Hey beautiful people!
For the past three wash days I have been stretching my hair, especially my natural new growth, by going back to a childhood style: threading.
Back then on our two-weekly wash days, my mum always gave me and my sister a choice- "plait or thread?"
If you replied "thread", more choices- "full or some gaps?"
I still laugh remembering how we seriously used "some gaps" as the name of a hairstyle.
Threading was something the sis and I dumped the instant we thought we were grown. I never imagined I'd ever again thread my hair willingly until threading started getting a lot of love from naturals home and abroad (they call it African threading).
It was after reading blog posts and looking at pictures of how naturals have been using it that I remembered how straight my natural hair used to look after taking out a threaded style as a little girl.
I bought a roll of rubber thread for N50 (just a little over 25 cents). The first time I did it was almost two weeks ago when I was getting my hair ready for my crochet weave. I threaded after I had washed, used my leave-ins and detangled. My hair was slightly damp.
I did it at night before bed and took it out the next morning.
Results
I absolutely loved how my new growth was so well stretched out. Threading has bumped bantu knots into second place for me as favourite stretching method.
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The next day it was very easy to put my hair into cornrows for the crochet weave because I didn't have to deal with starkly different textures.
Second time around was last week. I threaded a day after wash day so my hair had dried. I did fewer sections and still got the same great results. I used the opportunity to snip off some thin ends.
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Third time- Friday. Same procedure as the first time.
I took out the thread yesterday and as usual, hair was very well stretched. I wasn't satisfied with the mini trim I did earlier though, so I snipped off some more and then put it in a bun.
I haven't gotten rid of all the thin, bone straight relaxed ends but for now the hair has quit being a nuisance with those dead ends. I still have enough out of that N50 roll of ruber thread for one more go.
Con
The pros are obvious. The only con for me is that I usually have to break my no-comb-unless-detangling-after-deep-conditioning rule.
When you take out the thread, the sections hold the shape and stay in place so you have to take time to separate and fluff. My comb makes it easier but I really don't want to continue to use it like this.
I love how threading works and I will continue to do it when I want to see some of my length or get a smoother bun. Next time I do, I'll find a way to separate and fluff without a comb.
What do you think about threading? What's your favourite method of stretching your kinks? Holla.
Xx,
NGND
For the past three wash days I have been stretching my hair, especially my natural new growth, by going back to a childhood style: threading.
Back then on our two-weekly wash days, my mum always gave me and my sister a choice- "plait or thread?"
If you replied "thread", more choices- "full or some gaps?"
I still laugh remembering how we seriously used "some gaps" as the name of a hairstyle.
 |
| Source This is what we used to call "full" |
It was after reading blog posts and looking at pictures of how naturals have been using it that I remembered how straight my natural hair used to look after taking out a threaded style as a little girl.
I bought a roll of rubber thread for N50 (just a little over 25 cents). The first time I did it was almost two weeks ago when I was getting my hair ready for my crochet weave. I threaded after I had washed, used my leave-ins and detangled. My hair was slightly damp.
 |
| Source Chinese thread behind, rubber thread in front. |
 |
| "Some gaps". lol |
Results
I absolutely loved how my new growth was so well stretched out. Threading has bumped bantu knots into second place for me as favourite stretching method.
 |
| New growth blending well with texlaxed hair |
Second time around was last week. I threaded a day after wash day so my hair had dried. I did fewer sections and still got the same great results. I used the opportunity to snip off some thin ends.
Third time- Friday. Same procedure as the first time.
I took out the thread yesterday and as usual, hair was very well stretched. I wasn't satisfied with the mini trim I did earlier though, so I snipped off some more and then put it in a bun.
I haven't gotten rid of all the thin, bone straight relaxed ends but for now the hair has quit being a nuisance with those dead ends. I still have enough out of that N50 roll of ruber thread for one more go.
Con
The pros are obvious. The only con for me is that I usually have to break my no-comb-unless-detangling-after-deep-conditioning rule.
When you take out the thread, the sections hold the shape and stay in place so you have to take time to separate and fluff. My comb makes it easier but I really don't want to continue to use it like this.
I love how threading works and I will continue to do it when I want to see some of my length or get a smoother bun. Next time I do, I'll find a way to separate and fluff without a comb.
What do you think about threading? What's your favourite method of stretching your kinks? Holla.
Xx,
NGND