Yarn Braids: What Are They And How Do You Get Them?

Yarn braids – do these two words ring a bell? Well, to put it simply, yarn braids are braids made of yarn. Like Duh!?! But they are incredibly lightweight and famous for being one of the most versatile braids to play around with. Well with the different colours you can experiment with in your styles, we don’t see why not? Now we know what you’re thinking – these braids sound like a fourth-grade DIY art project – but, but, but we beg to differ and love ‘em because they are low on the maintenance and high on impact and that itself is enough to cut it for us! So we’re ok to prove why the yarn braid style is the perfect one for us.

Now how do we recreate these yarn braids at home?

Ok, slow down ladies, we’re getting there!

Here’s what you’ll need for this DIY yarn braid style:

1. Some Yarn: Synthetic yarn is the way to go when it comes to this particular hairstyle that we’re trying. Wool yarn will give you a one-way ticket to frizz city and us definitely not on board with that!
2. A pair of scissors to you know…snip, snip!
3. A little bit of your time and patience (and that’s what Netflix is for right?)

So here we go….

1. Prep Your Hair

Courtesy:  iStock

As with all protective hairstyles, yarn braids require a good hair prep too, so make sure you start with a good hair cleanse. You can do this with any of’ shampoo you have at home, but if you insist on opinion, we’ll have to go with Motions Pro Neutralizing Shampoo. Not only is this baby, gentle on our hair but it is infused with the goodness of shea butter, coconut oil and olive oil (yep! All 3 of ‘em) so you can be certain you’ll have smooth and silky hair by the end of this step. Always at the top of our recommendations list, this one!

2. Bring In The Yarn… And A Wee Bit Of Math Revision, Yo!

Courtesy: Pexels

Oh! Don’t fret, only a lil’ bit of measuring is all the math there is to this….we promise! Take the yarn and hold one end to your scalp, then roll out the yarn until you reach the tips of your curls. Now, leave an extra inch after that so that you have a little bit more yarn to tie the knot at the base of the yarn braid hairstyle. Now, join four fingers together and loop the yarn around your fingers thrice. One end will have 3 loops and the other end will only have one loop. Cut the yarn at the end containing two ends.

3. A Messy Partition Will Do The Trick

Unlike other braids, the yarn braid hairstyle does not require straight or defined partitions. Simply take a section of hair that is around the width of three yarn strands. To ensure that your strands stay in place and to avoid fly-aways, we suggest using African Pride Black Castor Miracle Hold & Cover Edges. This gel is a total saviour and our absolute go-to step before we begin trying out protective hairstyles. It slicks back our stubborn edges and gives a clear partition line. And just between us, this product is the only reason our first attempt at yarn braids wasn’t a total disaster. But sssh…no telling!

4. Now….Just Like With Shoe Laces

We all remember the exact words our parents told us when showing us how to tie our shoelaces. Similarly, slide the hair section through the three lops of yarn and give the yarn a single twist so that it doesn’t slide around.

5. It’s Called A Braid For A Reason

Just like a braid, divide the pieces of yarn equally with your section of hair in the centre and the two pieces of yarn on each side. Start braiding your hair until you reach the end of hair section and knot it.

6. Repeat It, Sis!

Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 until your entire hair is filled with yarn braids.

That’s about it, with these steps, you will have gorgeous yarn braids in no time.

Want to know more about yarn braids? Check out Yarn Braids – The Upcoming Trend