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Braids 250 Patterns from Peru, Japan and Beyond by Rodrick OwenThe Sling braids made in Peru and neighbouring countries have always been made in the hand without using equipment, and it is this method that still continues today. Whereas the braids made in Japan have a long history of being made with equipment. The braids in this book are made with equipment, either using a braiding stool (Marudai), or on a 6” (150 mm) square piece of card. The card is also available for purchase in a Foam Core board version. Instructions with diagram, show how to prepare and make a Card, and a Cardboard Marudai. The color arrangement and instructions of how to make each braid, are set out on the page. A color photograph shows the finished result for each braid. The reader is taken through the designs, building on skills learnt from the first designs. Progress is from simple 4-strand patterns through to 8 and 16 strands and finally 24-strand patterns. The final design in the book has 31strands. |
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'What do you do with braids?' may be a question that has no real answer. As soon as one is asked to write down ideas on how to use braids, the mind tends to shut down. However, if one thinks of general areas of use, answers flow a little easier. A group at the Textile Arts Festival (Bradford, 1990) came up with these areas of practical applications: fashion: jewellery, belts, handles and trims for clothing; interior design: trimmings, tie backs and pulls; ecclesiastical: stoles, borders for garments and altars, and hangings; and equestrian: many sorts of braids can be used for harness and trappings.
On a personal level you will know the answer when holding a length of finished braid in your hand, feeling its weight, its drape, watching the colours and feeling the sensual movement as it is drawn through the fingers from one hand to the other, give an inner answer to the question why the braid has been made. It is an expression of inner meaning, it has been a personal journey - from crossing and arranging the threads, through the process of making, watching the braid as it slowly grows in length and, at the end, a feeling of completeness.
To keep this book alive and readily available. The out-of-print physical book published in 1995, is now available as a 160-page ebook, scanned from the original.