French Braid

I've had a few people ask me to show you how to do a french braid, so today I'm going to show you the simple straight french braid, 2 french braids, the half french braid and the "to the side" french braid.
First of all, French braids are EXTREMELY hard to do.That's why practicing over and over on a doll (not a human, they get bored too fast!) is a GREAT idea. Don't worry if it looks terrible at first. I've been trying to do it for a long time and only in the past few months have finally got it. Don't be discouraged..."If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." :)

Okay, so start with straight, brushed hair.

Grab some hair at the very tippy top of your doll's head. Make sure you start VERY high, or else you'll still have hair when you get the the base of the neck and the braid will get puffy.

Divide the hair into three sections and make one regular "braid stitch."

This is a bad photo, but it's hard to hold onto doll's hair and photograph it at the same time! You have to take the section on the left side and grab some hair to add to it. Then "braid stitch" again.

Now, do it on the right.

Keep going until you have all the hair into the braid, and finish off the length by braiding normally.

See? One tip: pull everything tight, so it doesn't get puffy, and make sure you grab the same amount of hair from each side, or else the braid won't be straight!

For two braids, just divide the hair in half...

And divide one side into three sections, then start french braiding just like you did above. Just in case you can't remember, here's the steps:

1. Divide into three sections

2. Do one braid stitch

3. Then grab even amounts of hair and add them to the section you're about to braid

4. braid normally when you've got all the hair included in your braid.

Tada!

This is the half french braid. It is easier than the French Braid. Grab a section on one side of your dolls head right up near the part.

Divide it into three sections.

Then, french braid, but ONLY grab sections from the side towards your doll's face.

See?

I love this one. When you get the back, you can just bobby pin it.

This one is really goofy, and advanced. You basically just french braid over the side of your doll's head!

I don't know if that's very clear or not, but hopefully it helps! Please feel free to ask me questions about French braiding! Practice practice practice, AND it may help if you ask someone who knows how to actually show you. :) It will become natural eventually!

Hairstyles By Me

I was kind of bored this afternoon, so I created some of my very own hairstyles. Sorry the lighting and quality of these photos aren't so great. My closet has REALLY bad lighting.

Hairstyle 1: Twisty ponytail

1. Brush doll's hair smooth

2. Take two sections from the sides.

3. Twist them over each other once.

Now you have two options to finish it all off.

Option 1: Grab the rest of the hair and twist it all together and tie it off.

Option 2: Fold the two ends of the twist you made in step 3 underneath the rest of the hair and secure with a few bobby pins...

Like so. Looks braided, but it is not!!!!!

Hairstyle 2: Forehead Twist

Brush hair so that it is smooth.

Grab a small section.

Twist!

Grab another small section and twist it in with the other one.

Twist one more small section...

And secure with a clip!

Cute!

Hairstyle 3: Side clips

Just clip hair back on both sides for this style!

Hairstyle 4: Princess Puffs

1. Brush hair smooth. I already did 1 puff, so you get to watch me do puff two.

2. Get a section of hair.

3. Pull it forward, while twisting.

Pull it back and secure it to the other puff.

Fluff your puffs and blend in the part.

OPTIONAL:

Take a small section and wrap it around the remaining hair.

Secure with bobby pin!

Hairstyle 5: Half French Braid

1. Again, brush or hairpick hair smooth.

2. Get three little sections of hair, right by the face.

3. Start braiding.

4. When you bring a section toward the face, grab little more hair and add it to it.

5. Whenever you think the french part is long enough, stop half french braiding and start normally braiding.

6. Braid until you're out of hair!

7. Secure with a cool clip and fluff the curls!

So, what do you think? Which one do you like the best?