How to: 6 strand ribbon braid with bubble fishtail braid

Today it's the Dutch King's birthday, so a special hairstyle with our Dutch colors: orange and red-white-blue!

Helpful tutorials:
6 strand ribbon braid (continues as slide up braid)
Fishtail braid
Pancaking

You'll need:
1 big elastic
1 ribbon
Small elastics (how many depends on the length of the hair)

How to do this hairstyle?

1. Attach a ribbon to a small elastic. The ribbon can be the length of the hair (a little shorter is fine as well).
2. Comb all of the hair backwards and take a small section from the front. Bring this section forwards.
3. Take a small strand of hair below this section and attach the elastic with the ribbon to this. Then bring the front section back.
4. Divide this section of hair into 5 strands. The ribbon is your sixth strand. Arrange the hair like this: hair - hair - hair - ribbon - hair - hair.
5. Now start a 6 strand ribbon braid: cross the left strand under - over - under and then cross the right strand over - under - over.
6. Repeat step 5 until your braid reaches the neck.
7. Put an elastic around all of the hair. Do you have ribbon left? Then you can - after you've done the fishtail braid - tie it into a bow around the elastic (tip: do this after braiding the fishtail, or your bow may get loose again).
8. Now divide the hair from the ponytail into two and start a fishtail braid.
9. Braid about 6 or 8 pieces and then put elastics around the two strands you have. If you like, you can pancake the braid.
10. Continue step 9 until you've reached the end of the hair. Of course you can also choose not to braid until the end of the hair, like in the photo: step 9 has been done three times in total there.

Good luck!

5 strand braid

One of my favorite braids is the one with 5 strands. There's two techniques for this braid: the technique explained in the tutorial (left over-under, right over-under or left under-over, right under-over) and the technique that's mostly used for the 5 strand braid with ribbon. Both are great braids and after a little practice you'll see how easy this braid is. Having trouble holding all 5 strands at the same time? Then really use the tips I'm giving at the beginning of the tutorial, these really help!

The technique:
5 strand braid tutorial

Ideas:

A ponytail with a loose 5 strand braid, as explained in my tutorial

A 5 strand side braid, combined with a 5 strand headband braid

The 5 strand braid also makes a great bubble braid!

Replace 2 strands by ribbon, braid the usual 5 strand braid technique and this is the result!

For when you have more time: a 5 strand braid made out of small braids!

For this 5 strand braid with microbraids you have to use the 5 strand ribbon braid technique. Or just watch my tutorial on this braid!

4 strand waterfall braid

When you've mastered the regular waterfall braid and when you've leaned the 4 strand braid, then this 4 strand waterfall braid is easy for you. It's a super fun braid, that's easy and beautiful. Tip: make sure you're always going under on the side closest to the part line, this gives the best result.

The technique:
4 strand waterfall braid tutorial

Ideas:

A 4 strand waterfall braid on the right side, combined with a French braid on the left side.

Two 4 strand waterfall braids

Again two 4 strand waterfall braids, finished off with a bubble braid

A double 4 strand waterfall braid

A 4 strand waterfall braid, combined with a braid that's a combination of a regular braid and a fishtail braid

Two 4 strand waterfall braids, finished off as a flower, with a mermaid braid below.

3 strand braid

The 3 strand braid is the base of all braided hairstyles. The left strand over the middle one, the right strand over the middle one and repeat this until the end. Or - as alternative - the left strand under the middle one and the right strand under the middle one.
This is a technique you absolutely must master before trying other braiding techniques. And is this technique all you can manage to do? No worries, even with just a 3 strand braid you can create enough fun and beautiful hairstyles!

The technique:
3 strand braid tutorial

Ideas:

Bundled braids, which means: create a ponytail, do six 3 strand braids (or more or fewer) and fold them up!

A regular 3 strand braid with one of the strands being a small 3 strand braid.

A braided bun: create a ponytail, create three 3 strand braids in that ponytail and pin them into place with bobby pins.

A 3 strand braid with two micro 3 strand braids crossed around it.

Four crossed 3 strand braids, pulled through a twist (rope braid).

Create a knot out of two strands of hair and create a 3 strand braid in each strand. Use bobby pins to secure the knot. Here a fishtail has been done first.

Started as four 3 strand braids, crossed and combined into two. Below a bubble ponytail has been done.

4 strand ribbon braid

Color always makes a hairstyle a little more fun. One of the ways to add color, is by using a ribbon. One of the easiest braids with ribbon is the 4 strand ribbon braid. The technique for this braid is the same as for the regular 4 strand braid, only the use of a ribbon makes it easier to see all of the strands. And of course you can add hair into a 4 strand ribbon braid as well, just like you would with a regular 4 strand braid!

The technique:
4 strand ribbon braid tutorial
4 strand French/Dutch braid tutorial

Ideas:

A ponytail with a 4 strand ribbon braid, as explained in my tutorial.

Actually it's the same hairstyle as above, only now with elastics added in, which gives you a bubble braid.

4 strand ribbon braids are fun as accent braids as well, for example with this flipped ponytail.

Once you've mastered the 4 strand ribbon braid, you can try to add in hair, like this 4 strand ribbon lace braid.

Another 4 strand ribbon lace braid: start with a ponytail, take hair on 1 side for the braid and take the hair you're adding in from the other side of the ponytail. This creates a really fun effect!

If you wanna go another step further, try adding in hair to both sides, like in a 4 strand French/Dutch braid. For the hairstyle in the photo the braid has been pinned down with bobby pins above the French/Dutch braided part.

Vakantiekapsels met een herfsttintje // Vacation hairstyles with an autumn feel

Vakantiekapsels met een herfsttintje

Tijdens de herfstvakantie heb ik een stedentrip gemaakt naar Belfast in Noord-Ierland. Ook ben ik een dag naar Dublin geweest, de hoofdstad van Ierland. Natuurlijk heb ik daar ook haarfoto's gemaakt! Welke kapsels ik gedaan heb, kun je hieronder zien en uiteraard vind je er ook een beschrijving bij om de kapsels na te maken.

Veel vlechtplezier!

Vacation hairstyles with an autumn feel

During my autumn break from school I visited the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland. I also visited Dublin for a day, the capitol of Ireland. Of course I took some hair photos there! Which hairstyles I did there, is what you can see below and naturally you can also find out how to recreate the style.

Happy braiding!

Fotolocatie: Titanic Belfast // Photo location: Titanic Belfast

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Volg de instructies uit mijn filmpje Bubbelvissengraat vlecht met lussen, alleen begin je nu aan de zijkant van het hoofd. Maak vier lusstukjes en doe dan een elastiekje om de vlecht en om een plukje haar van de linkerkant van het hoofd. Ik heb de 'bubbels' niet gepancaket op de foto. Voeg daarna een gewone vissengraat toe.

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Follow the instructions from my tutorial Bubble fishtail braid with loops, only start at the side of the head this time. Create four loop pieces and then put an elastic around the braid and a strand of hair from the left side of the head. I didn't pancake the bubbles in the photo. Lastly, add a regular fishtail braid.

Fotolocatie: de droogdok waar de Titanic afgebouwd is // Photo location: the dry dock where the Titanic was finished

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Instructies: zie hierboven

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Instructions: read above

Fotolocatie: bij Samson & Goliath, de bekende gele kranen // Photo location: near Samson & Goliath, the famous yellow cranes

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Instructies: zie hierboven

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Instructions: read above

Fotolocatie: St. Stephen's Green (park in Dublin) // Photo location: St. Stephen's Green (park in Dublin)

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Volg de instructies uit mijn filmpje 6 plukken vlecht met microvlechtjes, vervang alleen de vlechtjes door lint!

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Follow the instructions from my tutorial 6 strand braid with microbraids, only replace the braids by ribbon!

Fotolocatie: Guinness brouwerij, Dublin // Photo location: Guinness brewery, Dublin

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Instructies: zie hierboven

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Instructions: read above

Fotolocatie: Guinness brouwerij, Dublin // Photo location: Guinness brewery, Dublin

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Proost! Instructies: zie hierboven

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Cheers! Instructions: read above

Fotolocatie: Victoria Square winkelcentrum, uitzicht op Samson & Goliath // Photo location: Victoria Square mall, view on Samson & Goliath

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Maak een staart van al het haar en volg dan de instructies uit mijn filmpje 5 plukken vlecht met ingewikkeld patroon. Op de foto heb ik voor de microvlechtjes twee plukken haar en 1 lint gebruikt. De strik is van Bowtikii!

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Make a ponytail with all of the hair and then follow the instructions from my tutorial 5 strand intricate braid with two microbraids. In the photo I used two strands of hair and 1 ribbon for the microbraids. The bow is from Bowtikii!

Fishtail braid

A very populair braid is the fishtail braid: a braid with two strands. The best result is when you're taking small strands every time, but that does mean the braid will take longer (especially when you're braiding long hair).

The technique:
Fishtail braid tutorial

Ideas:

Instead of doing a fishtail with all of the hair you could also use the technique for an accent braid.

A fishtail is beautiful with a stacked braid.

If you have long hair, you can beautifully fold up your fishtail for a gorgeous updo!

A fuller looking fishtail can be created by pancaking the braid. Here the braid has been combined with lace braids.

So beautiful: this bubble fishtail braid with loops!

Have some extra time on your hands? Then try this double braided heart made out of fishtail braids!

Bubble braid

Those looking for an easy variation, will choose the bubble braid. For this braid you'll use elastics, so you're only braiding a few stitches every time. This means you only need a few minutes for your hairstyle, perfect for school! The bubble braid can also be done with almost every braiding technique, so there's enough variation!

The technique:
Bubble braid tutorial

Ideas:

The bubble braid as explained in the tutorial. As it's a bubble braid, you're allowed to see the elastics, so use bright colors!

A bubble braid with the braid technique fishtail braid.

Another bubble braid with the braid technique fishtail braid, only now hair has been wrapped around the elastics as explained in the beginning of the bubble braid tutorial.

A bubble braid with a 4 strand ribbon braid.

The easiest one of all: bubble with a braid on top of it. First create a ponytail. Then grab a small section of hair and do a braid with it. Then create your bubbles with the braid included.

Simpel variëren: de bubbelvlecht // Easy variations: the bubble braid

Simpel variëren: de bubbelvlecht

Al die combinatievlechten en ingewikkelde technieken zijn hartstikke leuk, maar in de praktijk heb je gewoon weinig tijd om dat soort kapsels elke dag te maken. Vaak komt het neer op iets wat snel gemaakt moet worden, omdat je naar school / naar je werk moet.

Wie snel en simpel wil variëren, kan daarbij kiezen voor een bubbelvlecht. Hierbij kun je allerlei verschillende makkelijke vlechttechnieken gebruiken, maar je vlecht er net iets anders uit laten zien door de verschillende bubbels.

In mijn YouTube filmpje Bubbelvlecht leg ik uit hoe deze techniek werkt. Op de foto is dezelfde bubbelvlecht te zien, maar dan met een vissengraat in plaats van een gewone vlecht. Ik heb ook wel eens een voorbeeld gegeven met een 5 plukken bubbelvlecht.

Genoeg variatie dus weer om die snelle ochtendkapsels toch wat leuker te maken!

Easy variations: the bubble braid

All those combination braids and complicated techniques are great fun, only you'll quickly realize you don't have a lot of time to do such hairstyles every day. Often you'll need a quick creation as you have to go to school / work.

Those wanting to do a quick and easy variation, could do a bubble braid. For this braid you can use all kinds of different techniques, but it'll give your braid a different look because of the bubbles.

In my YouTube tutorial Bubble braid I'm explaining how this technique works. The braid in the photo is also a bubble braid, but it has been done with a fishtail braid instead of a regular braid. I've also given an example of a 5 strand bubble braid.

Enough variations again to make those quick morning hairstyles a little more fun!

Bubble braid idea

Several weeks ago I explained the bubble braid in a YouTube tutorial. Have you tried this braid already?

For those who have done the regular bubble braid already and are looking for inspiration for another bubble braid I have a photo of a 5 strand bubble braid today. The technique for this braid is the same as for the regular bubble braid: braid a few stitches with 5 strands, put an elastic around the braid and then pull on the edges. Repeat this until you've reached the end of the hair.

The fun thing - I think - about this bubble braid is that it gives you a really big braid. What's your favorite bubble braid?