~~ Dready Mamas 2012?~~ - Page 4

[Chicky2]

I found that after the initial backcombing, twist and rip would work better on the ones that got loose.  Koru, everyone's get loopy.  You'll likely go thru several different loopy stages.  Learn to love your loops, and wrap the ones you can't deal with.  I still have quite a few loops.  I'll see if I can get a pic for you in a bit.

Also, Koru, you mentioned trying to get your dreads to knot at the scalp.  Um, mine don't.  I have an inch or more of hair that is not knotted at the base of each of mine.  It grows, then knots and shrinks as it gets longer, and just joins in with the rest of the dread eventually.  It is a continuous thing.  Be patient.  Let them develop their own mind to some degree so you won't be fighting them all the time.  As they develop, you'll understand more about what I'm saying.  You haven't even dipped further than your toes yet in this dready journey.  :o)  It's really cool to watch them grow with you.

[koru]

Originally Posted by Chicky2 

Also, Koru, you mentioned trying to get your dreads to knot at the scalp.  Um, mine don't.  I have an inch or more of hair that is not knotted at the base of each of mine.  It grows, then knots and shrinks as it gets longer, and just joins in with the rest of the dread eventually.  It is a continuous thing.  Be patient.  Let them develop their own mind to some degree so you won't be fighting them all the time.  As they develop, you'll understand more about what I'm saying.  You haven't even dipped further than your toes yet in this dready journey.  :o)  It's really cool to watch them grow with you.

This is very good to know! Thanks! I fiddled with my hair yesterday, salt spraying & palm rolling, and resisted the urge to backcomb. I'll definitely relax on my obsession with loose roots & let them knot as they go. 

I'm obviously preoccupied with my hair these days because I've had 2 hair dreams within the last week. Last night I dreamt that a huge section of my hair was totally unknotted & silky smooth...and I wanted to cry. A few nights ago, though, I had an awesome dream that a super hot guy was playing with my hair. Haha! That must've been when I was feeling pretty good about things. :)

[Chicky2]

Here's what I mean by loopy.

[delicate_sunshine]

I kind of like loops.  They seem to give the dreads a bit of character.

[koru]

Oooh yes, I have those (but not so tight). Quite a few, actually. I don't mind them much either. 

Today is an impatient day. I'm wanting these babies to be knotty & tight & not have to worry about them. I actually had a couple at the base of my neck almost completely unravel. Eek! I'm working on a blog post about why I'm doing what I'm doing & hopefully start processing this craziness I've embarked on. Has anyone else written about their journey? I'd love to read about it! (But maybe not until I write my own story as to not be influenced. :))

[yippiehippie]

Oh, no, that's not what I meant by loopy, Chicky - your loops are pretty, I'd be happy with those! Some of mine are over an inch (like the loop is over an inch thick/wide) and LOOPY! Like, you can see the actual "loop", including an open circle in the middle! Some have 4 or 5 loops in them. It makes them look weird, IMO anyway. It also makes them shrink incredible amounts. Hate em. A lot. :( They look more like, "comb your hair!" than dreads and they're flat. Luckily it's not like that w/all of them, or I'd cut a bunch. Actually I prob will cut some (loops, not dreads!)

Sorry that was a downer, oops! Expecting a baby any day now and everything's making me upset, lol! I'm sure they're not as bad as I think

[Chicky2]

yippiehippie, you should be resting and not worrying about your loops, lol.  So exciting that you are about to have a baby.  I'm past that in my life now (sniff, sniff, I'll never nurse, wet nurse, or pump for anyone again), but man am I gonna be an awesome grandmother one day.

After that sweet baby is here and you are up to doing more (or while you are nursing, have a friend help), just wrap those biggest loops w/embroidery floss and leave 'em alone for at least a month.  They'll go away.  Or get a pretty bead that you can slide up and down your dread.  I have one that I just slide from one loop to the next for awhile and it gets rid of the loops.  My loops used to be like you are describing yours. 

Happy birthing!

[koru]

Chicky2, that was an awesome response & you're cool!

If anyone wants to read my latest blogging adventure to answer "the dreaded question" of why I knotted up my hair, I just wrote a little ditty....http://spiralsojourn.blogspot.com/ 

Again, I'd love to hear all your reasonings & motives!

[delicate_sunshine]

I tried to look at your blog but it told me that it doesn't exist.

[koru]

Hmmmm. That's odd. It said the same for me when I clicked on the link. Let's try it again.... http://spiralsojourn.blogspot.com/

[koru]

I am so NOT techno savvy but even though the link looks like the exact same address, it worked for me that time. Hope it works for you because I'd love feedback & hear others stories.

[delicate_sunshine]

The new link works :)  Thanks for sharing.  I'd like to get my story up sometime, but I'm making no commitments.  I always have at least one baby and sometimes two in my lap trying to nurse when I'm on the computer, so typing long thoughtful responses is not usually an option for me.  Your dreads look great in your pictures, mama!  Mine are in a huge frizzy phase, just going crazy right now.  I'm trying to just wait it out and let them knot up naturally from here on out and see what happens but there are days when I think I might just like to try to comb them all out bc it looks so messy, lol.   

[yippiehippie]

Originally Posted by Chicky2 

yippiehippie, you should be resting and not worrying about your loops, lol.  So exciting that you are about to have a baby.  I'm past that in my life now (sniff, sniff, I'll never nurse, wet nurse, or pump for anyone again), but man am I gonna be an awesome grandmother one day.

After that sweet baby is here and you are up to doing more (or while you are nursing, have a friend help), just wrap those biggest loops w/embroidery floss and leave 'em alone for at least a month.  They'll go away.  Or get a pretty bead that you can slide up and down your dread.  I have one that I just slide from one loop to the next for awhile and it gets rid of the loops.  My loops used to be like you are describing yours. 

Happy birthing!

Thanks:) I'll keep y'all updated if this kid ever decides to come out!!

And I love that bead idea!
 

[koru]

Ack! These dreads are driving me crazy lately! My fine straight hair is a knotty frizzy mess and I need to take some serious time fiddling with it. Many of the dreadies have unknotted 3-4 inches from my scalp & loose hairs are everywhere. I've been palm rolling with aloe as much as possible but I'm simply not used to putting so much time & energy into my hair. I keep looking into the future when the maintenance eases up.......

I don't time this morning but I'll definitely be washing & salt spraying & palm rolling & all that jazz this afternoon. Wish me luck! 

[canadiangranola]

Koru,
I mean this in the gentlest sense possible. Relax! Tis a journey, not an immediate beauty with dreads. Let them be, and grow. Get a head wrap or five for the days you can't stand the frizz....mine are almost a year old and there are days I love and days I hate, but they are almost always pulled back off my face. I worried about the roots not dreading (like a three inch undreamed bit) and the next day they too started to dread.... Separate them occasionally, pull them back when they are too frizzy, and enjoy the ride

This is my third try and each other time I cut them off a few months in bc of the frizz, so this time I committed to a year. Glad I did, bc there have been days I would have cut them all had I not made the commitment to myself to wait and see....

Peace,
Anno

[koru]

Anno, thank you.  I was at a low point this morning but after a calm afternoon shower (shaved my legs for the first time in a looooong while....ha!), I played with my hair & feel much better. No, it doesn't look perfect but just separating the mess & somewhat taming it, I feel more relaxed. I should add that before dreads, I had long straight hair that was washed, combed & let be. Having to tend to my hair once a week feels like a bit much.....but I fully realize it's nothing compared to most folk! I do need to chill with my worry, though, that the unknotted roots will ruin everything. Today I realized that some of them are 1/2 undone!? There's no way I'll give up & cut them after only couple months (I've already told my kids it'll be at least 2 years!) but I really need to learn to love them, as is. I actually do love them. I wear them up all the time when I'm out of the house, headband or bandana, but try to keep them loose when I'm around the house so they knot up easier. 

I learned one thing today that I'd love to share. Some of my dreads are loopy loopy & because I don't have a crochet hook, I didn't know what to do besides let them be. Well today, when I was palm rolling, I discovered that if I started at the bottom & rolled UP (not continuously but little sections at a time up the dread) the loops shrunk. It makes perfectly good sense because it seems the loops form as the roots unknot & the loose hairs relax down the dread. If I knot them from the bottom up, the loopy hairs push back up the dread. Does that make sense? I still have dozens of little loops which is perfectly fine but I'm hoping this technique encourages upward dreading!

[mamareba]

Hi mamas! 

Koru~ some thoughts on your dreadies... I agree with canadian granola... its definitely a journey, and a journey of spirit and if I may humbly say, a bit of loss of ego (not saying that you have too much--not trying to say that!! just explaining what my journey was like).  I went through years of gawky looks, and whispers.  People at my work spread rumors that I wasn't taking care of myself.  It was hard.  But, over time people also learned more of who I WAS... my personality got to shine, if that makes sense and the dreads are part of my personality.  and in the end, it was great.... the greatest actually! ! 

Now technically, I would suggest just trying to keep them separate, don't worry if they 'start' to unravel, as long as you keep everything separated it WILL knot up eventually.  might knot up at different times and dreads are going to become different lengths at first.  Separation is so so key.  the loops... ah the loops.  They will appear and they will blend in and tighten in and up. ... and then more will appear and blend in. and on and on... and ten years later more loops will appear! !  you don't really have to do anything... except... wait. :) 

hth

... and a note on my journey... when I would get frustraed I would always come back to my reason for doing it... like I said, letting my inside vibe out... but also no longer letting anyone or anything KEEP ME from letting my inner attitudes be known to anyone and everyone.  Its hard to describe exactly, but I kept coming back to that and how important it was for me to have that transformation.  

[canadiangranola]

I think. The separating really helps knot the roots up as well bc as you separate them, you are ripping wee little hairs, so the frizz is what actually dreads into the roots to become dreaded in the end?.....so maybe looking at fuzzy head as a step on the way to dreaded roots is key?....

[koru]

Originally Posted by mamareba 

Hi mamas! 

Koru~ some thoughts on your dreadies... I agree with canadian granola... its definitely a journey, and a journey of spirit and if I may humbly say, a bit of loss of ego (not saying that you have too much--not trying to say that!! just explaining what my journey was like).  I went through years of gawky looks, and whispers.  People at my work spread rumors that I wasn't taking care of myself.  It was hard.  But, over time people also learned more of who I WAS... my personality got to shine, if that makes sense and the dreads are part of my personality.  and in the end, it was great.... the greatest actually! ! 

Now technically, I would suggest just trying to keep them separate, don't worry if they 'start' to unravel, as long as you keep everything separated it WILL knot up eventually.  might knot up at different times and dreads are going to become different lengths at first.  Separation is so so key.  the loops... ah the loops.  They will appear and they will blend in and tighten in and up. ... and then more will appear and blend in. and on and on... and ten years later more loops will appear! !  you don't really have to do anything... except... wait. :) 

hth

... and a note on my journey... when I would get frustraed I would always come back to my reason for doing it... like I said, letting my inside vibe out... but also no longer letting anyone or anything KEEP ME from letting my inner attitudes be known to anyone and everyone.  Its hard to describe exactly, but I kept coming back to that and how important it was for me to have that transformation.  

Thank you! I knew this would be a journey....but perhaps not so prepared for my lack of knowledge about what to do along the way. Less is more, less is more, less is more. 

[delicate_sunshine]

Does anybody else cut the sleeves off old t-shirts to use as a dreadband?  I really like the feel of them!