Crochet braids are a simple protective style that can transform your look quickly and easily. You can go from a teeny weeny afro to a full-length ‘fro in just hours, or rock a head full of kinky twists without being at the salon all day. They’re also a great way to experiment with fun colors without damaging your own hair.
My favorite YouTube naturalistas claimed that crochet braids are also a simple DIY style, so I decided to try it to see if ‘anyone’ can do it. Understand: Handiwork is not my strong suit. I’m not a braider. I don’t do crafts. My homemade creations make Pinterest fails look like Martha Stewart masterpieces. So I’m not the most logical candidate for self-braiding.
But I tried it, and this is what happened:
I watched the videos
If you don’t happen to have a private crochet-braid consultant on retainer, then YouTube tutorials are the next best thing.
I gathered the supplies
I decided to try the style with jumbo Senegalese twists, and I purchased them from my local beauty supply store.
Tip: Buy more than you need so that you don’t end up making last-minute runs back to the store. My store recommended I get six packs, so I bought eight. I ended up using them all.
I did the ‘do
The style involves two simple steps: braiding your natural hair into cornrows, then crocheting the extensions onto the cornrows. You can do this with an actual crochet hook or with a similar, inexpensive tool sold at beauty supply stores.
The beauty of this technique is that it allows you to recreate almost any look – braided, straight, curly or kinky, without spending all day in the salon chair. This style took me about three hours to complete.
The most difficult part was braiding my hair into cornrows because, like I said, I can’t braid. But I did some half-braided, half-flat twisted mutant cornrows and I got it done.
Tip: Leave yourself more time than you think you’ll need. I wanted to redo the sections where my hair would be parted to create a cleaner look, but I had plans for the night and ran out of time.
I got a cosigner
Friends don’t let friends leave the house looking a mess. I got the okay from a trusted girlfriend, who pointed out a few spots that needed another braid. Then she gave the ultimate co-signature:
And then I was done!
Final result: Not bad!
Have you tried crochet braids? Leave your pics and tips in the comments below, and elet me know what I should try next!
