 WWL Hardware: The BDSM Crafter's Supply |
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Techniques Supplies Quickies Braiding |
WWL Hardware: The BDSM Crafter's Supply |
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Tools Tips/Tricks Links Projects |
Techniques Supplies Quickies Braiding |
This braid, also know as a magic or inside braid, is illustrated in ELRB on page 53, Plate 14. It is a slit braid, meaning the strands braided are cut from a single piece of leather. To prepare for this braid, cut a strap three times the desired strand width. According to Grant, this strap should be one third longer than the target finished length of the braid (for a 9" braid, it should be 12" long). Make two parallel cuts along its length without reaching either end. The result is three strands of equal width, jointed together at both ends. Plate 14 Fig 1 shows a piece cut for trick braiding. Grant's lettered strands run left to right, and are as follows: A = red, B = purple, C = yellow.
 | To simulate this braid with shoelaces, I attached three short ones at both ends with electrical tape. Note the lines on the laces indicating flesh side. Additionally, there is masking tape on the flesh side ends. In trick braiding, we'll manipulate the strands at the top, then undo this manipulation at the bottom by turning that end through the strands. During undoing, the way the bottom join is turned is critical to completing the braid correctly. During this braid, you're going to have two strands in the right hand and one in the left throughout each movement. |
 | Think of each movement with four parts: a braiding at the top, an unbraiding to the right at the bottom, a second (identical) braiding at the top, and an unbraiding to the left at the bottom. Start by taking the two right strands in that hand, and the remaining strand in the left (YELLOW/PURPLE right). Pull a bight of the outermost right strand (YELLOW) over the innermost right strand (PURPLE). Pull a bight of the left strand (RED) over the previous bight (YELLOW). The braiding at top is completed, in the position shown here and Plate 14 Fig 2. |
 | Note that the braid created at the top is mirrored at the bottom. This mirroring needs to be unbraided in part two of the movement. In this picture, we begin the unbraiding to the right. Pull the bottom join along the path of my right index finger. Note that it goes _between_ the two strands in the right hand, and is rolled upwards so that the flesh side is up. |
 | Once fed between the PURPLE and RED strands, swing the bottom join down and to the right, reaching the position shown here. Note that the flesh side is still facing up. Do not flip the bottom join during this motion... swing it in an arc to this position. |
 | Flip the bottom join over from left to right. Note the position of my thumb from the previous picture to this one. My hand has not moved on the work, I have simply rotated my wrist 180 degrees to the right to flip the join. In this and the two preceding pictures, we have followed the arrow in Plate 14 Fig 2 to reach the position in Fig 3. One movement is half completed. |
 | The second braiding at the top is identical to the first. Pull a bight of the outermost right strand (PURPLE) over the innermost right strand (RED). Pull a bight of the left strand (YELLOW) over the previous bight (PURPLE). This picture shows the completed position after step three of the first movement. Plate 14 Fig 4. |
 | Again, the last braiding step has been mirrored at the bottom. Time to unbraid, this time to left along Grant's arrow in Fig 4. Pass the bottom join through the braid using the same motion employed last time, but go between the left strand (PURPLE) and the inner right strand (YELLOW). This path is where my right index finger is pointing in the picture. Again, the flesh side of the join is up. |
 | This time, swing the join around to the left. Keep the flesh side up to reach the position shown. |
 | Flip the join over from right to left. Note that the two unbraidings are mirror images of each other... where you go to the right in the first, you go left in the second. If you have braided correctly through this first movement, no strands will remain twisted and you'll have the weave shown in this picture. |
 | This picture shows the same point in braiding as the previous one, but the crossing of the PURPLE strand over the RED strand has been moved up to the top. Plate 14 Fig 5. You are ready to begin the next movement. |
 | Here is the completed trick braid. As you work, keep the strands closely packed at the top. You're going to run out of room at the bottom, lacking the space to flip the bottom join through the strands. After completing your last movement, arrange the strands into an even weave. You must end at the completion of a full movement. |
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