Franny. I've learned some braiding tecnics and I think the best way to do it is to leave some hair in the top of the head, then you do the 5 strand braid and in the end braid the two accent braids. Then you can work them in the braid as you like. You can use a needle (a big one, one of those for cross stitch for example) to insert the accent braids in the main braid.

Good luck there, it's indeed a very beautyfull look!

[Phalaenopsis]

I'm going to try to find a needle and try it. :)

[FrannyG]

Little_Bird, I'm the biggest klutz in the world, and if I could learn how to do a 5 strand braid on myself at 46 years of age, I know you can do it. You're far more talented than I am. :)

[Magicknthenight]

wow that is really amazing!
I hope someday i can learn how to do things like that with my hair!
working on it!:D

[camara]

I tried it today, with mixed results. The end of the five strand braid was rather wonky, but the accent braids went in just fine. I didn´t remember how they were placed in the link in the first post, so I made up a pattern. There is a pic (http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=798&pictureid=14703) in my album, but I still have to practice some more, I think.

When I put the accent braids through the braid loops (using my fingers, because I couldn´t find a crochet hook...), I used two mirrors to decide where they had to go. The five strand braid didn´t suffer much from the weaving.

[FrannyG]

Camara, I was just waiting for such a post from you. I knew that if anyone could pull this one off, it would be you. Beautiful job! :flowers:

[eadwine]

Oh my goodness, that looks beautiful!

[Starr]

Camara, that braid is just stunning. . . one day I'll get there, but for now I'll just struggle with learning a herringbone.

[hurricane_gia]

Wow, that's amazing! I really like the way it looks.

[Euphony]

Gorgeous!

Has anyone thought of trying it with a topsy tail to weave the accent? I can't do a five strand braid, or I'd try it - heck I still have issues with a three strand but that's only because of my layers.

[susiemw]

I tried it today, with mixed results. The end of the five strand braid was rather wonky, but the accent braids went in just fine. I didn´t remember how they were placed in the link in the first post, so I made up a pattern. There is a pic (http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=798&pictureid=14703) in my album, but I still have to practice some more, I think.

When I put the accent braids through the braid loops (using my fingers, because I couldn´t find a crochet hook...), I used two mirrors to decide where they had to go. The five strand braid didn´t suffer much from the weaving.


GREAT JOB!! it really looks terrific.

susan