Terms to Know:
Slots: To cut out wordiness, I have decided to call the webbed area
between the fingers "slots."
- Slot 1 is between the thumb and index fingers.
- Slot 2 is between the index and middle fingers.
- Slot 3 is between the middle and ring fingers.
- Slot 4 is between the ring and little fingers.
Right and left hands will be denoted by a capital R or L
after the slot number. For example, 1R is between the thumb and
index finger of the right hand.
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Directions:
- Gather a section of hair where you want the braid to start.
- Insert your right hand palm up from beneath the section upwards to
separate the strands. The fifth strand will be on the outside of
your pinkie.
Note: You can also start by separating the hair into two
not-quite equal sections, and separate and start braiding one half at a
time. Further explanation below.
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- Gather the left three sections in your left hand and hold the right
two in your right hand, palm down.
Note: Make sure that the middle strand is between the ring and
pinkie finger, and that there is an empty slot between the middle strand
and the next strand to the left. All of the left hand strands can be
held together at this point if desired.
-
Turn your right hand palm up, bringing the
outside strand under the second strand.
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- Place the strand which had been the outside right strand in the
empty slot between the left two strands and the middle strand.
- Move the now formerly-middle strand to your right hand. If you
are doing more than five stands, put it in the same slot with the new
far-right strand.
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- Move the new middle strand to between the ring and pinkie finger of
the right hand.
- Shuffle the strands in your left hand so that the far left strand is
in slot 2 and the next strand in is in slot 1. (This is the time when
you separate the left-hand strands if necessary.)
- Turn your left hand palm up to bring the far left strand under the
next strand in.
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- Place the strand which had been the outside left strand in the empty
slot between the right two strands and the middle strand.
- Move the now formerly-middle strand to your left hand. If you
are doing more than five stands, put it in the same slot with the new
far-left strand.
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- Separate out the strands on the right.
Note: When separating strands which were combined, remember that
the strand on top is the outside strand, because it has to go under
first. The strand which tends to hang towards the outside is actually
the second-from-edge strand.
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- Repeat 3-12, pausing at each side to gather another section of hair
into the outside strand before braiding it to the center.
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- Continue 3-12 after there is no more hair to gather, down to the
bottom of the braid.
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- Tie off the braid with a hair fastener.
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