fbpx

Doll It Up

Sewing & Crafts for 18" Dolls

How to Rope Braid

by

I thought I’d share a little hair tutorial today!  It is the Rope Braid.title 800

We don’t have the new GOTY Saige, from American Girl, but from photos it looks like she comes with her hair styled in a Rope Braid.  Since I have had long hair forever, well except for that one time :), I have used the rope braid many times in my own hair. IMG_9034

1. To start, divide the hair into two sections.divide

2.  I want to say right now there is a lot of twisting involved, but don’t let that intimidate you!  Go slow at first and you will see it is really quite simple!

Take each section of hair and twist them in the same direction.  In the photo I’m twisting them both to the left or counter clockwise.  You can do the opposite, to the right or clockwise, the important thing is that they are both twisting in the same direction!twist same 2

3.  Now while holding the twist in place on each section of hair, you are going to join the two together by starting a twist that is in the opposite direction from the first.  In my example I was first twisting the individual strands to the left or counter clockwise, so I will join them together by twisting the individual strands together, to the right or clockwise!  Always join the strands by twisting in the opposite direction from the direction of the original twist of the individual strands!  Phew!  I know you can do it! twist opposite

4.The first time I did this I thought it was kind of like the grade school challenge of patting your head with one hand and rubbing your belly with the other.  Take it slow!  Don’t stop now!  Keep going!  Don’t forget to twist as you go.  To walk you through using the example,

  • twist the individual strands to the left,
  • join the strands with a big twist to the right
  • twist the individual strands to the left,
  • join the strands with a big twist to the right,

keep going 5

….and on and on until you are ready to put the elastic in!All done

Now enjoy your work!  See it wasn’t that hard!  Now try it on little sections of hair!  Or try this challenge pictured below!  It is part twist, part french braid.  Does it have a name?  I don’t know?IMG_9047

Hope you try the rope braid on a dolls hair and then your own!:)

Anna

Comments

  1. Sharry A. says

    I’m African American and in the 70s when I was a kid, little girls did this and we called it the French Twist.

  3. Ann says

    Thank you! Now it seems so easy. I always try to do this to my hair and have to start over a few times to get it right. Now, hopefully I’ll get it right the first time every time.

  5. Linh says

    Wow, thanks to tour tutorial, i can now do my Saige’s hair just the way she came again!