Making a Twelve Strand Braid Belt
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ต.ค. 2024
- Taking broad inspiration from the animal hair armband from the early Bronze Age Whitehorse Hill cist burial, we extrapolate the use of this simple but impressive braid pattern to make a cordage belt with antler belt loop for use with an earlier Stone Age costume. Using 12 strands braided together, this method lends itself well to hand made cordage in nettle, flax or other materials and is a great addition to your prehistoric or bushcraft skills repertoire.
I've made mine in natural fibre cordage, this also works in paracord, rush, and other string and cord types. A similar weave is often used in matting worldwide, demonstrating the relationship between braids, basketry and weaving that is believed to go back to the earliest datelines.
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The native Americans also have a very long tradition of finger weaving/braiding. They have a fantastic library of color patterns that are rich with symbolism. It makes me wonder what these things meant to the people that made them. It's stunning that these braids have survived all this time in the earth. They are truly something precious.
btw: if you start plaiting from the center and work your way outwards, it fills up that weird gap in the beginning and you'll have a much more solid foundation at the start.
Earth is only 6000 years old. So it’s not so surprising they survived but were bless to find this knowledge to repeat it nowadays! The result is so beautiful! God bless you
@@JESUSSavesWAKEUP Except the sphinx ofc, it has rainpattern on it , that is 12000 years old:)
😂
@@JESUSSavesWAKEUP Try leaving your belt in your back yard for 6000 years. I would be surprised if it survived but not surprised if you worshiped it.
@@Goldenhawk583 it can be a little water over time but it can also be A LOT of water in a short period of time. The flood is proof of that.
Just trying this with full strands of embroidery floss and it's working up wonderfully! I started out with 2 pairs of a cream color, 2 pairs of bronzy-chestnut and a mid blue pair on each outside and am getting the fun surprise of blue arrowheads running down the center
Thank you again Sally for such amazing information.
completely unrelated to the content, but I absolutely adore the chaotic bookshelf in the background. That's what a bookshelf that gets *used* looks like!
you're like bob ross, but for natural fiber cordage and knots!
This was such fun. I was wondering, as you explored the 12- and 11-strand versions, about whether it would make a difference which side had 5 and which had 6 in the 11-strand version. You put 5 on the right side, so I tried with 5 on the left, which made a strand that was 1 strand over 2, under 2, over 1 for both sides. This gave a slightly different version from either of the two you demonstrated. Thank you for the rabbit hole!
Either way round should give the same basic end result, with 11 strands you'll always end up with one side having 2-2 then 2-2-1 so 5 and 6 when including the working strand, just depends where you start. It is amazing though how many small variations can be worked in by varying starting point.
Yes, I would also want to start on the side with the most strands to keep things balanced. I learnt a version of this braid with nine strands, which apparently is found in Sámi craft traditions.
@@SallyPointer k
K
I've tried that too :) and you're right starting with 6 makes it 2-2-1 for each site.
Very cool! The weakest point in this great creation is the antler and that may outlast us all. It interests me how the middle of your weave is your end or excess. This solves a ton of problems I had with trying to wrap my head around braiding in the past where the braid would go to the ends and then it would go all wonky. Now I have to try this so that I commit it to hand and eye memory. Thank you once again for solving another brick wall I was facing.
I love the idea that "close enough is good enough". I'm an 80% type. It works! Thank you for a great video!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of these videos. You are an inspriration.
Stunning - and we are having ossobuco for lunch, so there will be some nice marrow bones ready for cutting down into belt loops!
Thank you for bringing ancient history alive.
I love this. Watching your videos is what pushed me to continue my own explorations of ancient handcrafts. Now I need to find some native grasses!
This is great. I'm using more or less the same same technique to create a tumpline. 24 strands, IIRC, and woven from the inside out rather than the outside in (as is common in most of the Native American styles I've seen.) A wide band to fit the head and each end made into rope for tying up materials for hauling rather than into individual tassels. I decided to go with a mix of store bought jute and wool, hoping to get a good combination of comfort and strength. But now that I've got a scythe I should be able to harvest nettles efficiently enough to start playing around with my own homegrown fiber.
That sounds amazing, bet it's a really comfortable mix
@@SallyPointer We'll see if I still think so when I'm carrying a load up and down the mountain. 😂
Thank you. I love having projects that I can carry around and easily work on while I wait somewhere. It will be even better when I can sit around with a group of friends and braid while we chat:)
Very interesting !!! ...and it's somehow funny that our ancesters used leather for clothing and fabric for belts and now it's the other way around :-)
Thank you Sally, such a satisfying piece and watching you explain and work is equally inspiring and peaceful.
I guess that perhaps the little fold created with 11 threads might be what's holding the stones in place in the original, would not be so easy with the flatter 12 strand version. Fun way to use up some old thrums from loom weaving, eager to try! Thanks for these videos, they're a great resource.
Had exactly the same thought with holding the stones. Maybe, because this was the first question I had, when I saw these stones "How do they stay in?".
Thank you so much for this video. I needed a wide band for hat I am making for a 4th July decoration. I struggled with other videos. Once I worked with yours, I figured it out. Definitely was easier!
I have to admit, to start with, I was behind the 8 ball. I am in immense amount of pain. So, I attempted to learn this under that condition. So, I needed an extra aid or two. I found that using a clip on half of it while I worked on the other half helped keep things in order. I was using multi colored twine. No, I don't do things the easy way, my family tells me. So I needed something to keep the strands in order. They also losened and came out.
I started with a 1 inch binder clip. I would clip the half I wasn't working on. You'd think that it would slow me down. But it really didn't. I didn't have to go back and redo things as much. The advantage of the binder clip is the even pressure all the way across. Disadvantage for me, because of my fibromyalgia pain, and thus temporary weakness, the binder clip was a bit difficult for me. I did use it the most, however. I tried a clothes pin. Perfect as far as hold and being able to open it. But, the surface isn't even and thus some strands wanted to wander. But it worked. Just had to be careful.
I so appreciate the time you spent making this video. The hat looks great with this braid. It was all I could manage to do the last few days. So it gave me a sense of accomplishment, thanks to your great instructions!
That sounds a great way of doing it
Watching you braiding your handmade cordage gave me a little shiver, a feeling of connection going back through the ages. Thank you for bringing the past to life. I'm going to give this a go with some of my handspun wool.
Thank you! I have done one of chammel wool and it turned out great I love it so much and tmr will start new one.
Long time I didnt have a belt and finally I made one :) thanks
Love this braid! I'm adding it to my ever growing list of projects :D Thank you for all you do in sharing your knowledge!
Been enjoying your soothing vids and grateful to learn new tricks for my sore, arthritic hands! I have lavender and lots of crafting scraps that I can use anyway possible to create holiday and friendship gifts.
I've played with all sorts of flat braids, and I found that when working with an odd number of strands I have to go over when starting from one side, but under when starting from the otherside, and that solves any weaving issues I face in the middle. That said, that's in a over 1 under 1, rather than and over 2 under 2. I'm intrigued to see if the alternating method works with that variation too, I'll have to give it a go! Lovely video, very great watch and final product
I went and did it right away, you had me very curious and motivated! The alternating approach to the 11 strand does make a lovely flat regular braid.
Starting on the side with the 6 strands, for me my left, over 2, under 2, over 1.
Other side, for me my right, under 2, over 2, under 1.
Ad nausum
Nice approach. In case someone is interested, the original braid is 11 strands, o2 u2. With 12 strands you get either o1 u1 in the middle or in order to get o2 u2, start o2 from one side and u2 from the other.
I think there's a thought now that the original is 13 strands. That's archaeology for you, things get reassessed as time goes on. I'm still hoping to get a look at it under the microscope myself one day if I'm very lucky.
@@SallyPointer Since it´s a normal French braid, if you get to look at the piece or a good photo, You can easily follow one strand from edge back to the same edge and count the bights between.
@@SallyPointer
The braiding pattern does appear to work best with 4k+1 strands, where k≥2 (so at least 9 strands) as it makes the “over two, under two etc” pattern most consistent, so 13 seems likely from that perspective.
Amazing presentation, Sally 👍
Looks absolutely great! Happy to be here!
Appreciate the visit, thank you so much!
All the best and have a blessed Thursday 🥰
Keep up the excellent work, Friend!
you have an amazing ability to make me want to drop everything and play with new ideas each time you put out a video
That's a great idea. I did a narrow band a while ago in three shades of horsehair and got an almost tartan effect, different wool shades would be lovely!
this is lovely to watch. think i've just about worked it out. will try with some hemp thread/cord that i have just for a practice one. 🙂
this is so cool. i love how the natural features of the antler (the rough outside and the spongy inner bone) help secure the cordage and keep it from slipping around (like it would on a smooth metal buckle)
Remembering visiting my cousin (in childhood) whose house overlooked the great white horse on the hill...
Your videos are brilliant. Thank you so much for sharing all your skills. I made a strange little wool vase with the simply looping earlier... and now the wean is asleep I'm going to try a belt! Work for the hands is good for the head! Thank you. Chloe
You are a very good teacher!
I've been trying to find a belt in store that I like, I think I'll make some NZ flax cordage and make a belt, already got some antlers drying out in the woodshed, never thought of using a section for a belt ring...perfect! Thanks for the tut it'll really help.
This is exactly like macrame. You did a beautiful job id instruction how to do this.
I wish you had seen my silly damn face when I perked up at the mention of "twill", cus I'm trying to work on a corset with approximately $2 to spend and have been trying to think of a simple way to make twill tape that doesn't mean I gotta pull my current project off my backstrap.
Why must you enable meeeeeeeeee 😂😂😂😂
I love it! It's beautiful. I learned so much. Thank you
Thank you for this brilliant tutorial
Thank you so SO much for this video! I had a really hard time finding a proper tutorial to make these. Im definitely going to try and make one now!
Thank you for this demonstration! I know this video has been around a bit, but I used this as a template for braiding the cords for my handfasting and they are beautiful :)
What a lovely thing to hear!
Sally, your videos are wonderful!
Very interesting, have to try, and like to buy that book!
Great skill.
About 50 years ago I got into doing some leather work. Bought a copy of Bruce Grant's Leather Braiding Encyclopedia, but never made much progress.
Fantastic stuff! Thanks for a great video!
I'd love to know how to make that tiny bowl/basket!!! And I'm trying a single-12-strand braid right now! :D
thank you very much.
You make this look easy.
I think I’ve found a new favourite channel 🤩
I can’t wait to start trying this myself!
Thank you sally!!
Very informative thank you
Thank you for the video.
This sort of weaving is still very much in use in modern times. As I type this, I am looking at a selection of paracord bracelets I happened to have out. On another note, I am mightily impressed in your other videos where you demonstrate making cordage from things like stinging nettle; a plant we now commonly regard as a weed and try to eradicate (I'll be cultivating and harvesting it now!).
Thank you!
Brilliant. Wanted to do this for ages but never got round to it. Another on the project list. Likely to be in the autumn after the nettle harvest...
Suddenly the fringes on the ends of ceintures flechees make sense!
Definitely 12 based on those pictures.👍
stop it stop making me use more of my cordage with good ideas my son already has ten different things we are working on and now he said "Daddy lets use this for my pack frame straps." Me: "yes Son that sounds like a good idea." Good video and that's for the inspiration. I'm going to try double strands over one, under one 6 times then over three for a total of 18 double strands and see what the pattern looks like.
Love these video's
Amazing!!!!
Well, I don't know that "most people" have a particular waist size, so I don't think it would universally fit as you say. But in general, I have found that braiding shortens cordage by about a third. So to make this to fit, one would use the body of whoever it was for as a measuring device. I would think that twice around the waist would be good; 1 1/2 times around the waist to make a finished belt to go once around, plus an extra half the waist measurement to form the extra to tie? And then double that, of course, before cutting.
When I braid really long things I usually tie up the strands in bundles to minimize the combing outof the ends, but for this twill braid that wouldn't work I guess.
Wow, new to your channel. Great well made videos.👍
Love it !!
amazing
I needed this video, thankyou so much
I can see how this would have inspired the celtic knot and scandinaviavian art work
a bit emotional about friendship bracelets rn.. the idea that people have sat there and made intricate designs with strings the same way that so many people now will make other but very similar designs with strings... it just kind gets me
Love this! 👍
I’m wondering if it would be easier with little weights to wrap your ends around, like tama for kumihimo. Also wondering if it would be easier to poke your finger in from the bottom and hook your outer strand through, like I have seen you do on other projects?
There's always more than one way to tackle a braid 🙂
Now I want to make one for me. 🙂
I love it! Is it any easier if you wind the long strands into little butterflies or bobbins at the beginning when they are still very long? Or is it easier to just pull to the end every time? I think I would have to try both ways and see what I prefer.
For me it's easier to pull the ends through, but definitely try both
Your cat is taking a serious nap!
This is beautiful! I just subscribed to your channel.
I remember braiding when I was a small child, it was a very soothing, meditative experience. I tied the start of my braided cord to something to keep a bit of tension on it, but I'm noticing you don't. Is there a reason for that? Or is it simply not necessary?
I sometimes do, just depends how I'm feeling
29:20 I really thatink that sorta thinking just comes from the industrial revolution and machines. And also specialization. If I'm not making every part of my machine as I go, but ordering parts from someone else, measurement suddenly becomes very important.
Your library looks like mine--stuffed with more books than there is room for. You might find it easier on your hands, & ear=siuer to tension if you hung it by the ring. You'd have something to pull against.
Would it be stronger if you turned/twisted the pairs before braiding? Would make it a bit shorter, but should be stronger, and possibly look a bit cleaner, no?😊
You mean cord them together first? Absolutely an option, I liked the paired weavers seen in the armband hence this version, but twelve cords work just as well.
@@SallyPointer Yes, basically. I'm just thinking that would make it more resistant to wear and tear, and might also look nice.😊 Of course not as flat and elegant as the one you've made here, but still quite nice.😊
@@MichaelBerthelsen that's the lovely thing about these techniques, there are so many little variations that make each project unique whilst maintaining the essentially simple structure.
I was thinking about methods to braids really long braids without tablets or something. I tried fingerloop braiding and it isn't a good option for alone braiding of long cords and stuff (if you want to have long braid you need to have at least one additional pair of hands) and that kind of braiding can be a way. You just would need to bundle each strand so it won't tangle (kinda like when making bobbin lace but not quite haha)
There has been a study done on the possibility of the Whitehorse Hill braid being done by fingerlooping, the results were certainly consistent, but I agree on the ideal being two sets of hands
@@SallyPointer I cannot get consistently tight fingerloop braid longer than a meter and even then I struggle... not my favourite but I found some great uses even for shorter braids
Good
Hami saga pani xa
Hey Sally, love it. Can I check when you do the natural thread belt, are you going over and under 2 'pairs of strands' ? x
Each woven element here is made of two threads, but think of them as one element
Hey there!
First of all thanks a lot for sharing such awesome content! I just discovered this video as I am about to start my own belt! :)
I would like to ask you a few questions before I get started! ^^;
- Would this braid would work with leather as well? if yes, would you have any suggestion on how to finish the belt?
- Using the antler is pretty awesome! Would the knot hold the tension pretty good? (I plan to have a little leather bag on the belt as well)
- What would you recommend for a leather belt ? (I would use the double strand I think) 11, or 12, or 13?
Would you know if the number of strand would have some symbolic / hidden meaning?!
Again thanks a lot for your sharing and knowledge
Leather should work fine, I've seen a lot of leather braided belts. It will grip nicely. Impossible to know about symbolism at that point in prehistory, but we often do ascribe meanings today, so pick the number that works for you! Sounds a great project
@@SallyPointer Yeah I think I will give a try using an antler as well... Just need to figure out how to end up the belt as I'm not sure it would work the same way with leather as you did in this video ^o)
I would like to avoid stitching to stay in the same "period" ^^; I never really studied that much about prehistory!
But I really love the look of this 12 stranded braid
@@uuguul you might be able to use a basketry finishing technique, or splicing much as you'd do on rope? Sewing is fine though, we have needles dating back 50,000 years!
@@SallyPointer I will digg into that! Billion thanks
Hi,
discovered this thanks to a friend of mine and, may I say it's wonderful? I'm an Iron Age reenactor that was looking to make a belt for a Borum Eshøj-esque attire and... I'll star as soon as my tedious day-time job ends!
Thanks a lot again!
I’ve been thinking on this one a bit, not the years since posting, just watched it for the first time, are the embedded thingies beads? In case of an uneven amount of strands used, perhaps one strand is kept in the middle with the beads on it and the other strands are braided around it. So you would work the outer strands first, and have them cross over each other, snatching the middle one in between them. Hm, think I'll give this one a try, see if it would work. 😊
We know now it is thirteen strands. The studs are sort of dumbbell shaped, you fit them by wiggling a gap in the weave to put them through, then tension closes it all up again round it
We know now it is thirteen strands. The studs are sort of dumbbell shaped, you fit them by wiggling a gap in the weave to put them through, then tension closes it all up again round it
Amazing! Wish I could grow flax in my tiny backyard and make my own fabrics and baskets and belts and and. …. And enjoy the cute tiny blue flowers. 💜
I would need to play around with this specific braid but as a general rule even stranded flat braids tend to twist as the edge of one side is always over and the other is always under. While odd strand flat braids done do that. On the other side odd stranded round braids are impossible
Yes, we're now convinced the Whitehorse Hill braid is 13 double strands and that's very satisfying to work.
😮👌💚😳🙋♀️
How do you know how long to cut the material if the waist is 42inches how long do you cut the material
Try twice as long as the finished desired length ( because you are working with doubled strands) plus about 15% that should be plenty for take-up plus tassels at the end
Would it change the look if you took the strand away on the left?
Try it and see! You can use different numbers, I'm now convinced the original braid is a thirteen strand one and that works very well
Wonder what it would look like if you did it as a 24 stand braid but the same style.
Should look really nice,the woven fabric effect will be really apparent
I’d actually go for 25 strands, as this braiding pattern works very well with 4k+1 strands, always working from the side that has the “extra” strand.
This was very interesting, but I have one question, how were the stones placed in the braid?
They aren't too hard to insert, they are sort of dumbbell shaped, so they pop into the gaps when you wiggle an awl through the braid
@@SallyPointer Thank you! (I just discovered your channel today and it has been very educational.)
If you were to wear a belt like this on a daily basis, how often would you have to remake it due to wear and tear? It looks like you loose bits and pieces everytime you handle the belt, so it almost seems only viable as a ceremonial item as you would have to make a new belt once a week I guess?
They are fine, I have similar belts in some of my prehistoric costume that we've been wearing for around ten years now
What you’re losing is mainly the little loose broken bits that aren’t incorporated into the braid anyway. You’re not loosing the long fibres that make up the braid.
👏💚👏
does the 11 strand "puffier" version make it more comfortable for a shoulder strap?
Any wide option makes a comfy strap, they 13 or 15 for example
How much string do you need for a normal backstrap weave?
For backstrap it usually about 10% more per warp than the intended finished length
Hi, how do you start the other belt please? Thanks x
Do you mean with different number strands? It's the same idea, start at one side and do over/under two to the middle, then the same on the other side. I'm doing a 13 strand at the moment which is nice as it's alway two in the middle so counting is super easy
I couldn't quite understand what you said for the measurements.
Two armspans per length, so two natural fathoms
@@SallyPointer and each length doubles over?
@@janinedear-barlow that's right, so a two fathom (ish) length makes a folded in half length of about a fathom, (in my case closer to 5ft9 as a natural fathom is roughly your height, it got standardised to 6ft in the nineteenth century) and the finished belt including tassels was about 5ft. This weave doesn't loose too much length as you work it.
@@SallyPointer great thanks!
I’m wondering why you only used one strand to braid? The original looks (to me) more like it’s two strands held together, going over and under two. So basically just a 6-braid, but using two strands in each.
never mind, just got to the bit where you work with double strands. sorry for the silly question!
Please can you add the Captions/ Sub Titles? Thanks!
Hey there! FYI TH-cam adds automatically generated CC 24-48 hours after all videos are uploaded. Unfortunately it takes that long to process :( Hopefully they can speed that process up in the future, but it's the same for all TH-cam channels. The CC are here now though!
@@x1435
Automatically generated subtitles tend to be crap for words that are indistinctly enunciated or have more common homophones or near-homophones, and those words are exactly what those of us who need captions are most likely to need them for! I can get by without captions myself if I have to, but it’s a lot harder for my brain to process what I’m hearing, so I have to turn the volume up higher than I otherwise would just to make sure my brain has enough “signal strength” to work with. Incorrect captions just confuse me and make it harder for me to process what I’m hearing.
@@ragnkja I agree, the auto captions are terrible. So many sounds turn into *music* and *applause*. But I know a lot of creators (especially those who don't do TH-cam full time) just don't have the time to devote to fully-captioning their videos. There might be a way for people to volunteer to add captions? But I'm not sure. I hope AI continues to improve auto captions, sooner rather than later!
@@x1435
TH-cam used to allow the community to provide captions, but they disabled that feature a few years ago 😡
@@ragnkja Boooo that is terrible. Accessibility features need to move forward, not backwards :(
My God. You're cutting your cat's hair too.