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zombi
March 31st, 2012, 10:39 PM
All right. So I can efficiently do dutch braiding technique on other people, but I can't seem to get the hang of it on myself. And I love styles that incorporate this technique, but I feel like I won't be able to make the crown braids I like or anything else until I figure out how to master it on my OWN head. I can do so much more with other people's hair!

I have watched a whole lot of Youtube tutorials and read instructions, but still this seems to elude my grasp. Does anyone have any advice they can give me specifically about dutch braiding on yourself, not others?? :o

ETA: I should note that I can effectively french braid on myself, and I have been successful with a rope braided crown-type before as well!

Bunnysaur
March 31st, 2012, 10:42 PM
I've been wondering the same thing for a while. My hair is juuuust getting to a length where I can start playing with it, and I've always wanted to do a Dutch braid... I'll be watching this thread!

Laylah
March 31st, 2012, 10:50 PM
It might help if you tried to do two dutch braids first, so they are on each side and you can look in the mirror as you braid. Since you know how to dutch braid on other people you should know how it's supposed to look. Then your hands will get used to the movements before you try a single braid in the back.

zombi
March 31st, 2012, 10:54 PM
It might help if you tried to do two dutch braids first, so they are on each side and you can look in the mirror as you braid. Since you know how to dutch braid on other people you should know how it's supposed to look. Then your hands will get used to the movements before you try a single braid in the back.
That is actually a really good idea -- thank you. I'll try it (:

tokitoki
March 31st, 2012, 11:14 PM
Hmmm. French/Dutch braiding my own hair is something I think I've just always been able to do as far as I can recall, but maybe these pointers could help?
This is a detailed description of how I do it. I think the wordiness may just make it more confusing, but it's worth a try. The numbering is pretty arbitrary.

1. Start out with pigtails or a smaller section, so that you can look in a mirror and see what you're doing. This will help you make sure you are on the right track until you get used to the motion.
2. I braid with my elbows pointed up, not down. I think this makes it easier to reach and maneuver.
3. So let's say I'm adding hair to the right side first. I grab a bit of hair and section it into thirds. start with a normal braid: take the rightmost braid and cross it under the middle strand. Cross the leftmost strand under the (new) middle strand. Now I start the dutch braid.
4. I hold the sections separately in my left hand, with the leftmost section grabbed between my pinky and ring finger together, the middle section is grabbed between my ring and middle finger, and the rightmost section is grabbed between my middle and pointer finger. umm.. my elbow is pointed up, the palm of my hand is facing back/down, and my fingers are curled under. The fingers are curled to the left, so my pointer finger is kind of looped under the rightmost strand, keeping it separate (and the same for the other two with my middle and ring fingers)
5. I take my free right hand, and use my pointer finger to section off the hair i want to add by putting my finger to my scalp at my hairline and then basically tracing a line to the braid. The hair above my finger gets added to the braid. Once my pointer finger reaches my left hand, I uncurl my left pointed finger and grab the added hair together with the section it was just holding. then I pull my right hand free (I basically finger comb it down to make sure the section is separated from the rest of my hair without tangles), and use it to grab that same section that i just added hair to. I grab it with my middle finger (holding it between my middle and ring finger), then use my right pointer finger to grab the middle section from my left hand.
6. now I take my free left pointer finger, reach UNDER the middle strand, and grab the rightmost strand. Ipull this strand under the middle section, then use my left middle finger to pull it between my left middle and ring fingers. now I grab the (formerly middle) strand with my left pointer finger. The strands should now all be in your left hand but separated my your fingers.
7. Keeping the strands in the same order, I stick my right hand fingers into the spaces between the strands to free up my left hand. Now the rightmost strand is between my RIGHT ring and pinky fingers, the middle strand is between the middle and ring fingers, and the leftmost strand is grabbed by my right pointer finger (between pointer and middle finger).
8. i section off the hair to add with my left pointer in the same manner as before. when I reach the braid, I grab the new section and add it to the leftmost section with my right pointer finger. Then I pull the left hand free, grab the section I just added hair to with my left middle finger (between my left middle and ring fingers), and grab the middle section with my left pointer finger. I use my right pointer finger to reach UNDER the middle strand and grab the leftmost strand. Once the strand has been crossed under I use my right middle finger to move it over between my middle and ring fingers, then grab the strand from my left hand with my right pointer finger.
9. Now I switch the strands to my left hand and start at 4 again.

I hope this is helpful!

tokitoki
March 31st, 2012, 11:16 PM
Oh I see Laylah has already suggested the mirror! I took a long time writing that post.

luckyshot
March 31st, 2012, 11:19 PM
I have exactly the opposite problem. I can do dutch and french braids on other people's hair, and I can dutch braid my own hair, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to french braid my own. I thought I had it the other day but it turned out to be just a sloppy dutch braid, lol.

tokitoki
March 31st, 2012, 11:24 PM
When I do a french braid instead, I just make sure I cross my pointer finger OVER the middle section to grab the far side instead of under. French braids cross over, dutch braids cross under. If you do the thing where you grab two sections in one hand and then flip your hand over, you're having trouble switching because your hand won't flip the other way.

AnqeIicDemise
April 1st, 2012, 12:22 AM
It helps a lot if you get the hang of the hand positioning. it took me a while to figure out that I have to have my palm facing AWAY from the direction in which I'm braiding leaving my fingers free to move around and hold my hair.

ETA: I also scoop a bit of hair with the hand holding the plaits. Like, when I have the strands divided for the very first section, I use my middle finger to scoop the middle section up and over the right section. With my forefinger I'm shifting the right section to the left. My free hand goes down the length to clean up the tangle at the end. Essentially one hand is doing all the braiding. When its time to feed from the sides I grab with my thumb or my ring finger. Its very akin to how you'd strum an acoustic guitar.

LadyKate
April 1st, 2012, 12:42 AM
Like you, I already knew how to French braid but was having trouble with the Dutch. I watched Torrin's tutorial, and then just made myself practice it every night until it got good enough to wear out. It took some practice.

AnqeIicDemise
April 1st, 2012, 12:49 AM
Oh, another protip.. don't use a mirror. Let your hands do all the feeling for you. I always get confused when I use a mirror.

schweedie
April 1st, 2012, 01:00 AM
You said you've watched tutorials on YouTube - have you tried braiding along with them? That's what I often do with new hairstyles; I find a tutorial that's clear and easy to follow and I attempt to do it in realtime. I find it's better than looking in a mirror since it won't be in reverse!
And I know this sounds weak, but since you know how to do it on other people you definitely know the technique, so... Practise, practise, practise. Several times in row. Eventually your fingers will likely just understand what they're supposed to do! :)

zombi
April 1st, 2012, 01:52 AM
Thanks all! I think the reason Dutch is so much more difficult for me is that I originally learned to English braid the "left-handed" way, which translates to Dutch. Therefore, on myself, I braid right-handed more naturally by feel -- so the braids turn out French more easily. I'll just keep practicing! We'll see what I can accomplish. If I get it, I promise I'll post a picture!

Vanilla
April 1st, 2012, 10:07 AM
My fingers always get confused on a Dutch braid towards the bottom of the braid. The braid will twist and look sloppy towards the bottom.

I will try the double Dutch braids though, that may help!

Taenarian
April 1st, 2012, 10:14 AM
It's funny - I'm so used to Dutch braiding, my hands get confused when I switch to a French braid.

PolarCathy
April 1st, 2012, 11:37 AM
Oh! I did my first-ever Dutch braid today ;) Kinda messy but it's mine! :D :D
Now I don't remember what the differebce is between Dutch and French? LOL

MandyBeth
April 1st, 2012, 05:45 PM
Ok, for me braiding my own hair

1 - Hold outside strand with pinky or ring finger against your palm. Hold center strand with first finger. Have bird finger under that. Hold strand to cross in other hand.

2 - use bird to catch the outer strand and put fingers back in line.

3 - flip hands so your pinky and first always hold the outside stationary strand and center and bird catches the outer crossing strand.

4 - you'll have one hand free to section out hair and smooth it down.

I've just always done that and never understood how people tucked the braid in. For my own hair, I'll try English or French but a few turns in and I'm back to crossing under.

zombi
April 1st, 2012, 11:33 PM
It's messy and kind of weird looking? but I think I got it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v185/katherynne/DSCN3268-1.jpg

carolinaberry
April 2nd, 2012, 03:20 PM
I just found out 2 days ago what a Dutch braid is...and I found out by accident. When I was a teenager, my mom would let me practice braiding on her hair. I would try to do a French braid and half the time would end up with the reverse-the braid on top of the hair...I never knew it was an official type of braid! That being said, I've done it recently to both of my daughters' hair (and they have pretty much opposite hair types)...in the Katniss Everdeen Hunger Games style braid.

spidermom
April 2nd, 2012, 03:57 PM
Contrary-wise, I would suggest practicing without looking in the mirror. Keep in mind what needs to happen next.
1) Right strand UNDER middle strand.
2) Left strand UNDER middle strand.

Repeat 1 and 2 to end.

Sometimes I get distracted and try to switch from dutch technique to french technique. That doesn't work out very well.