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Watch the video: How To Do A Basic Hair Wrap by Jennifer on YouTube
If you’ve ever admired those colorful strands woven into hair at festivals or vacations, this tutorial shows the beginner-friendly way to make one yourself. It’s simple, neat, and secure—no special tools beyond floss, clips, and a few beads.
What you’ll learn
- How to section and braid a small strand to form a stable base for your wrap
- How to measure, cut, and thread multiple colors of embroidery floss
- How to start wrapping tightly and switch colors cleanly for a rainbow effect
- How to tie a secure finish and add beads for a personalized look
Gather Your Hair Wrap Essentials A small setup goes a long way. You’ll need several colors of embroidery floss, hair clips, scissors, a comb, a spray bottle with water, and beads for embellishment. The video keeps it straightforward: build a neat braid as your base, attach floss, wrap tightly, switch colors smoothly, then secure and bead.
From the comments: Some viewers wondered how long a wrap takes. One person estimated “about 45 minutes,” but the video doesn’t specify a time. Expect a range based on hair length and your wrapping pace. embroidery frame
What You’ll Need
- Embroidery floss in multiple colors
- Hair clips (alligator clips work well)
- Scissors and a comb
- Spray bottle with water
- Beads and a small piece of string for threading beads later
Hair Prep: Sectioning and Braiding Start by separating a small area of hair where you want the wrap. Use clips to keep surrounding hair out of the way so the section stays straight. Then make a very small braid in the separated section. Leave a tiny bit of room at the top, near the scalp—this gap is where you’ll thread the floss. A light misting of water helps keep flyaways down. Tie a small piece of floss at the bottom of the braid as a placeholder.
Quick check: Is the braid small and neat, with a bit of space at the scalp for threading? If not, adjust now—fixing the foundation saves headaches later.
Watch out: Be mindful not to make the section too thick; a smaller braid wraps more cleanly and is easier to keep tight.
Mastering the Floss Prep Measuring and Cutting Your Colors Pick several floss colors. Measure each strand to the length of the hair plus a couple of extra inches for leeway. Cut all strands to the same length. Even ends make threading easier, so snip to tidy them up.
Pro tip: Keeping all strands uniform helps your wrap look consistent from top to bottom. If any ends fray, trim and re-wet as needed. magnetic embroidery hoop
Threading Floss Through Your Braid Hold your cut floss bundle straight and even. Lightly wet the ends—think “threading a needle.” Pull the floss through the small gap at the top of the braid (the space you left near the scalp) until equal lengths hang down both sides. Centered, even floss makes the wrapping phase smoother.
Quick check: Are both sides of the floss bundle the same length? This balance makes color sections feel symmetrical and neat.
The Art of Wrapping: Starting Your Design First Color Application Separate the two strands of your first color (the video starts with red). Hold the two strands together, close to the braid. Begin wrapping tightly around both the braid and the unused floss strands. Doubling up on the wrap gives a firm, consistent look. Push the wrapped section upward as you go—this eliminates gaps and keeps the wrap snug near the scalp.
Pro tip: Let your clips and a light water mist be your third hand. Keep flyaways in check so the wraps hug the braid. snap hoop monster
Tips for Tight, Even Wraps
- Keep constant tension on the wrapping color.
- Periodically push the wraps up to tighten the stack.
- Ensure unused floss strands are tucked under the wraps so they don’t peek through.
- If a section loosens or separates, rewrap immediately for a clean finish.
Seamless Color Transitions for a Rainbow Effect How to Switch Floss Colors To change colors (e.g., red to orange), hold the current color tight against the braid. Find both strands of the next color, bring them up to meet the transition point, and loop them around the braid and bundle so they meet each other. Overlap the new wrap slightly over the previous color. Push upward to close any tiny gap, then keep wrapping with the new color. Repeat for yellow, green, blue, and purple if you’re going rainbow.
From the comments: Some viewers asked whether you can leave the wrap without beads. The video demonstrates beading as an optional embellishment after tying a secure knot, so you can stop at the knot if you prefer a minimalist finish. mighty hoop
Keeping Your Wrap Neat and Tidy Clips are your friend—use them to keep hair out of the way as you hunt for the next color. If loose hairs try to escape, a small spritz of water smooths them back. Continue to wrap over unused floss so the surface stays uniform. When transitions are tight, your color bands look intentional and polished, not patchy.
Watch out: If a color switch leaves a thin “window” of hair, unwrap a few turns and overlap more generously with the incoming color. magnetic hoops for embroidery machines
Finishing Touches: Knots and Beads Securing Your Hair Wrap At the base of the wrap, tie a very tight knot—double knotting is a solid idea for durability. This secures your design before you add any decoration. The video shows tying first, then beading.
From the comments: Many asked about removal later. Several replies suggest cutting or untying the bottom knot and then unwrapping the floss. If you want flexibility, keep the final knot accessible so you can reverse the process when you’re ready. embroidery machine for beginners
Adding Decorative Beads Prepare a short length of string (about a foot) and fold it in half. Thread a larger bead onto the folded string so both ends pass through the bead. This makes a handy loop tool to pull floss through beads. The video creates one larger beaded strand at the base and two smaller strands as accents below it.
At the bottom of the wrap, select four strands of floss for beading (in the video: two purple and two red). Trim away the other colors right at the base, taking care not to cut hair. Use the string loop to pull floss through the bead, then tighten and tie a knot underneath to keep it from sliding. Repeat for the smaller beads on the remaining strands, tying two or three knots under each to lock them in place.
Quick check: Do the bead holes accommodate two strands of floss? If not, pick beads with slightly larger holes or reduce the number of strands so the bead slides through cleanly. magnetic embroidery hoops
Your Beautifully Wrapped Hair Care for Your New Hair Accessory Viewers reported they could shower with their wraps without issues; the video doesn’t offer specific aftercare guidance, so proceed gently and avoid tugging. If you prefer no beading, you can finish at the secure knot. When it’s time to remove the wrap, commenters recommend untying or cutting the bottom knot and unwrapping in reverse.
From the comments
- “How long does it take?” One viewer estimated around 45 minutes; your time will vary with hair length and detail.
- “Can I shower with it?” Multiple replies said yes; the video doesn’t address this directly.
- “What thread should I use?” Embroidery floss—this is specified in the video and echoed by commenters.
- “How do I take it out?” Several suggested removing the bottom knot and unwrapping.
Watch out: When trimming at the end, keep scissors angled away from hair. The video specifically cautions not to cut the wearer’s hair while tidying the ends.
Troubleshooting cheat sheet
- Wraps drifting apart: Push the coils upward as you go; rewrap loose areas.
- Lumpy sections: Keep unused colors neatly tucked under the active wrap; resist twisting the braid while wrapping.
- Messy color switch: Overlap the new color slightly more; unwrap and try again if needed.
- Beads won’t slide: Test bead hole size with two strands of floss before committing; adjust bead choice or strand count.
Pattern ideas (for later) The video focuses on the basics and mentions other patterns can be shown in another video. Once you’re comfortable, try alternating short and long color bands, or add thin stripes by switching colors more frequently.
Studio side note If you also enjoy machine embroidery for custom accessories—like making a small pouch to store beads—terms you might know from your sewing corner include magnetic hoop, mighty hoop, or even embroidery hoops uk. They don’t play a role in hair wrapping, but they’re handy in a craft-friendly workspace.