Updated 🔓 How to do a sew in Part 1

Hey everyone, it is your girl TT and I am back with an updated video of things that I need to do a sew-in. I did a video of this years ago, maybe 2014, I think, and, um, everyone's been asking for an updated video as to what I use, and here I am with that. So as for, um, tools, a lot of you all have questions as to tools that I use in This is not a setup video because I'm showing you things that I literally use. For instance, this is used, um, things that I've literally used. So these aren't things that are just staged. I actually use these items. Um, I'll start off with the tools that I use as far as heat. A lot of people ask, do I use a stove iron set? Do I roll my hair when I go to sleep? Things like that. And no, I actually use a scarf when I go to sleep, and I only use flat irons. I hate curling irons. I will every now and then use a wand curling iron, which I've shown you all previously, and I did not bring that with me. By the way, by the way, I'm in Seattle, Washington. I'm here for a little vacation, so I am not at home where I have everything that I need, but I brought the necessities. So even if I needed that wand curling iron, the things that I have with me can work in, in place of that wand curling iron. So let's start with the basis of a sew-in. The first thing you need, of course, is the fresh hair and to braid it. So when I braid hair— oh crap, let me get the needle and thread because that will make sense. Okay, so I'm back. Okay, so to braid a sew-in, of course you need braiding hair. Braiding hair usually does not matter. This is just, you can read the name, everyone says it differently, Kanekalon, Kanekalon, whatever you want to call it. I use synthetic braiding hair. Some people do have allergies to braiding hair in which I can use thread which I used in my how to do a middle part sew-in. I was using thread when I braided her braid pattern. Um, so I do use synthetic hair when braiding the base. I only do it on the 4 outer braids. And to start with those braids, I use my grease, which is the KeraCare— I'm sorry, KeraCare Glosser. And that is exactly what I use when I am going to braid their hair and I just need something to kind of soften it up or just to kind of add a glosser to their hair, and this feels like mint. Like, it literally feels like some type of mint leaves just have been rubbed through your hair, and your scalp is breathing by the time I get finished braiding. My clients really love it, and, um, that's by KeraCare. When I am braiding, I love this jumbo— it's called like an alligator clip, and to me it grabs more hair. So either this clip or these, which, um, I like the longer curved ones. I don't like the short square boxy ones because to me they don't hold a lot of hair. The longer ones can do more with one clip. So I do like those two clips for longer hair. For shorter hair, I do like these silver ones, and you can see that one— it is just a regular silver clip, and I do have the short one as well, which is for like edges or baby hairs or something like that, just in case, um, there's some shorter hair. So between those 4 clips, those are like the type of clips that I do use when I am braiding hair or I need to hold something out of the way. And as you all have seen in my previous videos, I use a carbon comb. A carbon comb is very thick, the end is pointy, so I can get crisp parts with this carbon comb. And also, when I'm finished, when it comes to flat ironing hair straight, I can have my iron right up on it and it's heat resistant, chemical resistant, so it will not melt or burn. And they last very long. I have never had to replace one because of it breaking or being destroyed. I've only had to replace it because I've lost it. So those are the things that I use when braiding hair. I also do use ponytail holders. This was 99 cents, and I found an urban beauty supply store in Seattle, and it had everything that I would need to do a sew-in, surprisingly. So yes, these are the bands that I like to use if I need to hold someone's hair out of the way.. I don't use a rubber band, I'll use something thicker like this and it doesn't have like an ending or a beginning that you can see and it's just very sturdy, like it just snaps right back into place. So that is the bands that I have, I use even on my hair, my hair is in a ponytail right now, so this is the band that I like to use on my hair as well. So if a client has a whole bunch of hair and I just need, it's very thick, I'll use a ponytail holder and just ponytail it out the way, if not I'll just use my alligator clip, and if it's too short, I will have a whole bunch of these that I use. So, that is it for braiding the hair. When I finish braiding the hair, I will use this on the scalp, and I've heard a lot of things as far as clients saying that their hair has grown tremendously using this. So, This was $7.99 at the place where I bought it, but of course at your local beauty supply store it'll be different. Um, so that's it for braiding. My clips, my ponytail holder, and this— while I'm braiding, I part and then I grease the scalp and then I braid. When I'm finished braiding all of the braids, that's when I'll use this, and I'll go in between every braid and I'll put that in there. Um, let's see, so that is what I will use as far as braiding. Sewing, I have become very accustomed to using a long curved needle. So this needle is very sharp and it is the needle that I prefer when doing sew-ins, when doing my closures and everything. Only with the frontal will I use a short curved needle, which looks exactly like this except it's shorter. Um, so that is what I will use for, um, sew-ins, every single sew-in I do. And I like dark brown thread for the sew-ins. And this is something that you see the price, um, I like this thread because number 1, it's brown, it's not black, so it's easier to see when it comes to taking out your sew-in. It's very thick and sturdy, and it's a lot on this. So you'll go to, you'll go to a hair store and you'll say, hey, can I get some dark brown thread? And they'll come back and they'll hand you this little bitty thing, and it's like, how many heads could I do with that? This will be halfway gone in 2 weeks, so in a month I can go through this entire thing. Um, so that is the thread that I do like to use, and that's the needle that I like to use, which comes in a little gold wrapper. Just, I always ask them, can I see the needle first, just to make sure it's a sharp point. I went to one hair store and they were telling me they could not sell the needles with a sharper point for, um, safety reasons, which is complete bull. So yeah, these are my favorite needles. Um, so that's the sew-in. It's in. As far as nets, I've put that in previous videos numerous times, so— and I don't even have one with me because I don't have to use them on any sew-in other than the deep side part. So someone wants a part when their hair is like this where they have like a deep swoop in their face, that's the only sew-in that I just have to use a net on. And I literally can only use it right here because I only use it to angle these here with the braid pattern. And I have plenty of videos on the braid pattern and everything, so yes, I don't have to use a net, but, um, there's a net. They're sewn in. Um, and now for actually styling, um, I do love a good pair of shears, but these are just something I bought locally at this Seattle hair store. And it's a sharp point. So honestly, if I'm ready to take my sew-in down, I can. Or it's a nice cut to where, um, it's a cheap pair of shears, so I can go ahead and cut each thread or needle out as I need to. When I'm threading my needles, I can do that. And I do use about 5 to 7 needles per sew-in. Um, it takes me an hour to braid and an hour to sew in, if not less, for each., and that's why I have people come with their hair blown out, try to stretch it out as much as possible, or even braid it into sections so that the faster it is for me to braid it and part through it, the faster your install will be. So at the least, it can take me 2 hours to do a sew-in and style your hair if your hair is manageable. But these shears are cheaper, so I will use those to cut the thread as well as styling the hair. Um, and they're a new pair, so I can do pretty much anything from day one with them. Um, for heat products, my number one must-have is this, especially when someone's using a leave-out. I've had this in numerous videos, but it is