Braiding Patterns - Stripes and Bands

Once you've mastered the braiding basics you'll want to create some braiding patterns. This way you'll made a variety of hair braid styles by combining different patterns and colours.

Hair braids are made up of blocks of patterns. Here we will look at stripe and band patterns. Other braiding patterns include knotting, twisting, criss-cross and spiral.

Double Stripe

The double stripe is created by wrapping two threads of differing colours at the same time. The stripe pattern is most effective when contrasting colours are used or when one of the threads is a glitter thread.

Triple Stripe

The triple stripe is created by wrapping three threads of differing colors at the same time.

In order to keep the braid tidy it is recommended that you start the pattern block with a double stripe for one or more wraps of the braid before picking up a third thread. Then to end the block first drop the third thread and repeat the double stripe to match the double stripe section at the start of the block.

Alternatively start the block with a single thread for one or more wraps and then pick up two more threads to create the triple stripe. Then end the pattern block by dropping the two threads that were added and wrap the single thread the same number of wraps to match the start of the block.

Each triple stripe method gives a different style pattern block.

Band Repeater

The simplest band pattern is to select two or more colours then to repeat them in order.

Long and Short Bands

This is a very simple but effective pattern block. Select a first thread and wrap approximately 2cm of the braid. Select a second thread and wrap a shorter section of braid, approximately 0.5cm. Now return to the first thread and repeat the shorter section with this thread. Finally repeat the longer section of wrapping using the second thread.

The style of the pattern can be varied by changing the relative proportions of the short and long sections.

In and out block pattern

This is called the in and out or mirrored pattern because the colours go in towards the centre and then out again. Start by making a large block of one colour, between 10 and 20 winds with 2 threads the same. Then pick up a single thread of a different colour and make 4 single winds with this thread. Do the same with each remaining colour in turn. When you have used the last colour, pick up the one you used just before it and make 4 winds again. Then the one before that. Keep going until you get back to the colour you made the large block with. Make another matching block with the same colour again. You have now finished the pattern.

Return to the top of Braiding Patterns - Stripes and Bands page

Return to Learn How to Braid page Home