I have long (BSL) straight fine thin hair but am really bad at doing hair.  I even struggle to get a pony tail or english braid to look half decent, cannot get smooth or even.  Any suggestions???

Also wondering, I read a lot about hair stix so am interested in trying them but concerned with my 'inability' to do hair how easy are they to use and what length stix should I get?

hmmm   Practice, practice, practice as the saying goes.  (i've never liked having to practice at anything )

I have fine, straight hair too and I'm not a great stylist either.  I do find some styles work better depending on the length of time since it was washed.  (Freshly washed hair won't stay up at all for me).  I "cheat" and use a bun cover (Galadriel uses a bun net).  That seems to be my fall-back style at this point. 

Sometimes I think I'm just all thumbs, others I decide I haven't got the right hair toys, or my hair isn't long enough for what I want to do (just shoulder length with a few shorter layers).

Anyone have suggestions for all the "slubs" we get trying to braid, etc?  I haven't yet figured out how they happen so I haven't been too succesful in avoiding them.

No. You might want to check Hairstyles gallery- there are pictures of hairstyles that use hairsticks. Also, Customer Gallery is interesting.

I think that the easiest style with hairsticks is cinnamon bun (aka. cinnabun). All you have to do is coil the hair into a bun and weave a pair of hairsticks through it.

Some people prefer to start with cheap hairsticks to see, whether it's a good idea to invest to more expensive ones. In my opinion, this is not quite as good an idea as it sounds. Cheap plastic hairsticks are difficult to work with- they snap easily, are slippery, too light and often way too long. After learning to style with quality hairsticks I have been able to work with my cheap sticks (on the rare occassions I've wanted to use them   ), but before buying my first good pair, I could use them as ornaments only. So, I recommend that you invest into a pair of good hairsticks. In my opinion, LL hairsticks are the best one can get, but if you're scared of the price, there are a few brands that work reasonably well and are much cheaper.

EDIT: spell check

As the lasses say, it takes practice. Being an all thumbs kind of guy, I must say it took me a long time. It was especially frustrating not being able to see what my fingers were doing! I knew I could easily braid other people's hair, but my own was a mystery.

One day, suddenly, unexpectedly, things will *click* into place and you'll be a pro. Since my first day of successfully braiding my hair (2 weeks ago), I keep at it every day. One of these days I'll try a french braid, then I'll be able to rid myself of the "wispies"!

I guess the only thing I can add is that it seems to be much easier to french braid WITHOUT a mirror.  Much too confusing trying to see what you're doing and to figure out which way to move in a mirror.

Just keep at it, you'll get it !!

Lovebug

Thanks BraiderSC.  I've been trying to do both of those things, but I will pay more attention to combing it back into the braid.

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I just started getting interested in sticks also, and for me it just takes practice and getting the feel for what direction your 'do is going in, so that you can put your sticks in a direction that causes your hair to tense against it.  

I started practicing with chopsticks before I bought any sticks - this is a good way to decide on a length.  They are the disposable kind from restaurants with the rounded end (versus the square ends - square ends can pull your hair out).   Put them in far enough only to the point where it feels like it's holding your hair.  Then measure the excess, subtract from the length of the stick, then add about an inch to give yourself room.  

Over time, I found I could get away with smaller sticks on the same 'do, so it just takes experimenting.  

Hope this helps!  
Cynde