Double french braid help.

[Heavenly Locks]

I have gotten rather good at a single french braid, and I also did my first ear to ear lace braid the other day. However, I am rubbish at two french braids. :o

When you are adding hair, am I supposed to add to both strands (left and right)? Also, how in the world do I keep from getting stray hairs that are on the wrong side of my part. I don't feel like I have enough hands to pick up hair, keep it combed out and hold everything. :justy:

This style is just. so. cute! I have to learn it!!

[Phalaenopsis]

I love that style when I'm ill. Keeps everything out of my way and comfy, ofcourse if your muscles are sore it is not quite a good hairstyle since you have to make two french braids :)

Anyway, here are my tricks: When I start, I first divide my hair in two. I choose a side I want to start braiding and I put the other half of my hair in a tight ponytail (emphasis on the tight!), also make sure the hairs are flat on your head, just like you would make an ordinary ponytail. This way I rarely get stray hairs in my braid.
Then on the adding hairs part: I wriggle with my index finger of my free hand from the middle of my head to the middle of my braid. My other hand is with the palm down holding the three strands between my pink and ring finger, ring finger and middle finger, middle finger and index finger. So the hair that I gathered with my one index finger (let's say my left one) has to go to my other index finger (right one). I push the hair up with my left index finger and then it is easy to grab it with my right index finger.
Now, the other side of adding some hair. Now I use my right index finger to start collecting hair from the side of my head till I reach the side of my braid. Now I do the same with my index fingers, one pushing it up, one grabbing the hair.

HTH :)

[Pierre]

I do double Dutch, and I do add hair from both sides. Since I do Dutch, I have the hands palm down with fingers pointing forward, and add it to the slot between thumb and index finger.

[Merlin]

I used to do this on Mrs M sometimes - I was going to say what Phalaenopsis said, so I'll agree with her. Get your parting straight and neat first, as though you were going to do bunches. Put the side you're not doing up into a tight bunch, and make it fairly high as it gets it right out of the way. Then with any luck you're not going to be fighting the hair from that side while you plait the other.

[Vorvolaka]

I actually find it easier to do it in the manner of a lace braid. I only add hair from the face side but I make sure I take it right from the part in the middle and along, if you get my meaning. I have fine, thin hair and I find it easier to do it this way because I'm working with larger chunks of hair.

[Heavenly Locks]

I actually find it easier to do it in the manner of a lace braid. I only add hair from the face side but I make sure I take it right from the part in the middle and along, if you get my meaning. I have fine, thin hair and I find it easier to do it this way because I'm working with larger chunks of hair.

Oh that's a good tip. I have thinnish hair and that could help. :)

Thanks to everyone else as well.

Looks like one of my mistakes was just clipping the second side out of the way rather than securing it more.

[Irishred]

I have been doing double french on DD the past few days (great containment on a 7 yo). I add hair from both sides. Here are my steps.

1) divide hair down the center (DD has an angled part so...)

2) comb hair towards the shoulder on each side. Tie the side not working on.

*Now, I have been doing her braids in an Igor-ish style braid. (thank you Igor)

3) I take a large-ish section from around the crown to her temple. And divide that in 3.

4) I start crossing that and going pretty straight down I add hair from each side to the middle of the braid. I go not re-comb I simply put all the sections into one hand and use my free hand to finger comb and smooth as I am adding.

--- The key for what I have been doing is only adding 3 sections on each side.

This puts her braids closer to her ears in the back also.

I love the way french braids look with LOTS of smaller sections but I find them more difficult the get even from one side of the head to the other when doing doubles. And well, they take to long for a 7yo to sit still.

Anyway, hope that helps.

[SwordWomanRiona]

I'm still wrestling with the simple 3-strand French braid :o ! It just won't stay where it has to stay, all the hair from the top tends to fall down!!! Maybe it's more difficult for people with very fine hair,like mine, maybe because I have not practised enough (just some two times). But yesterday I told myself I would try again. Haven't yet. :)