When you are nearing the end of your real hair, take one strand of yarn from each side and add it to your real hair.

Continue braiding until you reach the end of the yarn.

Go back up to the root of the braid, and braid together the remaining chunks of yarn with the yarn/hair braid you just made.

When you're finished, it should look something like this, but neater.

Knot the ends tightly, and trim.

This is how it looks on an actual head- my real hair is blonde, and shoulder-length.

Care and feeding

The braids may ache and itch the first week, it takes a little time to adjust to the pulling feeling and for your hair to grow and loosen. This is normal, however, if you develop bumps or any sort of rash it is a sign of an allergic reaction and you should take your braids out right away!

Shampoo gently when you feel like it. Carefully massage your scalp to clean it, taking care not to loosen the braids. Rinse well. Blow-drying is quite recommended, the braids may develop a musty smell if left damp [the smell can be washed out with another shampooing] For this reason when you shower without intent to wash your braids it may be wise to wear a plastic cap.

I usually leave my braids in for about a month, you can leave them in as long as you want but keep in mind that if you leave them in too long, the fibers of the yarn will start to blend together, making them harder to remove.

Good luck! If this guide helped you with your yarn extensions and you would like to have a picture of you in your swanky new 'do up on this page, feel free to email it to me. Don't forget to include the URL to your website, if you have one, so I can link you!

novimnet Update: 5-24-02, about a month later...
I posted my photos to the ubb at laundromatic.net and at least 10 people ran off to do up their hair with yarn. The response to the instructional was a lot stronger than I thought it would be, I wish I'd at least vaccumed my floor before photographing it... anyhow, here are a couple people who sent me photos of their yarn 'stensions.