So during this week I found a website called “aiirprofessional.com” which has been a great resource to help with my braiding practice. The site has sections with instructions on how to braid your own hair, other peoples hair and different styles of braids. Along with videos, the site has a step by step approach to making a simple braid (three-strand braid) which is the one I am focusing on for my project. It is simple and a site I would recommend to others if they were looking to learn the same skill.
First thing I had to get used to doing was combing the hair out enough so all the hair was straight and not tangled up. I can admit that I was not doing that before this week so I think that is why I was struggling a lot more than i should have! I think now the process should be a little easier and a little less messy.
I spent a couple hours on Wednesday and Thursday practicing and I included the best of the best in this post below. Sadly this was the best of the bunch… for now anyways. But comparing it to my first attempts this semester I think there is already progress being made, first because I was able to finish my last braid in one go without stopping. Also the braid is tighter where as my first few attempts it even the better ones were looser all throughout the braid.
A few important tips the site gave for learning to braid for beginners were
- Practice as much as you can
- Always prep the hair (slightly damp hair/combed)
- Create neat, even sections when making your three strands
- Find a rhythm: find a pattern that works for you when weaving the braid and repeat it
- Maintain a solid grip on each section, especially the center section
One thing I was thinking about was if eventually will it become like muscle memory if I become good enough at it? If I were to stop practicing once the semester ends would I quickly lose this new skill? Definitely learning about patience doing small, tedious tasks doing this assignment and working out my fingers as well, did not expect for my hands to get as sore as they have been!
For the coming weeks my next few goals is to be able to do multiple braids like this or better and to cut down on the time it will take me to do so. I also hope to be able to find more time to practice this next week as things have really been getting busy with school and work life ramping up. That is another thing that I find having to work on, my time management ability. I am also doing semester long assignments in two other classes that ask us to keep notes/take pictures building towards a final summary of your learning so it has been a task on itself trying to balance time for everything. But I also consider that it is only for a few months so it is not all that bad.
https://aiirprofessional.com/blogs/braids/how-to-braid
Hey Carlos,
I think this is a great learning project, I kind of wish I had chosen it so I could have had a motivator to learn to braid my daughter’s hair for her. I’ll see what I can learn from your resources and let you know how I do!
Hey Jerome, I totally admire what you are doing for your learning project! Braiding hair is no easy task, I can’t even count how many videos I have watched trying to learn how to braid my own hair. I liked your break down of important braiding tips for beginners. I agree that damp hair is definitely more beneficial.
My mom taught herself how to french and dutch braid her own hair and others and she has always told me that once you practice it enough it is just like muscle memory and it is a natural flow once you get the hang of it!
Looks like you are off to a great start! I will definitely be checking in for more braiding tips.
Hello Carlos, you are very determined and practiced many times this week which is excellent! The tips the site gave for learning to braid for beginners were very useful and are steps that I use before/while I braid my own hair. I find that from braiding my hair the odd time (more frequently when I was younger) I was able to maintain the feeling of braiding my hair and it became muscle memory.
-Elyse Woodard
Hi Carlos!
I have always enjoyed reading about your adventure in braiding, and this week did not disappoint! This website and videos seem informative and great tools for learning the five tips mentioned. I also noticed that painting applies to my project, and inquisitiveness increases a person’s learning skills. I can’t wait to see more from you!