How to Rope Braid

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

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. 

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

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!

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! 

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,

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

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?

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

Anna