Weaving or interlocking the hair is a sure fire way to start locks (and maintain locks) on any hair type. Even the straightest hair can be locked with this method. The hair is woven from tip to root with your fingers or a tool. When you get to the end you are done.

It is kind of like braiding only backwards. And like braids locks started by weaving or intertwining the hair are a lot more durable than other methods. You can use this method to start locks of any size. If you want exceptionally small “micro locks” this would be the way to go.

Washing Them

You can wash intertwined braids as soon as they are put in. If your hair is wavy and has a tendency to come unbraided easily you’ll just need to put rubber bands on the ends of each braid if your intertwined locks if they are large. If they are small just braid them in bunches and rubber band the ends. In any case intertwined locks don’t come undone as easily as coils, palm rolls, or twists.

Maintenance

Locks started by intertwining the hair are usually maintained by intertwining the hair at the base of the root with some sort of tool. That tool could be anything from a bobby pin/hairpin, a folded piece of wire, a hair beading wand, a latch hook, or proprietary tools such as the Nappyloc TM or Sisterlock TM tool.

Pros

You can use this method to lock hair that is hard to lock (straight, wavy and relaxed hair).

Once you get the technique down it really isn’t very hard to do.

Depending on the size you can start these easily at home.

If you want them small or “professionally” done there is a wide network of people that can do them for you.

If you want detailed instructions on how to do the method at home, you can purchase the kit online for less than $100.

You can wash your hair immediately

The base of your braids will stay neat through washing. You will usually only have to retighten your hair with a tool every four to six weeks.

Cons

Lock started this way can look very skinny and a lot of scalp will show for a little while. Over time they will thicken up.

If you want them really tiny and professionally done, it will cost you a pretty penny. Prices can start at $500 and it is not unheard of to pay over $1000 to have them put in.

Not all natural stylist know how to do these so you may have to travel a distance to find someone who can. But this is only if you want really tiny locks.

You can over tighten them during maintenance which can strain your hair. Not to mention give you a headache.

How To Start Locks by Intertwining Your Hair

You will need:

• Comb
• Clips for sectioning hair
• A bobby pin/hairpin, a folded piece of wire, a hair beading wand, a latch hook, or Nappyloc TM tool
• Sea Salt Spray (optional) if your hair is hard to lock.

1. Start out with clean freshly washed hair.

2. Start in the back of your head.

3. Section off a piece of hair of hair.

4. Tie a tiny knot at the tip of the section of hair.

5. Divide this section into by poking a hole through the base of the section and bringing it all the way down to the tip. (Be careful not to make your knot slip out).

6. Pull the end of your hair through the hole. You should have something that looks like the letter “Y”.

7. Now make another hole at the base of your future lock. This time go in at the cross direction. Example if you made a whole by pushing the tip in from the left and pulling it to the right, make a hole by pushing the tip of the hair down from the top and pulling it to the bottom. Just don’t keep going around and around in the same spot. You will just get two single twist knotted together at the end ;)

8. As you continue poking the tip of your lock through the holes, you should notice the bottom part of the “Y” growing into a cord like piece of hair. That is the lock forming. The closer you get to the scalp the harder it will be to make holes with your fingers.

9. Now you will want to use your tool to make the hole and pull your lock through. When you get to the very end you will want to make sure that your final pull through is going in the direction that you want your lock to fall. If you are working in the back you’ll probably want the lock to fall backward so you will want to poke the tool in from the bottom and pull the lock down from the top. If you are working on the sides you’ll want to pull it left to right or Right to left depending on which side you are on.

Note: This is a very rough explanation. To see picture of this done on locks of various sizes and hair of various textures consider purchasing the Nappyloc TM Kit . It comes with a book with a sizing guide and Nappyloc tool.

If you said to yourself, “This is tedious and I don’t want to do my whole head like this.” Visit the Sisterlock TM website . Their network is growing and there is bound to be someone in your area that can help you.

Back to Locks and Locking Page

Back to Natural Hair Care Guide Home Page

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

---