Avainsana: corset braid

Pictorials, pictorials

While the older sisters have been in school this week, my 3-year-old has been my hair model, and we’ve done some pictorials for you!

I’ve been asked so many times for tutorials on hairstyles! I decided to do step-by-step instructions on the two most popular hairstyles from my festival braiding: the star braid and the corset braid. (These two pictures are my two older girls)

star braid two dutch braids with ribbon

In both of my festival braiding gigs this summer (I did another one last Saturday), I’ve had lots of printouts of different braids, but these two always catch the eye of my little customers, so I could probably do these in my sleep now.

THE STAR BRAIDPicture tutorial. Step-by-step pictures of how to do a braided star

. Start by making a little ponytail on top of the head

2. Divide the ponytail into two sections, then make two basic 3-strand braids

3. Do another little ponytail on the left, divide it into two and make two 3-strand braids

4. Take one of the braids from the left and some hair from the right, and combine them into a small ponytail on the right

5. Make a 3-strand braid with the hair in the right-ponytail

6. Take half of the rest of the hair, left one of the braids from step 2 and the braid from the right

7. Secure with an elastic and remove all other elastics (the dark ones in the picture)

8. Tie all the rest of the hair and small braids into the right and remove extra elastics.

THE CORSET BRAIDIMG_1146

. Divide the hair into two

2-3. Do a 3-strand dutch braid on the right.

4. Do a 3-strand dutch braid on the left.

5. Thread a ribbon through one of the top stitches of the dutch braid. The easiest way is to use a topsy-tail, but you can also use your fingers or a bobby pin or something else

6. Thread the ribbon through the other side and back to the same side, going through every other stitch of the braid

7. Keep going from side to side as threading a shoe lace

8. Tie the two braids together and finish by tying a bow.

These two hairstyles are perfect for any beginner, they look much harder than they are, and always get lots of compliments.

I will be braiding again at Lasten Festarit Festival in Töölönlahti, Helsinki on Sunday  17.8.  at 10-15h.

 

 

Braiding marathon – part 2: festival stall

So last Saturday’s story continues at Skidit Festival. After doing all the wedding hairstyles, I rushed to Kallio in Helsinki. Skidit Festarit is a really nice children’ festival with lots of kids’ activities, music, food etc.

festival braiding stallI got the idea for a festival braiding stall last summer when I went to some music festivals and noticed all the boring ponytails… But as I am only a self-taught braider, whose main experience is doing kids’ hair, the kids’ festival was the perfect place to try out how it would work.

It was a hot day (+30 degrees), but luckily I had a tent, so I was in the shade. It took about 15 minutes for the first person to stop for a braid, but after that, it was a constant queue for 5 hours!

two lace braids into a heart braid At first, I had a few little girls, with very thin hair, but I managed at least to do a little lace braid with a ribbon or a quick heart, which looks good on everyone, and is easy to make even when the model is moving a lot.

When the queue started to be quite long, only girls with a lot of hair thought it was worth waiting, so my job got a little bit easier 😉

Some little girls were very specific on what they wanted, many parents wanted something to keep the hair out of the face, some girls chose their favourite colour ribbon, and some gave me free hands… So it didn’t get boring!

waterfall into a french braid

A national news paper’s website had published an interview of me the day before, so some girls had already been on my Instagram or Facebook for ideas.

The most popular style, which I did 6 times, was the corset braid, followed closely by the star braid:

two dutch braids with ribbon star braid

In the end, I did 31 braids in 5 hours. I didn’t even take a break! I remember queueing for face painting with my girls once, and when we got to the face painter, she said she’s going for a break… I couldn’t do that to the little girls (and parents) who had been waiting for their turn! So I just had some quick snacks and water between braids, and carried on!

I was exhausted in the end: my back was aching and I was hot and hungry, but I had really enjoyed it. I didn’t notice the time at all while I was braiding!

I thought it was such a fun experience, that I have already agreed for another event in a week’s time! So everyone, who is near Porvoo, Finland next Saturday, come to Bubbles-event at Taidetehdas! I will be braiding kids as well as adults this time!

braids at Skidit Festarit

PS. as you can see, I used stickers, stamps, crayons etc to keep the little ones occupied while I was braiding.