The Sixteen-Strand Braid
Following the eight-strand braid, I thought it ought to be possible to create a sixteen-strand braid.
I was right!
Using the same loom, It makes a thicker, more cylindrical cord with a shallower helix.
I was right!
Using the same loom, It makes a thicker, more cylindrical cord with a shallower helix.
Starting.
I raided Kitewife's yarn stash, and found four complementary colours.
I cut two equal strands of each, then folded them in half and knotted at the fold, making sixteen individual strands.
Threading the strands through the loom, I arranged them in opposing pairs - two white strands opposite two white, two purple opposite two purple etc.
I cut two equal strands of each, then folded them in half and knotted at the fold, making sixteen individual strands.
Threading the strands through the loom, I arranged them in opposing pairs - two white strands opposite two white, two purple opposite two purple etc.
- I only used this arrangement to make the steps of the weave clear, but the result looked rather good.
The Weave.
Hold the loom with one pair-of-pairs vertically in front of you.
Take hold of the bottom two strands (C & D), and move them both one space to the right (anti-clockwise). The right-hand strand will temporarily be sharing a slot with another strand.
Take hold of the top two strands (A & B) and move them both one space to the left (also anti-clockwise). Slot the right-hand strand (B) into place, but bring the left-hand strand (A) down to fill the vacant space at the bottom of the loom.
Lift the bottom-right strand (D) out of the shared slot and move it to the vacant slot at the top of the loom.
Turn the whole loom a one-eighth turn to the left (anti-clockwise), and repeat the whole thing again.
Keep this up until you run out of either patience or wool.
By popular demand (well, one comment, one PM and a phone-call), I have added a video of the weaving action:
Take hold of the bottom two strands (C & D), and move them both one space to the right (anti-clockwise). The right-hand strand will temporarily be sharing a slot with another strand.
Take hold of the top two strands (A & B) and move them both one space to the left (also anti-clockwise). Slot the right-hand strand (B) into place, but bring the left-hand strand (A) down to fill the vacant space at the bottom of the loom.
Lift the bottom-right strand (D) out of the shared slot and move it to the vacant slot at the top of the loom.
Turn the whole loom a one-eighth turn to the left (anti-clockwise), and repeat the whole thing again.
Keep this up until you run out of either patience or wool.
By popular demand (well, one comment, one PM and a phone-call), I have added a video of the weaving action:
Finishing.
As for the other braids, finishing is simply a matter of tying a knot in the end when you decide to stop.
Be careful, though: because the cord is thicker, it is slightly trickier to get the knot in just the right place.
If you don't want the knots, use a needle and thread to sew back and forth through the cord, locking the yarn in place.
As ever, take the idea and enjoy doing what you want with it.
Be careful, though: because the cord is thicker, it is slightly trickier to get the knot in just the right place.
If you don't want the knots, use a needle and thread to sew back and forth through the cord, locking the yarn in place.
As ever, take the idea and enjoy doing what you want with it.