plaits & weaves

Toni Thompson 19.11.15

Putting Hair Up When good results are to be achieved you need to start with the correct base i.e. the hair should be: -

• Appropriate length • In good condition • Ideally, set the hair prior to putting it up • If not set, it must be clean, but contain plenty of produce i.e.

mousse/hairspray – this will make the hair more pliable • Use a large (tinting) comb or a thin bristle brush to backcomb the hair prior

to dressing up, these will create padding without knotting the hair Pleating A pleat or French roll is a vertical fold of hair, commonly worn on the back of the head. It is most suitable for long hair, but can be achieved even with shorter lengths. The pleat is one way of dressing shorter hair to make it appear to be longer! The Roll A roll may follow either a horizontal or vertical line. The technique is similar to that of a pleat. Close-fitting effects may be achieved on wet hair and softer, full effects on dry hair, which may have been set. For full effects a pad may be used to provide volume and control. Helpful hints with long hair

1. When placing hair pins, ensure that they point downwards, as this will prevent them from loosening

2. To prevent hair grips from loosening, overlap or cross them 3. Avoid using large quantities of hair spray until the style is complete

Ornamentation and Hair Accessories Ornamentation may be used to change the style from a style suitable for daywear to a style suitable for special occasion. The use of ornamentation should enhance the hairstyle and not be allowed to cover or substitute. Ornamentation may take the form of: Combs, ribbons, bows, clasps, feathers, jewels, grips, slides, beads, sequins, flowers (real or artificial), glitter dust, coloured gels, coloured sprays, mousse, headbands tiaras … all may be attractively used. Be discreet, however, in what you choose: a good dressing can be spoilt if the ornamentation is overdone.


PLAITS (Braids) Plaits never really goes out of fashion because of the variety of ways they can be worn and achieved. Plaiting (braiding) is the process of intertwining strands of hair – usually three strands – one over the other in a regular pattern to form one thick strand. More than three strands can be used and the finished result depends upon the amount of hair taken in each strand. An explanation behind some of the plaits we use: - Flat Plait (French plait)

1. Take three strands of hair (usually from the front hairline). 2. Pass the outer left hand section of hair over the middle section. 3. Now pass the outer right hand section of hair over the middle section. 4. Now go back to the outer left hand section, this time include a fresh

piece of hair taken from the hairline on the left hand side, up to where the hair is to be plaited. Place this section of hair over the middle section.

5. Repeat this procedure with the right hand side of the head. 6. Continue following this pattern until the plait is completed.

Raised Plait Follow the same routine as for a flat plait. The only different being, don’t pass the outer sections over the centre but instead pass under the centre.


Rope Plait

1. Take three strands of hair (usually from the front hairline), separate these

strands and work with your first three fingers, rotate your fingers clockwise until the left hand strand of hair is situated on the right and the original right hand strand of hair is now on your left.

2. Twist each strand of hair tightly at the roots towards the left. 3. Pass/plait the left hand section of hair over the middle strand. 4. Next take the right hand section of hair and pass this under the middle

section. 5. Continue to follow this pattern all the way down the hair i.e. left side over right

side under.

Remember

(a) To keep picking up a new strand of hair from the same side as the strand to be plaited, and join this strand to that section.

(b) Keep twisting the roots throughout.


BRIDLE PLAIT This plait should be placed along the line of the section taken. The top of the plait will lift slightly from the hair, this provides an ideal area to place ornamentation, hence the name bridle plait.

1. Section the hair according to your requirements, remember – the plait will be placed on the top of this section.

2. Subsection your hair into three sections, the two sections near the top

should be very fine, but the third section should be elongated.

3. Continue to plait each outer mesh of hair over the middle section directing the hair up towards the top, to allow the plait to develop along the top of the main section.

4. Add hair from the right hand side to the wider right hand section, every

time you are going to plait.

5. Do not pick up and join hair to the left hand section.

6. Continue to follow this pattern until your plait is completed.


Corn rowing – continuous plaits running along the scalp, also called scalp plaits or ethnic plaits

Pattern to follow:

• Section the hair horizontally in the nape of the neck and then place a row of plaits

• Next start from the centre of the forehead and place three rows of plaits directed towards the nape

• NB to achieve these plaits only pick up a fresh section from one side, and plait both sides under

• Take the next section from directly above the ear, plait this all the way down to the nape

• Continue to take sections from above the ear and working up towards the centre plaits

• Follow the same pattern on the other side Hair Twists – oiled or gelled hair twisted together to form tufts

Hair threading – the process of wrapping plaited or un-plaited hair with coloured threads


ADVANCED PLAITING For the following plaits, prepare the hair in the same manner as for a French plait (3 stem) starting at the front hairline. Four-stem Plaints

1. Divide the hair to be plaited into four equal stems 2. Begin to plait by crossing the left-hand centre stem over the right

handed centre stem 3. Now cross the outside right stem over the stem next to it 4. Then cross the outside left stem under the next one 5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 until you reach the hair ends

Five-stem Plaits

1. Divide the hair to be plaited into three sections and plait each piece once

2. Take a fresh section from the front hairline and plait this under the section nearest to it, then over the next section.

3. Take another fresh section from the opposite side of the front hairline and also plait this under the section nearest to it, then over the next section.

4. You now have five stems. 5. Continue to plait each outer section under then over, until you reach

the hair ends. Six-stem Plaits

1. Divide the hair into six equal stems 2. Pass the outside right stem over the next two stems 3. From the left, pass the outside stem under two stems and over one 4. Repeat this until you reach the hair ends

Alternatively the above plaits can be turned into scalp plaits by picking up a fresh mesh of hair from the hairline working in towards the plait, then joining this new mesh with an outer mesh to be plaited. Using different starting positions will also produce alternative effects.

WEAVING Hair weaving is a process of interlacing strands of hair to produce a wide variety of effects. A small area of woven hair can be very effective by itself, or used to highlight a particular part of a style. Hair weaving is also used to place and hold lengths of hair.


Baskets weave This is the interlacing of strands of hair, over and under one another, to produce a variety of basket weave effects. Tips

• When plaiting or weaving, push your client’s head forward as you work down the plait, this will prevent bagging in the name area.

• Keep an eye on your plait to check you do not lose the centre line. • Keen tension even at both sides • Secure any protrusions with fine pins • Wrap securing band with hair to improve appearance • Wet or gel the hair before starting to weave • Weave tightly or loosely according to the effect you are aiming for

An alternative method of weaving:

1. Use six meshes of hair, three in the left hand and three in the right. 2. Start with the furthest right hand mesh. Pass this over the inner two

meshes 3. From the left, pass the outside mesh under the next two and over one 4. Continue to the ends of the hair 5. Tuck in the hair ends and secure them in position.

Two Stem Weave (fish tail plait)

1. Take two sections of hair (usually from the front hair line). 2. Cross the two sections over each other. 3. Next take a section of hair from the outer hairline (right hand side) up

to where the right hand strand of hair is and join it to the left hand strand.

4. Now take a section of hair from the left hand side of the head, pass this section over the left strand of hair and join it to the right strand.

5. Continue to follow this pattern until the weave is complete.


How to Create a Woven Peaked Cap

• Mousse hair generously

• Divide front hair from back, then twist back section as shown in picture

• Next, gel the front section before combing it all forward and directed over towards one side

• Take your first section across the top of the ear

• Divide this section into five – weave the first strand under then over, etc

until all four sections have been woven, wrap the end of the first strand around the twist

• Take your second section horizontally above the first

• Divide this section into three – weave the first strand over then under etc.

until the weave is complete, again wrap the end

• Take all remaining sections horizontally above the previous one divide into two strands – weave under then over until the weave is complete

plaits & weaves

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