Begin Braiding 1a
Plaiting
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Begin Braiding issue no1 pdf file
You probably already know about the three strands hair plait which looks like this first diagram You can use knitting yarn for the three elements and use several strands to make a fat plait. Cotton yarn will look crisper. Pin down the strands on to your work surface.
Make the plait by working the outer strand into the centre, first from one side and then from the other side.
In the illustration the next move will be from the left into the centre.
As you can see, the colours used will work their way from side to side. You can experiment with thick and thin yarns and different colours.
You can use paper strips, raffia or straw and recycled plastic bags cut into strips. Plaits can be sewn together to make mats and bags and coiled round and sewn to make containers.
By overlaping a new strand before reaching the very end of one, you can carry on plaiting. Move the pins up the plait as you work to keep an even tension and the plait looking the same.

This next diagram is for the seven strand plait, illustrated as four light and three dark strands.
When you have many strands, put them over a cord or lolly stick pinned down on the board.
The next move is to bring the outside left hand light strand over the other three into the centre followed by the outside right dark strand into the centre.
If you hold the groups of threads, one in each hand, the group that has four strands held makes the next move. Play arround with the colours for this plait and find out the effect on the appearence of the plait and which combination you like best. Keep the tension firm.
Diagrams by June Barker
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© The Braid Society 2006