Month 11

Exactly three weeks shy of my one year dreadlocking milestone. My locs (at various progressive stages following my last entry) are awkwardly but certainly developing. I don't know how I feel about it all recently. They're nothing like I'd imagined them to be. I feel sort of disillusioned by the whole process and again the focus falls on thick dreads. My research up until this year had mostly covered how thinner dreads are formed and my anticipated time scale for progress for thinner locs has skewed my vision a little now tha they're thicker. There's not the same amount of information and personal documentation for thicker dreads, they just seem to happen.

February in London (before combining)

March in Slovenia (after combining)

A few days later back in the UK

But in reality it's not that simple and thick dreads are incredibly boisterous, epecially when started on short hair. I keep reminding myself that all dreads tangle, matt, shrink, swell and condense and that non of it occurs linearly. I keep telling myself that if I leave this untamed, unruly mess of hair alone for just another day it'll get better. It does get better, slowly. Whether I watch my hair or not it's still happening slowly. But at least it's happening. It's strange to observe the subtle changes. My newly combined locs feel and look different to the others. The others feel more...established. And the fact that I can tell says a lot for how far they've come.

This month I washed my hair like before; spray bottle of diluted shampoo to the roots only, gentle agitation, a soak and even gentler rinsing. I could only wait 2.5 weeks this time as my scalp was too dry and dirty from my travels. Shrinkage is still lingering but as I only wet my hair once a month it's manageable. As my bottom row gets longer I'm having to remove lint that attaches to the tips). Although I have gained length I've also reached that first growth stage where it never seems to pass your ears.

I still adore dreadlocks so I'm going to wait it out.

retwisted in February

retwisted again in March

Oh and does anyone know where I can find unique wooden and/or metal dread beads online? I've scoured Etsy and although there is a generous selection most cost a fortune with p&p. Thanks.

DREADLOCKS ARE...

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