Rapunzel's Braid

I was fiddling around with Rapunzel's hair this week.  There's so much of it, and it was shedding like mad, so I thought I'd try the movie's remedy and braid it.  I'd seen a pic on YouTube of someone's Rapunzel doll with a similar style (sorry, I don't remember the video!), and thought I'd try my own rendition.  So, without further ado, here is Rapunzel's braid:

I started by taking two small sections of hair and separating them from the rest.  I didn't take them from right at the front of her head.  I left some hair in the front, as you can kind of see from the next pic.

After I separated the hair, I started a tiny braid.

I continued braiding until I had braided almost to the end of her hair.  Then I did the same thing on the other side.

Now I had two tiny braids on each side.

After the tiny braids were finished, I braided the leftover hair in the center.  I included the hair I'd left in front of the tiny braids and used it in the big braid in the back.

I braided it all the way down and used a rubber hair band to tie it off.  By the way, I would recommend using a color other than black for such light hair.  Black was just the only color I had. :}

Next I took the two small braids and criss-crossed them around the big braid in back.

I repeated this all the way down the braid.

I used my one clear rubber hair band to hold the ends of the two small braids in place underneath.

And here's the finished product!  I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

The next day, I tried another variation.  I kept the tiny braids in, but started the big braid in back with a twist on both sides of her head.

Then I braided the rest the same as before.

I think this variation looks even more like her braid in the movie. :)

Here are some random shots of Rapunzel in her new "do". ;)

Her hair was great for this style.  I bet this style would also work on American Girl dolls, especially the ones with really straight hair.  If you try it on your doll, be sure to tell me how it went. :)