 WWL Hardware: The BDSM Crafter's Supply |
 |
Tools Tips/Tricks Links Projects |
Techniques Supplies Quickies Braiding |
WWL Hardware: The BDSM Crafter's Supply |
|
Tools Tips/Tricks Links Projects |
Techniques Supplies Quickies Braiding |
Herringbone braids are round braids, and if you've mastered the diamond round you'll have no trouble here. This braid follows a under-two over-two pattern. Eight individual strands are attached to a core, and should be wide enough to cover its circumferance (or a bit wider). The approach I've described below is adaptable to any even number of strands that can be divided by 4, but with a minimum of 8 (technically, six could be braided this way). At the bottom of this page, I'll talk about how to adapt it to more than eight strands.
 | Here is the core with strands attached. From front around to the right, these colors are: WHITE, DARK RED, BLACK, ORANGE, GREEN, LIGHT RED, YELLOW, PURPLE. As with the diamond round, the starting position will be four strands in each hand. |
 | Here is the starting position, with four strands in each side. After each complete movement, you'll be back to this setup. The same strands will remain in each hand. |
 | Each movement takes the back strand of one hand and works it behind the braid, under-two over-two into the same hand as the front strand. Here, the GREEN strand (back strand of left hand) has been worked. It now goes behind the core, under ORANGE and BLACK and over DARK RED and WHITE. Note that it's still in the left hand at the end of the movement, but has moved from back to front. Work one hand and then the other. Next up is the riht hand and its back strand, ORANGE. |
 | Here is a side view of the path taken by the ORGANE strand. Ignore what strands are in which hand for the moment. The ORANGE strand has been worked from right to left behind the core. It goes under LIGHT RED and YELLOW, then over PURPLE and GREEN. If you're having trouble seeing the pattern, review the diamond round braid where it may be easier to see. This movement is identical, except for the path between strands. |
 | Two more movements are now complete. The LIGHT RED strap has been worked from left to right, and then the BLACK strand went from right to left. Note again that the two sets of four strands are identical at the end of each movement, but their order has changed. If you get lost and aren't sure which hand or strand comes next, here's the key: the hand that was last worked holds the last "over" strand. In this picture, the last crossing of strands is BLACK over LIGHT RED. Therefore, the right hand (holding BLACK) went most recently. Left hand's turn. The strand to work from that hand is highest on the braid (YELLOW here). |
 | Continue in the same manner. Here, YELLOW from the left and DARK RED from the right are compeleted. |
 | Another pair of movements done, PURPLE from left and WHITE from right. We've now worked each strand once and returned to our exact starting position. |
 | Here's another eight movements done. Continue repeating the same pattern until your braid is the desired length. You can stop after any complete mevement. |
The process above has been described in a generic way, and can be used with any even number of strands eight or more that is a multiple of four (8, 12, 16, etc). The keys to doing so are as follows:
1. Always start by spliting the strands into sides with an equal number of adjacent strands in each hand.
2. DONT'T turn the work as you go! The lowest crossing point at any given time should always be facing you.
3. Always work the back strand in a hand. This strand _always_ goes behind the core (or existing braid if working without a core) and follws the required over-under pattern. It always ends up as the front strand of the same hand, the one it started in.
4. The pattern always alternates under-two and over-two. If the number of strands owned by each hand is evenly divisible by four, the pattern is always the same: under-two over-two (under-two over-two etc). If the number of strands in each hand is _not_ evenly divisible by four (i.e. 6 in a 12-strand), the pattern changes as you go. Check the path of the strand you're working and use a pattern that starts in a way that continues an under-two over-two result. The first path of a strand is a 12-herringbone will be under-two over-two under-two (through the six strands in the opposite hand). The NEXT time, this strand needs to go over-two under-two over-two so it doesn't ever go under or over four consecutive strands.
You can work any number of strands that meet the criteria using this approach. For example, 40 strands is fine... will be hell to keep straight, though!
To visit other quality Sartan sites, please see
WWL Hardware: The BDSM Crafter's Supply |
All contents are ©SarOfTreve, 1997-2004 or used with owner's permission, and may not be used without written permission.
This copyright will be enforced to the fullest extent of the law.