French Braiding update (still haven't learned)

[Jcv-Shelley]

I remember starting a thread on french braids. I've tried for some months or so since then to try french-braiding again. I've been given wonderful advice. Although, I still haven't learned. I don't know why I'm having so much trouble, and I'm getting a little disappointed. I find myself constantly wishing I had the braiding skills many here do. The only braids I've learned so far are english braids. For example, the type of french braids I'm currently trying to accomplish are two french braids down the sides of my head. Or french pigtails. The only problem I have is adding pieces to the ones in my hands. Whenever I try this it always ends up loose on my head and by the time I get to the bottom of the braid it's unraveled. I've decided to give myself a break after my arms became sore, I'm honestly running out of the ideas. Sorry guys I just had to rant today.

Edit: Heres the video I've watched for so many times, I don't know how she does it so nicely :p. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8R9vY4jWu8
(P.S.: Yes, she does use hot tools to curl her ends at the end. But I like her explanation and the quality of her camera. But if you do not wish to see her use the flat iron then don't watch through all the video.)

[Delila]

When I was first learning, I'd literally 'just practice' by making the style, then taking it out again immediately. Took away the pressure to get it perfect, and helped my hands and fingers figure out what to do.

With every style, there are things you do (or don't) that make or break the success of the thing, so for me, part of the process is learning it all. Fingers, hands, hair.

When I first started braiding my hair every night, I found that it made my hands tired. The only way to change that was practice, building up the strength of my muscles.

About the loosening bits: I find it's crucial to maintain tension, throughout. In fact, I use a bit too much tension right at first, so there's a bit of wiggle room as things progress. Getting things off to a good tight start at first is key for me, but maintaining the tension is just a skill that comes with practice.

[slz]

I can't french braid to save my life, but I don't care - I'm not going to try to learn or practice since practicing means lots of unnecessary handling and tangling, thus = breakage. I don't see the point of putting my hair in protective updos if I'm going to cause damage myself by overhandling.
So, regular braiding only for me it will be, oh well. I'd rather miss on the fancy department than cause some irreversible damage. Then again, the amount of damage caused by handling and the relative importance of damage are of course different when your hair is shorter. So ... learn while you're stil rather short,I'd say. For me it's too late.

[jasper]

So far the only way I have successfully french braided my hair was with directions and diagrams from a kid's book. I had to have the book open right in front of me and I had to be sitting in a room with no distractions. The good thing about the book was pictures of how to weave the sections through your fingers to help keep track of the order the sections need to move. Even with the book, if I get distracted, I lose track of when to move each section or whether I am going "over" or "under."

Good luck to you! Don't give up!

This (http://www.amazon.com/Braids-Bows-Anne-Akers-Johnson/dp/B001QTWA1Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314662430&sr=8-1) is the book I have.

[mrs.bad85]

the one thing I figured out when I was first learning was how to keep track of my hair because I had to go so much slower to braid

So i keep my hair in the same fingers on each hand far strand in the pinky middle held by my thumb and the strand that needs to be fed more hair is held by first and middle finger and after i add more hair i grab the middle strand with my pinky middle in my thumb and the strand to be fed in my first and middle

i just go back and forth passing it between hands

[spidermom]

Maybe you can try a bit of a variation. Think about each step as you do it.
1) Divide the top strand into 3 even sections.
2) Cross right strand over middle strand. (when you do this, the right strand becomes the middle strand, and the middle strand becomes the right strand. When you cross them, they change places.)
3) Cross left strand over middle strand. (again, this means the left and the middle strand switch places)
4) Cross right strand over middle strand. Pick up hair on the right side and pass it to the new middle strand.
5) Cross left strand over middle strand. Pick up hair on the left side and pass it to the new middle strand.
Repeat step 4 then step 5 until all hair has been picked up.

Remember, each time you pick up new strands of hair, go all the way to the edge of the section where you are working and pick up all the hair from the edge to the braid. You are creating vertical stripes of hair. Don't just randomly grab up some hair; there has to be an order to it for an even result. (if you want something wild and crazy looking, ignore this last part)

[Kindredraeven]

Maybe you can try a bit of a variation. Think about each step as you do it.
1) Divide the top strand into 3 even sections.
2) Cross right strand over middle strand. (when you do this, the right strand becomes the middle strand, and the middle strand becomes the right strand. When you cross them, they change places.)
3) Cross left strand over middle strand. (again, this means the left and the middle strand switch places)
4) Cross right strand over middle strand. Pick up hair on the right side and pass it to the new middle strand.
5) Cross left strand over middle strand. Pick up hair on the left side and pass it to the new middle strand.
Repeat step 4 then step 5 until all hair has been picked up.

Remember, each time you pick up new strands of hair, go all the way to the edge of the section where you are working and pick up all the hair from the edge to the braid. You are creating vertical stripes of hair. Don't just randomly grab up some hair; there has to be an order to it for an even result. (if you want something wild and crazy looking, ignore this last part)




I'm gonna try this tomorrow. I can french braid someone else's hair, but when I do my own, its a Dutch braid! Best explination I have seen as of yet !

[neko_kawaii]

I'm gonna try this tomorrow. I can french braid someone else's hair, but when I do my own, its a Dutch braid! Best explination I have seen as of yet !

LOL, I just had the opposite experience. I learned how to Dutch braid my own hair and then went to apply it to my nieces' hair and all I could do was French!

I figured out the Dutch and French braids on myself when I walked away from the mirror but thus far I can only do single/centered ones. Does anyone have advice for how to collect more hair from the part side when doing double braids? I put the unworked side in a pony tail to keep it separate but still manage to try to grab those strands.

[danacc]

I find a single french braid down the middle of my head much easier than 2 down the sides. Consider starting with just the one down the middle while you're learning. Also, consider trying it on something other than your own head. If you don't know anybody who will let you practice on them, you could try it on a long-haired doll.

[Jcv-Shelley]

I'm happy to have heard from everyone :). I will not give up just yet! I might need to build some muscles first tho lol, I have such skinny arms :p.

[PorkChop]

Ive tried many times to master the french plait.. I just cant do it.

I find it way too fiddly which im surprised at myself cos im usually quite dexterous at other things (for example i do dressmaking)
But then again I have never been any good at hairstyles and never really interested.
When i was little I was the one all my firends used to practice on, not the one that did the practticing lol