Most of the time, a sew-in weave takes anywhere from two to four hours for a stylist to install. It typically takes lots of time to braid the existing hair against the scalp and then sew in the new hair. Before you sew hair extensions into your hair, it is best to wash your hair. Having a clean scalp is important because it can reduce or eliminate intense itching you may otherwise experience. It is important for the hair to be cleaned; if it is soiled with products such as hair spray or gel it may not be very manageable. After you wash the hair, be sure to dry it, otherwise, it may begin to smell bad after you sew hair extensions into it.
I use three techniques to sew the weft: single track sew-in, partial track, and full sew-in techniques. My client choice depends on many factors, including the type of hair, the length of their natural hair, and how long the client wants the weave to last. The materials used for sew-in are: a comb, scissors, thread, the needles and extensions to make cornrow with if needed.
Partial Sew-in Installation
Step one
Section the hair by leaving the top section, back and side out. that leave out section will help to blend the hair at the end of sew-in.
Step two
Make small cornrow braid on the working section. It is best to make the braids skinny and to place them fairly close together. It will prevent a look of bulkiness.
Tips:
1. When the braids are spaced close together, you will be able to overlap the extensions in a manner that looks more natural.
2. When braiding the hair, it is also important to consider the style you hope to achieve when you are finished.
3. In some instances, it may be suitable to cornrow braid the hair from front to back. In others, the hair may need to be braided from one side to the other.
Step three
Once you have finished the braiding, you will be ready to sew the hair extensions in. Begin by holding the end of one of your hair extensions to the beginning of one of your cornrow braids. Use the needle to draw the thread through the track of the extension and through the braid. Pull it so the extension is closely connected to the braid.
Tips:
1. You need to continue sewing the thread through the extension’s track and your braid until you reach the end of a row.
2. If your extensions continue past your braid, when you come to the end of the braid, you must cut your extensions. Then you will need to cut the thread, but before you do, you need to sew a tight knot at the end of the row that will prevent the thread from unraveling.
3. Cut any dangling thread and proceed to the next row until you have finished sewing in your hair extensions.
Step four
After the sew-in, the hair can be curled or straightened depending on the need of the client.
See the full video of Partial sew-in at this link. Thanks to "Le Dutches" for shooting it.
Skip Track Technique
The difference between the partial and the skip track is that we do five or seven cornrow tracks in a U shape from the bottom to the top.
The following video show how it is done ...
