Too long for Heidi/milkmaid braids?

[bluesnowflake]

I tried heidi braids today, but my braids are long enough that they overlap and have to fold in on themselves to fit, and then it looks bulky and weird. I did them side-by side on top because each one reaches from ear to ear, but I can't get the single-braid look and I still have to fold the ends under. A single braid isn't quite long enough yet (almost!) to reach. I know crown braids are an alternative, but I don't like the way my hair looks pulled straight back from my face. I have to have a part. Any suggestions, or is this just a style for shorter hair?

[Magdalene]

I just wrap them side by side and they meet in the back.

[Panth]

I can still do Heidi braids (just) so you really shouldn't be 'too long' for them, you just need to modify how you're laying them.

So, for shorter hair:
- make 2 english plaits, one behind each ear
- fold them up so they go from ear to ear, with the head-band shape they make being vertically aligned

For longer hair:
- make english plaits as before
- make them take a more crown-like path around your head, the path being more horizontal and less vertical: the plait behind the left ear goes forward, past the left temple, over just above your hairline, back down past your right temple, down above your right ear, down to the nape of the neck; the plait behind your right ear does the opposite
- a bobby pin through both plaits at the left and right temple, plus a bobby pin through both plaits at left and right of the nape should be all you need to hold this style

For even longer hair:
- do plaits as before
- wrap them crown-style, as for long hair, but in this manner so that more length is used up: take the plait behind the left ear down to the nape, up above the right ear, across the right temple, over the top above your hairline (only maybe 1" from your hairline), then down past the left temple, above the left ear, back around the nape and finish (at a maximum) behind your right ear; for the plait behind the right ear do the opposite
- again, you should probably be able to get away with only using 4 bobby pins to secure this style

[Anje]

Wrap them behind your head to the other side, then over the top.

Start the braids in the back toward the middle/base of your neck rather than close to your ears. That'll help them go farther, whether you wrap behind your head first or toward the top first.

[spidermom]

I've got a couple of options pictured in my "taming the web" album. I wish braids would stay better pinned for me. They almost always slip, slide, and pull.

[darklion]

I pinned them by my ear and then wrapped it back over, so it looked like each side sent 2 plaits over with a fold at each ear.