Anyone Want To Share The Secret?

[ellz]

It "kind of" gives step by step instructions....but is very diagram heavy.

I've decided that the best way for me to follow the instructions is to photocopy the page that I want to try (they are black/white line drawings) and then colour each individual strand in a seperate colour and have a cord of the same colour so that I can move each one to look like the part of the diagram that I'm following IYKWIM.

I've got a better chance of taking it in and "getting" enough of a hang of things to allow muscle memory to take over then.

I'm fairly dextrous but I just need to fully understand each particular movement of each individual cord before I can be confident with what I'm doing.

[Mystiqview]

Ellz,

Which braid are you trying to do? Round or flat?

Do a four round or a four flat to start with. Easiest to do. Once you get the idea then move over to 6 or more.

Ok. This is what I plait on. Its a piece of dowel on a base with a nail in the top and the head filed to a point. When not in use, I keep a cork over the top to prevent stabs.

I use this as it is portable, and I can use it while in the arm chair watching TV, camping chair or anywhere else.

[ellz]

Okies.....here is my first attempt at a round 4 with a little bit of pretty blue rattail.

It's a bit wonky in some parts because even at my advanced years I kept getting my rights and lefts muddled (or maybe that is BECAUSE of my advanced years? :rolleyes:).

Once I got the diagrams worked out.....and colouring them in really did help for those who are yet to attempt it....it wasn't so bad. I'm going to try and get hold of some kangaroo thong now and give it a go on some real leather but for now, I've got some black and gold rattail so I'm going to have a stab at a two colour piece! And then if I can do that without stuffing it up, I may have a stab at a round 6.

But....I love your setup Mystiqview and will try and cobble together something like that for myself. It's got to be better than my temporary setup last night. Don't laugh but I tied my braiding to my toe first off and sat on my bed listening to a DVD, and then when my back starting aching, I tied it to my leg!

Brings back memories of my macrame phase where my poor father succumbed and hung hooks from a lot of doors and ceilings in the family parts of the house so that I could play with my knots!

[Mystiqview]

Ellz,

What you can use is buy yourself a wooden toilet roll holder and put a nail in the top. At the time I could not find a cheap toilet roll holder, so used that. The base used to have a small stub where you put cotton on for a sewing machine. I just replaced that with the dowl. The toilet roll holder will have a nice round base. The square one I have cuts into your legs if you are wearing shorts.

I have even used a toe at times. The bed post, or any other thing I can tie the top to. That is why I use a bulldog clip with a piece of thong in the top to tie the top. I have a small loop at one end that I hook over the nail. (see the top picture of my previous post)

If you start to use a core in your round plait. I sit on it to keep it a good tension then plait the strands around it.

The master plaiter who taught me, used to have a nail on his workbench. A vice for his flat plaits so the tension remains the same and it does not get skewed. EVEN tension is VERY important when you do a flat, the lines should be level with each other. He was the one who said to use dressing rather than soap. So it is interesting to see what others use. He even taught me to cut and bevel my own thong from a hide.

That looks good for a first attempt. When you get your kangaroo thong, play around with how your colours go. You can create some interesting patterns happening. When you splice it back in, just make sure you keep the right colour going back into itself. To splice it back, you will need to buy an Awl to splice your ends back in:

[whippets]

I have seen a couple sites were they plait over paracord. I thought the kanga thong wouldn't need to be plaited over anything? I'm sure I read somewhere that it is one of the strongest leathers.

[Mystiqview]

Whippets,

Whether you plait over a cord or not will depend on end usage of the product and a personal choice. Depends also on the grade of leather you buy. I have seen some pretty cheap kangaroo thong, very thin and not as strong as other thonging. Skins of course are graded. You pay for good quality stuff of course. If you buy good quality thonging, then you will less likely need to use a nylon core.

When I cut my own thong, I make sure I buy A or B grade hide. C grade hide has holes in it from skinning or the tanning process. It can be thick in some places and quite thin in other places. Even the precut stuff, I have seen different qualities. It depends on where you buy your thong from.

Whip thonging is quite thick. When you think of the useage of the end product, you can understand why. One reason you bevel the sides so it sits better when plaited.

[whippets]

ah I see. Thanks for the info MV

[ellz]

Ellz,

What you can use is buy yourself a wooden toilet roll holder and put a nail in the top. At the time I could not find a cheap toilet roll holder, so used that. The base used to have a small stub where you put cotton on for a sewing machine. I just replaced that with the dowl. The toilet roll holder will have a nice round base. The square one I have cuts into your legs if you are wearing shorts.

I have even used a toe at times. The bed post, or any other thing I can tie the top to. That is why I use a bulldog clip with a piece of thong in the top to tie the top. I have a small loop at one end that I hook over the nail. (see the top picture of my previous post)

If you start to use a core in your round plait. I sit on it to keep it a good tension then plait the strands around it.

The master plaiter who taught me, used to have a nail on his workbench. A vice for his flat plaits so the tension remains the same and it does not get skewed. EVEN tension is VERY important when you do a flat, the lines should be level with each other. He was the one who said to use dressing rather than soap. So it is interesting to see what others use. He even taught me to cut and bevel my own thong from a hide.

That looks good for a first attempt. When you get your kangaroo thong, play around with how your colours go. You can create some interesting patterns happening. When you splice it back in, just make sure you keep the right colour going back into itself. To splice it back, you will need to buy an Awl to splice your ends back in:

I've got an awl already. I use it when I'm making my Arabian Show costumes.

Thanks for the feedback and the advice. I have literally just discovered that I can use my cross stitching stand as a temporary, portable holder for my braiding until I can find the wooden toot roll holder that I know is hiding here somewhere!

I really enjoyed the braiding the few times I managed to find and keep the "rhythm".

I found this listing for different coloured kangaroo thonging....is it any good?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Mystiqview]

Ellz.

3mm will plait a very thin lead. About the diameter of the thicker parachute cord. it is also harder to plait with being so thin. it likes to twist on itself more than the 4.5mm

I recommend starting off with 4.5 mm. The finished lead will be about the thickness of a pencil.

Try places like Mclace leather. The tannery in Melbourne, Packer Leather in Brisbane, Crispin Leather in Brisbane. Sorry I cannot give you closer leather supplies. The stuff sold at the Tannery is generally pretty good and fairly good prices. If you can buy a 50m roll. Its the way to go. Otherswise, I would recommend 10 or 20m hanks rather than buying by the metre. (unless you get an order for an odd colour like I have) The price on ebay is about normal for 3mm.

4.5 mm will range in price from $1.50 - $2.20 depending on where you buy it.

[ellz]

Ellz.

3mm will plait a very thin lead. About the diameter of the thicker parachute cord. it is also harder to plait with being so thin. it likes to twist on itself more than the 4.5mm

I recommend starting off with 4.5 mm. The finished lead will be about the thickness of a pencil.

Try places like Mclace leather. The tannery in Melbourne, Packer Leather in Brisbane, Crispin Leather in Brisbane. Sorry I cannot give you closer leather supplies. The stuff sold at the Tannery is generally pretty good and fairly good prices. If you can buy a 50m roll. Its the way to go. Otherswise, I would recommend 10 or 20m hanks rather than buying by the metre. (unless you get an order for an odd colour like I have) The price on ebay is about normal for 3mm.

4.5 mm will range in price from $1.50 - $2.20 depending on where you buy it.

Do any of the places you have mentioned to mail order?

[Bilbo_Baggins_Junior]

So for a 4 strand round plait lead say 150cm long + handle and neck loop. How much thonging would you need?

Also is it 4 strands fir round or 3. My book has not arrived yet.

Edited February 19, 2010 by Bilbo_Baggins_Junior

[ellz]

So for a 4 strand round plait lead say 150cm long + handle and neck loop. How much thonging would you need?

That's a darned good question.

According to the plaiting book, for a 4 strand doubled dog lead of just over a metre, they quote 4 lengths of cord, 3 metres long. You braid the handle first and then braid the rest doubled. THAT will be my first "real" project I think!

[Mystiqview]

Ellz,

I know Crispin are mainly mail order now. I think Packers Tannery retail shop mail orders. I do not know about the Melbourne Tannery, although I have heard they are pretty good. Do a google of leather supplies.

As for length. can you post a picture of what you are trying to make as I am confused.

Generally speaking; for a round plait, you need to double the finished length. For flat, you need to tripple the finished length. Of your finished length, you will have to work out how long the round part of the lead will be, and how long the flat part is then of course add the two calculations together.

[ellz]

I'm not trying to make anything at the moment.

The plaiting book has a really nice pattern in it for a dog lead. The handle is single thickness 4 strand round plait. You do that first. Then at a certain point, you double it over so that you are effectively "merging" the two separate lots of 4 strands so that you do each part of the plait with 2 thicknesses (strands) and not 1.

[Mystiqview]

Ok, I will see if I can explain this properly.

When I plait a normal lead (snap hook at one end with handle)

I plait the round to the length I want. Then I go straight into a flat plait from the round for the desired length (about 20cm long) I then splice the end straight back into the round plait. It is all one thickness and no "doubling"

When plaiting, you can go straight from round to flat then back to round without adding pieces. Alternatively, you can add more strands to the plait or taper strands out.

[ellz]

I understand completely Mystiqview.

I just like the look of what is in the plaiting book and they recommend it as a first project so I'm happy to stick with that and see how I go from there.

[Mystiqview]

What book did you end up buying Ellz?

[ellz]

Just the basic one

Plaits - Round and Flat.

I don't want to get too in depth. IF I stick with it, I'd just like to be able to satisfy my addiction to leads!

[kathq]

I would like to make a martingale collar but one that is leather with a chain loop not all leather if you know what I mean. Does anyone here know where the chain and rings can be sourced from?

Thought this might make an easier first project as it would not as long as a lead.

[Mystiqview]

Kathq,

Buy a martingale collar and cut off the fabric part and plait a leather one??

Crispin Leather supplies sell brass loops that are fixed (about the size of a 10c piece). Many loops and "D" rings you buy are not soldered together and can open. The problem with the brass ones, they maybe a little too large for small - medium dogs for the show ring. You would then need to get a check chain and thread into those loops. Very fiddly and I don't know how well it will go.

So back I think to my first suggestion..... Buy a martingale or use an old one you have and cut off the fabic and plait the rest of the collar.

One of my projects of "love" was making a head halter based on the Black Dog design. I used flat plait, double flat plait, 4 round plait using 3mm thong and brass rings and other fixtures.. Not something I will make for anyone else. Too much time went into it.

The only thing I can think of that comes close but will probably be too heavy and large is stallion or arab chains/head pieces for lead in classes.