I’ve gotten boho braids enough times to know the commitment behind them: the lengthy install, the tension on your scalp, the hundreds of dollars spent on both hair and the braiding appointment. They’re cute, don’t get me wrong, but a lot goes into the look. So when miracle knots—a method so easy that anyone with even minimal braiding skills can create boho braids—started popping up on my For You Page, I was intrigued but skeptical.

Instead of the traditional knotless feed-in method, miracle knots rely on a crochet technique to create the boho effect. It sounded too good to be true, but after watching video after video of women effortlessly transforming mini braids into soft, cascading curls, it became clear—this hack actually works!

Olubolade Alexis is the content creator credited for discovering the method. Her TikTok video demonstrating how to do miracle knots has amassed more than 12 million views and a slew of comments praising the technique.

“I initially planned to use the traditional crochet method, which involves threading hair extensions into cornrows with a crochet hook,” says Alexis. However, as she experimented, she found that the miracle knot method gave her the freedom to style her hair as she desired. “I wanted the final look to be more versatile, expressive, and functional,” she adds. That vision led to the creation of what is now known as miracle knots.

What are miracle knots?

In short, it’s a technique for achieving boho braids that utilizes the crochet method on single braids. While traditional boho braids require braiding hair extensions into your natural hair, miracle knots uses a crochet hook to attach the extensions—making it ideal for those who don’t know how to attach extensions using the traditional braiding method.

The process starts with creating single braids with your natural hair all over the head (for a faster install, some opt for cornrows in the back and individual braids in the front), then threading pieces of curly or wavy hair into the braids.

Ariana Greene, a hairstylist who works in New York City, notes that the crochet method has always been a popular way to do protective styles, especially among those who like to do their hair at home. “Miracle knots feel like the evolution of traditional crochet, which would always come out looking bulky and unnatural,” says Greene. With miracle knots, the blend between extensions and natural hair is more seamless because the base is single plaits instead of cornrows.