5 Crochet Braid Patterns (and When to Use Them)

Aka the cornrows that all our favorite rappers and R&B singers of yesteryear loved to sport, straight back cornrows are simply cornrows that begin at your forehead and go all the way back. Depending on the length of your hair, you may need to sew up the ends to provide a flat surface with which to attach your crochet braids. While this is perhaps the most straight-forward and common crochet braid pattern, it does not allow for much versatility, such as a bang or leave-out.

With regular sew-in weaves, a u-part braid pattern means that you part a u-shaped section of your hair to be left out, creating a natural looking leave-out. In crochet braids with no leave-out, a u-part can be simulated by braiding one’s hair in straight backs, and crossing the braids in the middle over one another. This allows for multiple parts, and the slight curve can look more realistic than a straight part. Furthermore, you can focus on adding more hair on the braids in the u-part during your install, ensuring that your crochet style looks as natural as possible. This is the pattern that I used for my Curlkalon crochet braids in my YouTube video below! You can also read more about the install here.

Though this pattern starts off like it’s first two cousins, rather than braiding all the way straight back, the braids go horizontally back and forth across the scalp to create separations that are perfect for a layered look. If you are opting for a knotless crochet braid style that will go around your whole head, the zig zag crochet braid pattern may be also be good choice because it will provide a straight surface on which you can form your “knotless” knots for a natural look.

If you’ve ever gotten a sew-in weave, you are likely familiar with the beehive braiding method, beloved by hair stylists and weave addicts galore due to it’s ability to provide an extremely flat surface on which to build your protective style. Some crochet braid wearers like this braid pattern because it is perfect for ponytails, crochet braid senegalese twists and box braids, as well as crochet braid styles with bangs. However, the closeness of the braids can make it difficult to reach in between to get the almost inevitable itchy braid scalp!

Vixen crochet braid patterns – consisting of a four section version of the beehive with optional leave-out – are extremely versatile. They can be styled in buns, ponytails, and half updos. One major drawback is the numerous tension points can cause quite the headache – I got sores in the middle of my scalp from vixen crochet braids and was forced to take them out after 5 days. While vixen crochet doesn’t cause irritation for everyone, they may result in more stress than the look is worth, so if you go this route, make sure your braider is gentle!