These are what I’ve been working on recently while I’ve been away from my computer—warp-faced, plain weave finger loop braids that I’ve been making with a new (to me) method.
Warp-faced plain weave, embroidery floss, 7-16 loops. Photo will enlarge 2 times to show the structure (click twice)
I’ve made plain weave loop braids before using a few other methods. My other favorite plain weave method is very similar to the way I made my “Rainbow Girl” braid, except that only one (outermost) loop transfer is made with a turn. Those plain weave braids form on two layers, and open out to be flat after they are finished. There are four examples of them in my header photo at the very top of the page — the four widest braids. (Braids #2, 9, 12, and 13, counting from the left.)
But the braids in the photo above are braided on one, tightly packed layer, and are much firmer and thicker than the ones in my header pic. They look a bit like twined braids—the braids often called “bends” or “chevrons” in the old loop braiding manuscripts. But this plain weave method feels easier and faster, and has almost as nice a result. Even though the braid looks so different, the method is very similar to my square braid method:
…including the way 9 loops (or more) are handled. There’s just one extra “twist” to the method when making one of these plain-weave braids. I’ll make a tutorial soon, this post is just a little preview.
By the way, in the top photo, the curly-looking fringe braids are 2-loop braids—2 loops makes a small, flat, 4-strand braid with an intrinsic twist. I have more than one video tutorial for 2-loop braids hiding down at the bottom of my Tutorials index page. (Lefties would make this braid differently than righties, and it’s easier to use your whole hand rather than fingers with longer loops.) It’s an extremely easy braid, though it’s tricky at first to get an even tension. But once you make a few, you’ll get the hang of how to control the tension. The curliness itself might seem ‘wonky’ at first, but to me that’s a feature, not a problem!
