More square braid color set-ups
Here are some fun color patterns for the square braids I teach in my 5-loop, 7-loop, and 9-loop Braids tutorials (Click the Tutorials tab above for links to all my tutorials)
Color-linking in a 7-loop flat braid
This video-based tutorial teaches several color-pattern variations of a 7-loop flat braid with an extra move in some of the loop transfers. It’s a way to link loops of different colors, to force them to stay within one section of the braid, instead of migrating across the whole braid. I taught this earlier for flat double braids–this is the same technique, but here I’m teaching it with the flat variation of a 7-loop square braid.
8-loop Double Braid color patterns
Also tips on how to make yet another double braid shape than the flat, hollow and rectangular ones of my double braid tutorials—the side-slit double braid.
Set-up instructions for 11 color patterns for flat double braids, plus 1 solid double braid color pattern, 1 hollow, and 2 side-slit rectangle color patterns.
Readers’ pics
Thanks Chris, Caroline, Dan, Terry, Traci, Colleen, Faustine for sending me your braid photos!
Four double braid color patterns
Just an announcement: my first double braid tutorial now includes the set-up instructions for all the braids in photos! These are solid rectangle double braid color patterns for 10-loop braids, as well as a few 6 and 8-loop color patterns. In my first Double Braid Tutorial, scroll down to Color planning and loop set-up (below…
Free pdf download now works!
Update on my earlier tutorial on the super-easy, fun, and kid-friendly 3-loop braid: The free pdf download now works!!! I finally figured out how to insert a direct link so you can download the 3-loop pdf tutorial straight from this blog instead of from Scribd (copyright restrictions still apply, see end of document). For a…
Braid a 10-loop braid with a friend!
Tips on braiding as a team – the traditional way to make what I call “double braids” — ten-loop braids that are twice as big and complex as a square braid. Yet all you and your partner need to know first is how to make a 5-loop square braid! Video and photos.
Braided tunes
This is a ‘what I’ve been braiding lately’ post. It’s a letterbraid variation that I came up with last summer on a camping trip—an eighteen-loop version of the 17th Century letterbraid of fourteen loops. (Click on photos for more detail)…
Poll results
Requests from readers, my answers and updates, also a note on European loop braiding history.
Thank you everybody who clicked in on my sidebar poll! There’s been a lot more response than I expected…
A couple braids and a poll…
A few links to new info …and a poll! Short and easy—scroll down my sidebar to see it →. I’m trying to get an idea for which way this blog should be heading. [update – Thanks everybody who filled in the poll! It gave me more incentive and a lot of ideas. Poll results here.]…
Aside and apology
I am so sorry about this– twice now I’ve hit “publish” instead of “save draft” on a new post I’m working on. If you are a subscriber to this blog, please accept my apologies for getting two invalid notices about it. A real post is in the works but wont be ready for a while.…
Year of the Snake
I wasn’t trying to make a Year of the Snake fingerloop braid when I made the first of these curvy braids last month, shortly after Chinese New Year…
Hollow braids
Hollow/ tubular ‘double braid’ – my solo method, plus openwork, color tricks, and jewelry ideas. Several color patterns taught for 6- to 10-loop hollow braids.
In the works
Update 11-9-2020: I just added an illustrated how-to for making these braids! These are plain weave repp braids that look similar to the ‘bend’ or ‘chevron’ braids of the old manuscripts! A new (to me) method…
Flat double braids
My second tutorial on “double braids”! Here I show you how to braid a flat, ribbonlike double braid, twice as wide as the rectangular braid of my earlier tutorial, but made almost the same way. The tall braid photo located somewhere in my right sidebar is of a 10-loop flat double braid, made with color-linking – a color-manipulation trick that I demo in this tutorial.
Double braid tutorials
The braids in this photo are like square braids, but twice as wide! They are nice and substantial, not ribbonlike, and can have very different designs on the upper and lower surfaces if you use any bicolor loops.
I call these braids “rectangular double braids” because the traditional way to make them required two people to braid square braids side-by-side and joined together (the braids, not the braiders!). Here I teach my workaround method for one person to braid a double braid without a helper.
Braids 2012, part 3
The class I taught at Braids 2012 was two days on how to make double braids as a solo fingerloop braider. I also learned a lot from my students, including that one of them had learned how to braid 9-loop braids using thumbs as well as fingers in China during the mid 1900’s! This is totally new information for the history of loop braiding!
Braids 2012, part 2
Ok, here goes with Part 2… This is about the kute-uchi loop braiding day in Joy Boutrup’s class at Braids 2012. (Her first day was on European finger loop braids.) Her class covered so much that it was like a feast…
Braids 2012, part 1
Loop braiding highlights at the conference: Two different 2-day loop braiding workshops, plus a report from Mari Omura on loop braiding archeological evidence in Asia going back thousands of years B.C! Joy Boutrup’s 1st day of class included several unusual European loop braids that she has discovered through analyzing museum specimens—braids that are not known from any of the 15th or 17th C. loop braiding manuscripts…
Easy 3-loop braids
This is a photo-tutorial in PDF form on 3-loop braids that I made last year for another site. It includes instructions for 3 very different-looking variations of 3-loop braids. You can scroll through the tutorial, or download it as a free pdf file. Extra info, including videos and suggestions for materials are below the photo-tutorial. Enjoy!
Loop Braiding 