Braiding Books

Kumihimo

200 Braids to Twist, Knot, Loop or Weave - $45.00
Jacqui Carey. Hundreds of sumptuous braided designs are arranged by structure, from twisted and knotted pieces to more elaborate looped and woven examples. Each braid features a beautiful close-up photograph, materials list, step-by-step instructions, and easy-to-follow color illustrations to guide crafters along. Each technique is explored indepth, followed by tips on starting and finishing braids and advice for incorporating braids into other textile projects. 256pp. Hb.

Beautiful Braiding Made Easy: Using Kumihimo Discs and Plates - $22.00
Helen Deighan. Helen Deighan has produced an easy-to-follow book - this time on Japanese braiding. It includes ideas for bracelets, necklaces, bag handles and much more. It is packed with new ideas for using the wonderful Kumihimo tools - including adding beads as you braid. Easy to follow instructions teach you step-by-step how to make beautiful braids using the Kumihimo disks and plates. It is beautifully illustrated with colour photographs and drawings. 48pp. Pb.

Braid: 250 Patterns from Japan, Peru and Beyond - $45.00
Roderick Owen. The ancient and fascinating art of rope braiding, is presented in this marvellously straightforward explanation of the techniques. The book looks at two families of braids: Peruvian braids, traditionally used as slings for hunting or in war; and Japanese braids, known as kumihimo, and shows more than 50 braids. Drawings, beautifully photographed examples, and the author's diagrams give you all you need to explore endless variations of colour and texture. 159pp. Pb.

Creative Kumihimo - $67.00
Jacqui Carey. The key word to this book is "creative." Clear presentation of the basic information for braiding leads the braider to a new "creative" development. This author presents a braid structure not only in movement diagrams, but also a structure diagram that can be used to develop a colour arrangement and the colour set-up. There are some new 16 bobbin structures and a multitude of variations. Many finishes, bead applique, and colour gallery round out this important braiding book. 100pp. Pb.

Kumihimo: The Essence of Japanese Braiding - $45.00
Aiko Sakai & Makiko Tada. The confluence of spirit and thread defies the complexity of Kumihimo, the traditional Japanese braid. As an object of beauty as well as honour, the braid also has a role in utility and fashion. In this advanced work, braid construction is explored using the instruments for creation, the Marudai, the kakudai, and the ayatakedai by stepped diagrams and basic instructions. 130pp. Pb.

Kumihimo Braiding Board - $21.00
Includes a 6" high density foam Kumihimo disk, some cotton yarn, and instructions. Instructions are in Japanese, but with very clear, instructional charts, there is no problem for non-japanese readers.

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Lace & Tatting

An Early Lace Workbook - $45.00
Rosemary Shepherd. This book was written for lacemakers, particularly those who have an interest in the techniques, materials, and working methods of the earliest bobbin laces. The author has spent many years studying and researching lace in public and private collections, in Australia and overseas. In the book there are 21 reconstructions of surviving 16th and early 17th century lace, and 9 interpretations of lace in paintings. All have patterns and instructions. Most of the pieces are easy and interesting to work and because of their scale they are more than suitable as modern trimmings. 86pp. Pb.

Bobbin Lace Fantasy Flowers - $18.00
Rosemary Shepherd. Fifteen different three dimensional flower forms with the emphasis on imagination rather than reality, and with the challenge of creating the form from a single flat piece of lace. Some of the shapes are simple, others more complex. Some knowledge of braid lace techniques is desirable, but not essential. For basic bobbin lacemaking skills refer to Introduction to Bobbin Lacemaking. All the flower ideas are simple and bound to suggest other possibilities. Having fun with your lace should be the main aim. 28pp. Sb.

Introduction to Bobbin Lacemaking - $26.00
Rosemary Shepard. This author goes beyond technique and into art. Use this detailed book to teach yourself at the basic level or to use in the schools; work your way through to the more advanced exercises. Patterns are large scale and you can make your own pillow and bobbins with directions here. Instructions and diagrams are quite detailed including how to wind bobbins and making your own prickings. Work 7 braids, 3 edgings, spiders, diamonds, fans, chevrons, scallops. Starting and finishing edges are reviewed and decorative ends are also shown as well as attaching lace. This is an easy-to-understand book. 112pp. Pb.

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Tablet Weaving

Anna Neuper's Modelbuch: Early Sixteenth-Century Patterns for Weaving Brocaded Bands - $20.00
Nancy Spies. Transcription into modern charts of forty-five patterns for gold brocaded tabletwoven bands. Written by Anna Neuper, a seventy year old num in the St Clare Convent in Nurnburg, Germany, in 1517AD. 56pp. Pb.

Ecclesiastical Pomp & Aristocratic Circumstance - $55.00
Nancy Spies. Brocading of precious gold and silver thread in tablet weaving, with essays on the history, reproduction of extant samples, a catalogue of known pieces, and some illustrations of tablet woven fragments. This is for the serious tablet weaver. 314pp. Pb.

On-Loom Cardweaving - $16.00
Herbi Gray. A loom, any size, is used to hold the cards, and narrow as well as wide widths may be woven. Within one piece you may do plain weave, leno, log cabin, double weave and double weave pick-ups, conventional cardweaving, cross warp ends, and more. A sampler is designed to teach these techniques. Pb.

Tablet Weaving Magic - $92.00
O Staudigel. Tablet weaving is one of those ancient weaving techniques that are either over simplified with too easy patterns or the instructions are so intricate that the really fascinating patterns from the past require a PhD to follow. This new book from Germany breathes new life into the presentation of advanced tablet weaving techniques. The charts of the double-sided figurative patterns from the Arabic cultures and a batch of nice simple set-up patterns and six-hole tablet patterns that really make this a must have for band weavers. 250pp. Pb.

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General Braiding

A Manual of Fingerweaving - $24.00
Robert J Austin. Fingerweaving is one of those ancient textile techniques many of us experience as youth in scouts or camp. It is a techniques familiar from native American textile crafts; simple plaiting in very distinctive patterns natural to the technique, bold chevrons and lightning bolts. Clear directions and diagrams will help modern textile crafters study this tradition. Pb.

Creative Bead Weaving - $30.00
Carol Wilcox Wells. Peyote stitch, brick stitch, square stitch, right-angle weave, helix, netting, and chain are all old off-loom techniques, tricky to learn. This addition to beading lore not only has an excellent black & white graphic teaching method, it is chock full of beautiful beaded jewelry and beaded art from many contemporary bead artists, in full color. Pb.

Fingerweaving Untangled - $29.00
Carol James. In an easy to understand format is described the fascinating art of finger weaving, particularly that of the traditional sash. Through illustrations and clear explanations, the author makes it relatively simple for the novice to create his or her own heirloom. She brings the reader the required assistance and reassurance to explore their creativity. 64pp. Pb.

Inkleweaving - $38.00
Helene Bress. Everything you need to know about inkleweaving. The basics, and many interesting practical variations are described, along with clear pictures. Good finishing techniques, and ways of joining bands to make wider pieces such as pillows, purses, and ponchos. 214pp. Pb.

Lucet Braiding - $21.00
Elaine Fuller. The "lost art" of lucet, uses a wooden tool something like a wishbone. The braids resemble Celtic knots and knitting plaits, and can be made in a variety of thicknesses as well as colour patterns. It can be thought of as cat’s cradle over a big fork. 32pp. Sb.

Manual of Braiding - $57.00
Noemi Speiser. This is a most comprehensive book on braiding. In fact, it is a course of instruction. Starting with the simple three-strand braid, it gradually advances to larger flat fabrics in plain, ribbed and twill interlacements, then to tubular, two-layer and solid braids reaching, finally, such complex forms as have never been dealt with before. Instructions, with accompanying diagrams, demystify the process of making the braids. Profusely illustrated. 148pp plus 15 Plates. Sb.

Old English Patterns Book for Loop Braiding - $69.00
Noemi Speiser. The author has found a collection of loop braiding patterns from the 15th Century and was able to study and describe them. Finding enough people who know the finger dances for these multi-person braids is the challenge for we moderns. There are some truely remarkable braids in here. 133pp. Sb.

Round the Twist: Creative Cordmaking - $14.00
Jacqui Carey. Decorative cordings can add such a rich finishing touch to so many projects. Unfortunately, cording is often expensive, even prohibitive in cost, especially if you need any great length. I think this book has the answer. It gives the know-how for making your own unique cordings, and includes pictures of several samples to show the effects of combining some of the many novelty threads and yarns. This book gives the freedom to make cordings to coordinate with any color/texture combination chosen. Pb.

Seed Bead Stitching - $15.00
Beth Stone. Beadwork is a puzzle with infinite solutions," says author and bead artist Beth Stone. In this book she explores the myriad possibilities for creating jewelry with colorful seed beads, pearls and gemstones. Step-by-step photographs and illustrations guide readers through the basics of classic stitches and inventive variations. For beginners, there is an introduction to the basics of beads, threads, and bead-stitching techniques; for intermediate and advanced beaders, there are creative variations and lesser-known stitches. Perfect for beaders at every level. From simple to simply stunning... 96pp. Pb.

Textile Coil Pots and Baskets - $27.00
Helen Deighan. Following the success of her first two books, "Dyeing in Plastic Bags" and "Magic Dyeing Made Easy", Helen Deighan has continued to experiment with textiles and has come up with yet another exciting, innovative way of using fabric. Making coil pots from fabric is catching on in a big way because they're fun, easy to make and just wonderful to behold. Easy to follow instructions teach you step-by-step how to make different types of pots, bowls and baskets. 64pp. Pb.

The Maker's Hand: A Close Look at Textile Structures - $38.00
Peter Collingwood. The range of textiles shown here is remarkable both in the type of textiles and the materials used to make them. There are baskets, fans, springs of a Jeep seat, bead belts, pot scourers, felt hangings, raffia cloth, a rice sieve, warp face belts, and much more. It is a very well-designed book with most of the examples shown illustrated in color. Very clear diagrams show the structure of the fabric. The examples selected come from countries all over the world. Profusely illustrated. 160pp. Hb.

Lucet - $8.00
Here is a neat hand-sized tool for constructing lucet braid. Made of oiled wood.