How to Train for a Closer Weave

Learn to supplement hair with a close weave.

When adding a woven extension, or a weave, to natural hair, the trick to making it look as authentic as possible is to keep it very close to the head. Close weaves ensure that the weft roots are not visible after months of wear, and they allow the wearer to keep the extensions in her hair for up to three months. But after that point, the braids that hold the weave in place will have grown out, requiring the wearer to sew the weave in again. This process takes a lot of training on the stylist's part to accomplish it correctly.

Things You'll Need

• Practice mannequin head
• Model
• Pin tail comb
• Salon sectioning clips
• Sew-in weft
• Scissors
• Curved weaving needle
• Polyester thread to match hair

Instructions

1. Part the hair horizontally from ear to ear, creating a horseshoe shape by arching the parting up over the occipital bone. A hard horizontal line will make the weave more obvious, so breaking this line up a bit will help it stay concealed through styling. Create the parting using a pin tail comb to aid in precision.

2. Clip the hair below the parting into a salon clip to keep it from being dragged upward. Create a second horseshoe-shaped parting 1/2 inch above the first parting that you made. Clip the portion of the hair above the horseshoe parting into a clip on top of the head.

3. Braid a taut cornrow, beginning with the hair closest to the face and carefully working your way toward the back of the head. Complete the braid to the ends of the hair and secure it with a salon clip. Repeat the braid on the opposite side of the head until the two rows meet one another in the center. Though these braids should be secure, they should not be so tight that they pull your client's scalp or make her feel uncomfortable.

4. Thread the curved needle, and slide the needle to the middle of the thread. Knot the two ends together. This will keep the thread very strong and ensure that the needle does not fall on the floor while you work.

5. Draw the two braids together at the scalp and sew the braids together. Wrap the thread around the hair four times, then sew two more stitches through the hair. Trim away the excess thread and retie the ends.

6. Place the weft against the hairline, positioning the end of the weft 1/2 inch from each of the cornrows' origins, and cut away the excess weft.

7. Sew the weft into the horizontal braids until the entire weft is secure. Knot the end to secure the weave.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice mannequins are ideal for those beginning hairstyling training. They allow the stylist to practice potentially painful styles, such as weaving, on a head without nerve endings before trying it on a person. This will build your confidence during the training process. After you have successfully sewn a close weave into the mannequin's hair, move on to working on models.

• High-quality hair wefts will last you through three weave applications, so you won't need to purchase a new weave every three months.

• Deep condition the hair before applying a weave, as it will leave the hair supple and resistant to snapping.

• If your client complains of itchiness around the tight braids, soothe her scalp by dabbing a bit of coconut or jojoba oil along the partings with a cotton ball.

References

• Xiventures: How to Apply Perfectress Hair Weave
• Africurl: Weave Regimen -- Step-By-Step
• Daily Glow: Sew-in Vs. Glue-in Weaves

Resources

• The Grio: Weaves 101 -- Ten Tips Your Stylist Won't Tell You