How to Plait, British Style

Hi,

I looking for someone to tell me how to sew up plaits. I braid professionally the north american style of hunter braids, but I'm trying to learn the european style of plaits. Help!

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Permalink Reply by Barbara F. on September 7, 2009 at 9:34pm

Hmmm, You can leave a comment on Chris Queen of Shops Barnmice page. She might know - and she's really nice!

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Permalink Reply by Jen B on September 8, 2009 at 9:41am

I saw a video recently on this. The link below is for a clip called "How to Plait and Mane with Needle and Thread", the second one is "Show Plaiting". I can't actually watch them on the computer I'm on, so I don't know which one is the video I saw before. Hopefully they help!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnNT8Cnt6dU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gjfz3sGGsU

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Permalink Reply by Fiona Hill on September 8, 2009 at 2:00pm

I'm not an expert, but as I understand it the key is to keep them small - ie not the size of golf balls. You divide the hair into bunches along the mane and hold them with a plaiting band (elastic band) - I don't know if they should be an even number or not, but I know you don't want too many, I seem to recall eight or nine is about the maximum with one for the forelock, although I'm sure someone will tell you otherwise. You plait downwards and then sew up the end ... and then you fold the plait underneath itself a couple of times so it looks like a little plaited ball, with the tufty end tucked underneath. To sew it up you just sew through the ball until it holds in place. As I say, I've only ever done this just for fun not for serious competition so I'm sure someone can tell you the finer details.

Hope you get it sorted!