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Hi Everyone,
I have hair that is between mid-back and waist length. I would like to learn how to do a simple braid. Any suggestions on how to learn this skill?
Thanks,
Darrin
Hi Darrin ... a very good query - as I only tried to do it yesterday, but failed miserably & gave up ... I'm a longhair novice & I'm not adept, competent or confident to do braids, plaits or perfect buns from behind ... a pity, as long hair can be versatile but only if one can master a variety of styles on ones own ... thanx for your question = but I'm keen to learn this skill too, as I'm going the long haul & I need to get cracking & skill myself up ... cheers CEM. :O)
Good Luck with learning! You will most likely learn before me. I need to practice braiding everyday, like playing a musical instrument.
Darrin
Hi Darrin,
I'm not the most adept person at doing this skill myself; but I'll include a pic of one of my more successful braids, just so you can see that it is indeed very possible to braid your own hair...
Besides looking at self-braiding YouTube videos (of which there are many -- I just don't happen to remember any links right now), I believe that our regular Moderator and MLHH Board Member, Jason, has some videos and/or instructional pics that you can find in our Links section.
Aside from that, here's a simple dryly-written verbal instruction that I can give you.... Happy braiding!
HOW TO BRAID YOUR OWN HAIR:
1) Gather your hair all back behind you, as if about to tie it into a normal-style ponytail;
2) while holding it loosely with one hand, casually divide the bulk of your "ponytail" into 3 basically equal-feeling segments or sections -- a right side segment, a left-side one, and a middle...
3) Start with taking the left section over the middle section; then the right section over the middle; then the left over the middle; then again the right over the middle -- you'll notice that by doing this, the "middle" section of hair is constantly changing (what used to be the "right" section becomes the middle; then what used to be the :left" section soon becomes the middle... and so-on & so-forth, until the braid starts to travel down your back!
4) When you get to the point when your arms start to feel too awkward & uncomfortable to reach behind your back of the neck in this way, just bend at the waist and turn your head up-side down, letting your hair fall upside-down with it...
5) Continue braiding in this manner, occasional tightening the braid as you go down, until you get to a logical stopping spot -- then tie it off with an ordinary hair-tie.
Don't bother going for perfection at first, as nothing but repetative, "Practice makes perfect!" will accomplish that -- just try to get the basic idea of it, working more with the FEELING of doing the braiding action, rather than expecting any kind of "spectacular"-looking result at first...
Good luck!
- Ken in San Francisco
I will note, at this point, that working from a ponytail (either clipped or banded) is somewhat easier when you are learning as the sections are unable to wander away and get lost.
Yes very true, Trolleypup, I think that may have been the way that I also first started self-braiding back when I first had long hair during the mid-late '90s, before my horrible Y2K haircut; but I can't remember for sure, that's awhile ago now (LOL)....
- Ken
It's also easier at first if you practice with small sections at the front where you can see what you're doing. That helps to get the muscle memory in place before you have to do it where you can't see what's happening.
Hi Viking,
Yes, that's an excellent suggestion! I might have done that myself during my own awkward stages; but honestly, I don't remember for sure right now, as that was a looooong time ago (LOL)!
Take Care,
Ken in San Francisco
Thanks for the great information and tips. I will practice until I get it right.
Thanks Again!
Darrin
Just watch this video clip!
MikeS (I'm not the person on the video, though!)