I lost my place mid-plait

What went wrong?

• I dropped a strand and don't know where I was

  Do this

  Find the last crossover and read the pattern from it

  The three-strand plait always alternates: right strand over middle, then left strand over middle, then right again. Look at the bottom edge of the last completed crossover. Whichever strand is currently sitting in the middle position is the one that just moved there, so the next move is the outside strand on the opposite side crossing over to the middle. If you are fewer than three crossovers in, starting again is faster and will look better than trying to pick up where you were. If you are well into the plait, identify the pattern from the last crossover and carry on from there.

• The sections I'm picking up are getting uneven

  Do this

  Match the width already there for the rest, or start again if the gap is visible

  Uneven sections mid-plait can't be corrected. Each crossover locks in what came before it. For the remaining crossovers, look at the width of the existing sections and keep your picks to that same size. If it's a french or dutch plait and the imbalance is already visible from the outside, starting again is faster than finishing a lopsided result. When you redo it, the strip you pick up from each side should be thinner than feels right, about half a centimetre, and consistent each time.

• I've lost track of which side comes next

  Do this

  Look at the outside strands: the one that hasn't crossed recently goes next

  You don't need to start again. The rule is always the same: the strand on the outside crosses over to the middle. Look at the last completed crossover and find where it finished. The strand that just arrived on the outside is the one that moved most recently, which means the strand on the opposite outside goes next. Left, right, left, right. Find the last move and take the other side. Once you've done one correct crossover the rhythm comes back.