Starting position
| Red towyarn |  |
| Gold Lurex |  |
CHRISTMAS HEARTS
Braid: Hira kara gumi
(braid
12b in: Kumi Himo. Techniques of Japanese Plaiting.
By Jules & Kaethe Kliot. Lacis
1977)
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Starting position |
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Bobbins: 12
100-bobbins gram (from Leanda)
Thread info: Red: 4 strands of red towyarn
(flax) No 8 from Bockens
(5600 m/kg) on 10 bobbins. Yellow: 80 strands
of gold Lurex (85.000 m/kg) from BC
Garn on 2 bobbins
Counterweight: 540 grams (6 discs of 90
gram)
Loom: Marudai
from Leanda
| Braiding.
Easy
and fast woven braid, but put specially care into move 2 with the gold
thread as this move makes the heart. 6 repeats will bring you back to starting
point (after 3 repeats the colors will look as if they are back)
Warp, take-up etc. I have made the strands on my niddy-noddy and that made each strand 123 cm. long. The braid finishes up by being 78 cm. The take-up of the gold thread is slightly more than for the flax (the flax ends were 5 cm. long when the gold was used). I used the niddy-noddy because I could measure the strands, dress the loom, and do the braiding sitting in the garden enjoying the sizzling heat of summer singing jingle bells, jingle braids! - also, 80 ends of very fine gold threads are more easily manageable in short lengths when the cats and the wind gets too playful Scope: I will use this braid for wrapping around Christmas presents. The heart is one of the main symbols of Christmas and the braid looks very nice tied up in a Josephine knot. The braid and variations: I chose this braid for the swap because I have always liked the little heart shaped figure that I have emphasized here by using a thick strand of gold . I think the braid has a lot of qualities, it is easy (god for beginners) and fast which makes it an overcommable task to do many meters of wrapping for the Christmas presents. |
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I have made a sample with black flax and gold, which was very pleasing.
klick picture to to see full
size
I also made a sample with black flax and Japanese
paper yarn. A very nice braid.
klick picture to to see full
size
In Denmark we don't have a St. Valentines day tradition, but I am sure the little heart braid would be suitable, I made a sample with 4 strands of pink DMC embroidery rayon on each of the 2 "heart-bobbins" and 4 strands lilac flax no 16/2 on each of the "background-bobbins".
