Dutch Four Strand Braid - Tutorial coming soon

If you would like a tutorial please leave a comment and I will explain the process.

Dutch braid with single Butterfly - Tutorial coming soon

If you would like a tutorial please leave a comment and I will explain the process.

Double basic braids

As Claire and I are settling in to the new school year rituals, we are starting to allow Claire to pick her own clothes and hair styles, which keeps her involved, interested and motivated to get ready in the morning.

Today, she wanted this, I am not sure it was because of the flower in the middle or not.  But, start by creating two half pigtails secured with elastics.  Then take those two pig tails and secure them together with another elastic.  Create the final pigtails again, by splitting the remaining loose hair in half an secure each half of the loose hair with half of the larger pony tail (ie, the original pig tail).   So, we should now have all the hair secured in two low pig tails.  With each of these pig tails, braid two basic braids secured at the bottoms with elastics.  Then if you want, add a fun little clip to the middle elastic.  And ta da! easy peasy!

Time: 5-7 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Hair length: Long

Side sweeping four strand ribbon braid

I tried to do this yesterday.  But, it didn't quite work, so, after dinner last night I practiced after dinner.  Yup, some times, I do trial runs!

You will need a long string of thin ribbon, or thicker ribbon that isn't too stiff.  Prepare to make a three strand braid above one ear, have your model hold the too outer strands while your tie your ribbon around the middle strand.  Grab the outer strands from right to left strand, strand, ribbon, strand.  Now, take the right strand and place it over the next strand, under the ribbon and over the last strand.  If you need to re-position your hand, now is a good time.  Now your braid should be from left to right, strand 1, strand 2, ribbon and strand 3.  Take strand 2 and put it over ribbon, and under strand 3.  This is where the french braid aspect comes in to place.  Pick up a small piece of hair to incorporate into strand 3.  Let's re-position our hands and rename the strands.  From right to left, strand 1, strand 2, ribbon and strand 3.  Take strand 1 and put it over strand 2, under ribbon, and over strand 3.  Weave the second strand back to the right, like before.  Now, continue braiding down around the back of the head,  When you start getting near the ear, you may want to start picking up the hair on the top of the head (still incorporate it on the bottom).  This makes sure you finish all the hair before you reach the ear.  When you run out of hair finish the ends by doing the same pattern without incorporating any more hair (simple concept, right?).  Secure with an elastic when you run out of hair, ribbon, or are getting too many flyaways.

Time: 7-10 minutes
Difficulty: Hard (remember, I needed to practice)
hair length: medium

Loose Knot Pony Tail - Tutorial coming soon

If you would like a tutorial please leave a comment and I will explain the process.

Ribbon in Two Basic braids - Tutorial coming soon

If you would like a tutorial please leave a comment and I will explain the process.

Double Spiral Sunburst French braid

Happy first day of school!!

This one we had to start twice because I had forgotten that you need to use a french braid for the sunburst design in the middle.  So, after I did the whole spiral on the outside as a dutch braid, I realized that it wasn't going to work.  So, my poor model had to sit still longer because I messed up.  Whoops.

After combing through her hair, I portioned, and secured with an elastic a medium sized pony tail in the middle of the head.  Leave a 3-4 inch path of loose hair around the perimeter of the pony tail.  Once the pony tail is secured, split the loose hair in two circles about 1.5-2 inches each.  Clip the inside circle of loose hair and the pony tail together temporarily while you braid a french twist with the remaining loose hair.  I started my braid at one corner of the front of the head.  You will be making a french twist along the outer perimeter of the head.  A french twist is a french braid with only adding hair to one side of the braid.  This time, add the hair to the outside of the braid.  When you have braided around the head once, let loose the inner circle of hair and pony tail.  You will now start braiding a traditional french braid, the loose hair will be added to the outside of the braid, and you will pick up small pieces of hair from the pony tail to incorporate on the inside of the braid.  When you have finished incorporating all the hair, continue with a basic braid as it will be easier to tuck under your sunburst.  After you finished your braid, tuck it under the sunburst and pin the braid in place.  I choose to add a few flower clips to camoflage the transition between the two spirals.  But that is up to you.  Good luck, let me know how you do!

Time: 10-15 minutes

Difficulty: hard

Hair length medium

Side Butterfly braid

Happy Birthday Party Sweetheart!

So, I am going to totally cheat in this tutorial.  Because this style, is just a compilation of two previous styles we have already done.  So, I am just going to reference them and send you on your way.

Start by creating a Off Center Dutch Braid.  Then add a few strategically placed butterfly loops like in the Lots of Butterfly Hair.  I choose to only creating four butterflies.  This style worked well for all the butterflies we used in the decorations.

Time: 10-15 minutes
Difficulty: Hard
Hair length: Medium+/long

Pony tail braided heart

I am not sure it I like this one, but, maybe with more practice? 

Start by creating a demi-pony tail in the center of the top of the head  When that is secured with an elastic, loosely split it into two sides set the left half aside while you are creating the right braid.  To do the right braid pick up a segment of hair above the right ear and begin a basic braid, 4-5 links worth, make sure you take note of how many links you make on this side, as you will wont to make the same number of links when you do the left braid.  After you have made the 4-5 basic braid links, take small pieces of hair from the right half of the pony tail in incorporate them into the right braid on the upside only.  If you run out of pieces before you have reached your desired length, continue with a basic braid and secure the right braid with an elastic.  

Then reverse the process and create the left braid.  This is where it was important to remember how many links you made using the basic braid and incorporating the pony tail strands.  Make them the same if you want a symmetrical look.

Time: 5-7 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Hair length: medium

Dutch braided pony tail - Tutorial coming soon

If you would like a tutorial please leave a comment and I will explain the process.

Spiral Dutch Braid

This braid is just a one sided dutch braid that wraps around the perimeter of the head a few times.

If you wanted to make it a little cleaner you could section out several concentric circles.  I didn't.  But next time I probably would.  So, with your hair prepared begin your dutch braid in an inconspicuous place.  As you are braiding only incorporate small pieces on the outside of the braid only.  When you have braided several times around the head and run out of hair to incorporate, continue with a basic braid that you will essentially make a braid rosette after securing the braid with an elastic.  Pin the 'rosette' in the center of the spiral braid.  If you would like to hide a particularly unattractive section of braid, (say an area where there is a copious amount of flyaways), or you just like the look, add a pretty clip.

Time: 5-7 minutes

Difficulty: Medium
Hair length: Medium+

Bow hair with flowers

I have done the bow hair before, and I like how easy it is.  Start this one with a pony tail with the upper half of the hair.  Before you pull the hair all the way through the elastic the final time, leave the ends, so you have a giant loop the length of each side of the bow you want.  Carefully, pull the pony loop into two halves laterally to form the loops of the bow.  Take the ends of the pony tail, pull it up over the split in the loops and wind it under and around the base of the bow.  Use bobby pins to tack the ends and fly aways.  Add plenty of hair spray the the loops of the bow.  While the hair spray is still wet, try to smooth out the loops of the bow.  Strategically tuck a few flowers in and this would be cute for a little flower girl.

Time: 3-5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Hair length: Medium