Read Ebook: Gimp Braiding Projects by White Charles E

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 128 lines and 10671 words, and 3 pages

GIMP BRAIDING PROJECTS

LANYARDS o LEASHES o BELTS o BRACELETS

The material itself is a special coated tape made in various colors and shapes. Standard gimp and Titan lacing are flat and 3/32? wide. The special 1/4 ? wide gimp also is flat. Round or cord gimp is available in either 3/64? or 5/64? diameters. These various types of gimp can be purchased by the yard, though they are much less expensive when secured by the spool. Leather lacings may be used in place of gimp where particular effects are desired.

General Directions

Standard and wide gimps have a seam on one face. Always start braiding with this seam next to the core and be careful at the edge of the braid to fold each strand so that the seam remains inside or on the back of the work. Titan lacing is seamless, and therefore can be used with either surface on the outside of the braid. A well-made article, however, should have no twisted strands, whether made of standard gimp, or of seamless Titan lacing.

In all work with gimp it is essential to keep all the strands pulled tight, and to adjust every row of stitches, in order to ensure that the braid will be uniform.

Long working strands may be tied in coils to keep them from snarling. If it is necessary to splice a strand, slice away half the thickness of the gimp on both of the ends to be joined. Overlap the two ends and lead them through several stitches, then trim off the extra material. If it is necessary to set the braid aside before it is finished, use ordinary paper clips or knot the strands to keep them in place.

Steel Bracelet Cores

The type of core most widely used for bracelet making is formed from a strip of spring steel either 1/2 ? or 1/4 ? wide. Make a narrow V-shaped slit half the width of the band at about 1/2 ? from one end. Mark off beyond this cut the circumference of your bracelet and make another slit half way through from the opposite side. Clip off the metal about 1/2 ? beyond this second slit. Connect the band as shown, with the ends on the inside of the bracelet. Set the band on a solid surface and pound with a mallet or hammer until the edges fit smoothly.

The recently developed basket-weave bracelets are among the easiest and most popular projects for flat gimp. This is in part due to the fact that they offer so many possibilities for originality of design. The standard gimp types, for instance, may be made with from one to seven colors, so it is possible to match them with any color schemes of belts or leashes, or to make them harmonize with any costume.

Wide Gimp Basket-Weave Bracelet

Materials required: 3 strands of wide gimp, 12? each 1 strand of wide gimp, 60? 3/4 ? steel bracelet core

Fasten the ends of the short strands to the band with a paper clip in the position shown in figure 5. Leaving one half inch or so free at the start, weave the long strand under one--over one--under one. Bring it around through the band and weave the next row of stitches over one--under on--over one. Pull the strands tight.

Continue alternating these two steps all the way around the band. If the pattern does not come out even, rip out the last few stitches and weave them again closer together to gain space for the extra stitch. Then remove the paper clip and weave each short strand back loosely through the first two stitches at the beginning. Cut off the beginning end of the weaving strand at the edge of the bracelet.

Finish off by braiding along the start of the weaving strand , around the outside of the band. This makes the last weaving row under one--over one--under one. Pull all the ends tight and clip them off close to the braid.

Standard Gimp Basket-Weave Bracelet

Materials required: 5 strands of narrow gimp, 12? each 1 strand of narrow gimp, 3 1/4 yds. 3/4 ? steel bracelet core

Fasten the five short strands to the band as shown in figure 12. Then weave across the band in any of the ways shown below, bringing the strand through the center after each row. Several two-color combinations of these stitches are suggested here, but do not let these limit your originality, as there are very many possible patterns. Finish off the bracelet as described on page 2.

Wood Core Basket-Weave Bracelet

Materials required: 5 strands of standard gimp, 12? each 1 strand of standard gimp, 5 yds. 1 standard wood core

Made in exactly the same way as the preceding. The beginning strands may be tied in place or fastened with adhesive tape.

Additional Projects

The directions already given apply equally well to all of the following projects. Six-strand standard gimp bracelets are made like five-strand bracelets with an additional 12? strand on the core. Wood core napkin rings like that shown above require three, four, or five 8? core strands and a 3 yd. weaving strand. Napkin rings made on shortened 1/4 ? bands require either five or six 8? standard gimp core strands and a 2 1/4 yd. weaving strand. Narrow band bracelets of the type shown at the top of the page can be made of standard gimp with three or four 12? core strands and a 2 1/4 yd. weaving strand. Narrow band napkin rings require three or four 8? core strands and a 1 3/4 yd. weaving strand.

Standard Dog Leash

Materials required: 4 strands of standard gimp, 3 1/2 yds. each 1 strand of core material, 1 yd. 30? 1 standard or French leash snap soft wire for binding, 5?

The stout core necessary for a dog leash may be made of standard core braid or of extra heavy twine. Fold one end back to make a loop 7? long. Bind the end with wire. Put the other end through the eye of the snap, then bend it back and bind it with wire to make a loop 1 1/2 ? long.

Tie the center of the strands to the center of the core with one end of a piece of cord. Tie the other end of the cord to any firm object so that you can keep the leash pulled tight while you are braiding. Arrange the strands as in figure 15.

Braid toward one end as follows: Bring the upper right strand around the back, forward between the left strands, and across the core to lie parallel to the other right strand. In successive steps, merely take the uppermost strand--left or right as the case may be--around the back, between the strands of the opposite side, and across the front. Keep the stitches pushed tightly together to achieve a uniform result.

Continue around the loop until you come back to the main braid. Then make a square as follows: Holding the braid as in figure 18, cross the two rear strands. Bring the rear right strand down over the forward right strand. Loop the latter over the first strand and bring it down between the other two strands. Loop the third strand similarly over all the strands and bring it down in back. Bring the fourth strand over the third and through the loop of the first. Pull the strands tight so that the top appears as a square.

Then make a square braid. Fold one strand back on itself. Fold the next strand back on itself over the first one. Fold the third strand over the second. Fold the last strand over the third and through the loop of the first.

Complete the stitch by drawing all the strands tight. Continue making squares in this way until the strands are only about 2 1/2 ? long. The spiral braiding described on page 6 may be used in place of this square braiding or in combination with it.

End the braid with a lock knot by looping each strand under the loose end of the overlying strand and through the top stitch as shown in figures 29-32. Pull the ends tight, making certain as you do so that none of the strands appear twisted. Then clip off the ends of the strands.

Follow the same steps in making the other half of the leash.

Suggested Variations

Spiral braiding may be substituted after the first square. This is made in exactly the same way as square braiding except that each strand is bent over the top of the braid on the opposite side of the core, rather than back along itself.

After completing the loops at the ends, many craftsmen prefer to make several more ordinary stitches before starting the squares.

Six-Strand Leash

Materials required: 6 strands of standard gimp. 3 1/2 yds. each 1 strand of core braid, 1 yd. 30? 1 standard or French snap

When making the square braiding, lay an opposite pair of strands along the core and weave the remaining four as described above. The strands on the core may be clipped with the others after making the lock knot.

Standard Lanyard

Materials required: 2 strands of standard gimp, 3 1/2 yds. each 1 snap

Lanyards are made in much the same way as leashes, but without the core. The snap is fastened securely so that the work can be pulled against it. Then both strands are run half way through the ring to give four equal braiding strands. Cross the strands on the ring in exactly the way shown in figure 40. This arrangement corresponds to the starting position of the leash. The braiding is done in the same way as that described for the leash, beginning with the upper right strand.

When only one foot of lacing is left, form the loop of the lanyard by folding the braid back as in figure 41. Cross the two lower strands behind the main braid , and finish with the square or spiral braid and the lock knot as described for the leash. If you wish the square braid to slip along the lanyard, braid it loosely.

The alternative pattern shown is made by arranging the strands at the start as in figure 43.

Six-Strand Lanyard

Materials required: 3 strands of small round gimp, 3 1/2 yds. each 1 snap

This is made in the same way as the six-strand leash by starting as follows: The rear left strand is brought around its forward part and bent to the right. Both parts of the middle strand are brought to the right. The forward part of the right strand is woven to the left over one--under one--over one, and the rear part of the same strand is woven over two--under one. Start braiding with the upper right strand.

Other Types of Leashes and Lanyards

Unusual and very attractive results can be obtained by utilizing round gimp in making these projects. Leashes and lanyards, for instance, of either the six- or four-strand type are very smart when made with small round gimp. The larger cord gimp is suitable for four- or six-strand leashes and for four-strand lanyards. Some of these possibilities are illustrated on this page. The amount of material required is the same as for the standard gimp projects and the method of working is identical. It is advisable, however, to use picture wire as a core for the leashes. When making articles of large round gimp, it will also be found more satisfactory to use spiral braiding in place of the square braiding.

Heavy leashes for large dogs can be made of wide gimp braided over a stout rope core.

These illustrated bracelets need no introduction, since they are standard as braiding projects. They are ordinarily made with from one to four colors, but can be made with as many as eight colors, so there is a wide range of possibilities for bright patterns. The braid itself is an eight strand variation of the braiding used for leashes and lanyards.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet