So I have let my dreads form naturally with separation and washing alone over the last 14 months. I had soft, smooth, very fine, bouncy, weightless ringlets when I still combed my hair and my hair naturally sectioned daily before I even considered letting it dread.

That said, many of my sections are naturally small and horizontal, especially in the back. My dreads are semi mature, with thinner and flatter ones in the back of the top layer of dreads. The underneath dreads are almost all fat and round with larger natural sections. I realize those have matured faster, but the less mature top ones (the ones I am slightly less than happy with) have much smaller sections and with the experience I have thus far, I realize they are not going to be the size I want. If I combine some of them, I am looking at closer to an inch by an inch instead of half inch by one inch sections. I love fat dreads, especially on women.

So, my question to all of you beautiful fellow dreadies with combining experience..

Should I use beads or hemp? Something else?

(Oh and I should mention that I have of course tried just not separating but they aren't joining on their own)

Thanks in advance!

-Dreya