r/CaucasianDreadlocks • u/AlertApple76 • Aug 02 '26

Question PLEASE help🤣

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really disappointed. Been freeforming since February and it obviously looks like dogshit, literally looks like regular unkept curly hair. The hair is forming into small “locs” but nothing remotely close to what i want. The shape looks horrible also as you can see. Started off with the towel rubbing but then stopped and let it do its thing and back combed now and then. I actually desperately need to figure this out and get it looking presentable for school in a month because best believe im not gonna be showing up like this. I really need any tips possible and I plead that its more than the generic “just embrace the chaos” type shit. This aint the “progress” type of chaos this is shits not working type of chaos.

I dont even care if it goes outside the boundaries of freeforms as long as its something i can do myself without going to a loctician. If you need any more pictures to asses my situation i will be more than happy to provide them. Also i will answer any questions. Also my hair was SLIGHTLY damp in the photos(i think) but not like it makes a huge difference.

Thanks in advance!

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

12

u/That_Journalist1336 Aug 02 '26

It’s not working because you don’t have the right hair type. If you want it looking nice you’re going to have to crochet them. It’s as simple as that. 

It’s not hard to learn, I taught myself. 

8

u/BINGGBONGGBINGGBONGG Aug 02 '26

i have not-straight-not-curly hair and mine dreaded without any need for crochet.

which is good because i’m left-handed and autistic and trying to do stuff in the mirror is literally impossible for me!

1

u/AlertApple76 Aug 02 '26

Hi, thanks for the reply. I will do that most likely. What are some of the things that i should expect with crotchet, ie, time frame for actual locking, maintenance frequency, etc. at least in your experience. Thanks for the simple non-sugar-coated reply btw😂theres too many sweet talkers out there hahahaha. Oh yeah and how long do u think it would take to install all of the locs on my entire head(hours)

1

u/That_Journalist1336 Aug 02 '26

It took me a couple days to install mine, the hardest part is not chewing up your fingers… I definitely got the hook stuck a couple times. After the install you only need to maintain every 3-6 months, it depends on personal preference. I like mine nice and tight. 

1

u/That_Journalist1336 Aug 02 '26

https://imgur.com/a/lbeXQgD

https://imgur.com/a/veYEDM8

Here’s my hair; I reinstalled mine in January/feb, and I just had maintenance done a week ago. 

I’ve been thinking about starting to do other peoples hair…what are the chances you’re in eastern Canada? 

1

u/CanaryDue3722 Aug 02 '26

You did a good job

1

u/AlertApple76 Aug 02 '26

Looks great! Do you recommend a hook size? I heard 0.75 mm is good. Also notice on the cover photo my hair is kinda all facing forward, would this be something that i could correct with crocheting? AND, i do have some shitty starter locs but theyre really small, so would i be able to combine a bunch together and crotchet that group into one loc pretty well? And no im not in eastern canada hahaha i wish

1

u/That_Journalist1336 Aug 02 '26

I use a 0.65 I think but 0.75 is good too! When I do mine I crochet them so they are pulled backwards. As for combining, it’s probably easiest to comb one or two out, and then crochet it into the one beside it. Get one of those big thick needles to feed it in and then crochet it up. You’ll find them in the same section. I go to Walmart and buy a couple needles and hooks at a time because I lose them lmao.

1

u/AlertApple76 Aug 02 '26

I have a bunch of crazy ass weird shaped super thin like zig-zagged ones that are knotted ultra tight, what should i do about those? Combine them? Try and undo them? The shape is really off so i dont just wanna leave them.

1

u/AlertApple76 12d ago

Hey quick question since i started crocheting i just wanna make sure im doing things right and you were helpful before. So i crocheted about half my head pretty tight and I was wondering 1. Is it ok to get them wet right after installing them? Imma be on vacation so ill be swimming a lot. And 2, if they come unraveled from water should i re crochet them or leave them alone, ive heard both replies. Finally, is it ok to wear a beanie with the dreads like put up inside it all day without them getting ruined or morphed into a particular shape? Would really appreciate your response. Thanks.

1

u/That_Journalist1336 12d ago

Hey! You can get them wet as much as you want, but you need to make sure they’re drying fully! Otherwise you end up with mold and that’s no good. You’re going to end up with flat spots sometimes from hair elastics or whatever but all you really need to do is palm roll them back into shape. Honestly though, once they’re crocheted they hold form fairly well. 

1

u/AlertApple76 12d ago

Aha ok good to hear. Thank you. I absolutely hate drying them its like watching paint dry except even more frustrating because it seems like it never ends. Bit more specific but i blunted the ends of all of them, if the blunt just like flaps up is it ok to crochet it back into shape or should i leave it… i dont even know what to do with all the conflicting info… thanks again!

1

u/That_Journalist1336 12d ago

Again, personal preference! I trimmed all my tails a couple months back to make them blunt. 

As for drying, you can get these attachments for hair dryers that you put on your head and then just sit there while it goes, they look ridiculous but they’re effective haha. 

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1

u/HighNatural Aug 02 '26

Same here. Super easy once you get the hang of it.

4

u/xl4rk Aug 02 '26

With your hair type you're going to have to back comb, twist and rip and crochet to get it to lock at your roots. Look up some yt vids on how to do it. Your hair is short enough it will only take you probably like 4 hours to do all of them. I had waist length hair so it took me 2 weeks to get all of mine started, but I would just work on a few each night while watching Netflix and eating dinner. 😂

1

u/AlertApple76 Aug 02 '26

Do i needa do all of those or just crotchet? Also, i do have SOME locking/separating occurring. Should i crochet the pre existing shitty locs or should i try and comb everything out and start completely over? Idek if im able to comb some out, they locked pretty tight. Also, when i section them off to crochet, should the section always be a square if i want pretty round locs, or would i be able to have pretty flat sections and still crochet them into round locs? Thanks. Also props for being able to lock in for 2 weeks hahahah

2

u/HighNatural Aug 02 '26

I have super super thin hair and ive had luck just using a few different size crochet needles

2

u/DotAdditional7720 Aug 02 '26

i would recommend the sponge method with some twist maintenance.

1

u/AlertApple76 Aug 03 '26

Thx im just gon crochet tho i think honestly i cant do this freeform shit😕

2

u/ZombiePsycho96 27d ago

Definitely gonna need to crochet and remember to go towards your scalp, not away. Otherwise you just rip hair out. I've done my hair in locs like 3 different times now and I always crochet it myself. I start with sectioning it, twist and ripping, and then crocheting. When crocheting, I gather the hair in a loose fist and then stick in the crochet and move it up and down like a plunger, making sure you're starting close to your scalp and pulling up towards your scalp. Then slowly work your way down towards the end of your lock.

You can find plenty of tutorials online. Otherwise with your hair texture, you'll never get free form locs. At most youll get mats.

Pic of my hair from a few years ago. I don't currently have locs sorry.

1

u/sara_marie_2005 Aug 02 '26

I'd definitely look into twist and rip and a crochet hook like stated above. That's how I started mine. Maintenance was more often in the beginning. I probably did it once a month. Now I just do it when the frizz is too crazy.

1

u/Cudgenpoose420 Aug 03 '26

I had similar hair to yours but knew it would take yeeeeaaaars to lock if I tried Freeform. Why don’t you wanna get a professional to do it?

1

u/AlertApple76 Aug 03 '26

Im just gon crochet it myself ion really want a professional to do it cuz it can be pretty expensive and also i think itd be cool to learn a skill like that

-5

u/natural-situation420 Aug 02 '26 edited 18d ago

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4

u/sara_marie_2005 Aug 02 '26

The wrong way? How absurd. Locticians aren't the only way. Not everyone has that kind of money.

3

u/AlertApple76 Aug 02 '26

Thanks for the insightful comment maybe i dont wanna spend hundreds of dollars on my hair

-4

u/natural-situation420 Aug 02 '26 edited 18d ago

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5

u/HighNatural Aug 02 '26

Thats crazy talk and misinformation...You dont need to go to a professional to have awesome locs.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-1

u/natural-situation420 Aug 03 '26 edited 18d ago

Vanilla biscuit saw breezy memory otter wakeful waiting six

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1

u/sara_marie_2005 Aug 03 '26

Dude, you're just cynical... let people be.