DIY Crochet Braids for $28.75

Posted by admin on Nov 25, 2014 in Protective Hairstyles | 0 comments

I haven’t worn crochet braids in years although I loved the style and it was easy to do on my own. This is a style I did a few years ago. I’m thinking about getting crochet braids again.

I used 2 packs of hair, color 2 and color 4/30, bulk Freetress Bohemian Braid. I later added about 20 pieces of colored hair.

It took 5 1/2 hours to crochet in the hair and 2 hours prepping the hair (dividing pre-sectioned hair into 2, 3 or 4 pieces with gel). All in all it took 7.5 hours plus the hour it took the woman I paid to do my cornrows ($10 and a drive to Harlem).  i had a little help from my husband to trim the back.  But instead of $150 that I paid a braider for the crochet curly twists (spring twists), I spent $28.75 (hair, cornrows, latch hook).  Although it took all day, and part of a second day to add hair and trim, I cannot complain at all given the outcome and the price.

I kept this style in for 2 months and it still looked decent enough to keep wearing by that time.  I washed the hair just as I normally washed my own hair.  A lot of people don’t wash their crochet braids or they do a dry wash on just the scalp.  I prefer to fully wash my hair regularly although I do not advise going to bed with wet hair.

I have seen crochet braids recently done with Marley hair.  It matches well since the hair does not have an unnatural shine like some synthetic hair.  Most people are not wearing the Marley hair in it’s natural state but instead are rod setting, braid setting or bantu knot setting the hair with hot water to achieve various curl patterns.  I have also seen a few vixen crochet styles with a cross shaped leave out at the center of the head as well as a knotless crochet technique that requires knotting the hair in the center to cover the braids.  Crochet braids are definitely becoming more versatile.