Braiding Books

Kumihimo

200 Braids to Twist, Knot, Loop or Weave - $41.00
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. This spiral bound edition means it is easy to leave the book open while following the instructions. 256pp. Sb.

Beautiful Braiding Made Easy: Using Kumihimo Discs and Plates - $19.00
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.

Braids and Beyond: A Broad Look at Narrow Wares - $23.00
Jacqui Carey. Subjects covered are; Braids, Twisting, Knotting, Knitting, Lucet, Weaving, Tablet or Card Weaving, Kumihimo or Bobbin braiding, Sprang and Ply-Split just to name a few. 56pp. Pb.

Braid: 250 Patterns from Japan, Peru and Beyond - $35.00
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.

Japanese Braiding - $24.00
Jacqui Carey. The traditional Japanese craft of Kumihimo, as done on a marudai, is clearly explained in this hands-on resource that is suitable for beginners but also offers enough complexity for seasoned braiders. Kumihimo braids are made of silk threads and were originally used as ties, cording, and belts for clothing and closures for Samurai warriors. Detailed step-by-step photographs present six projects to make a variety of braids, and tips on equipment and advice for developing the projects are included. By using a variety of patterns, colors, and textures, more than 70 other braids can be used to make a range of stunning necklaces, bracelets, cords, and other fashion accessories. 96pp. Hb.

Kumihimo: The Essence of Japanese Braiding - $33.00
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.

Necklaces Braided On The Kumihimo Disk - $25.00
Karen DeSousa. This book is a step-by-step instruction book that tells you how to make and finish a stunning array of necklaces, whether you are a beginner or advanced braider. It includes move by move instructions for four braids. The section on braiding with beads shows you how to add beads of all sizes to your necklaces without ruining your disk. Fancy finishes shows you how to dress up the closures. From project inception to the final touch, this book will inspire you to create your own stunning necklaces. 34pp. Pb.

More Necklaces Braided On The Kumihimo Disk - $25.00
Karen DeSousa. This second book has more of everything. More braids. More patterns. More necklaces. More great tips for making and finishing beautiful braids. It's suitable for beginners and challenging enough for more experienced braiders. The book revisits the round braid (for beginners) and then pumps it up by adding seed beads and finishes without findings. The book includes the Laramie twist, the 16 bobbin Roundabout, a different round braid called the Top and Bottom Tango that lets you evenly space out beads and crystals, and the Color Tipped Swirl which puts an edge of color to a fabulous twist braid. If that weren't enough, the book then tells you how to turn these great braids into beautiful necklaces. Fun, elegant, artistic, great for all ages. 34pp. Pb.

Kumihimo Braiding Board - $19.00
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

A Tablet Weaver's Pattern Book - $44.00
Mullarkey, Holtzer, Hoffman, Treumann & White. This is a book containing a collection of threaded-in tablet weaving patterns. This is not a How-To book. On each page is a draft, and a graphic of how the band will look when woven. All of the drafts have one or more graphics of variations that can also be woven by changing the turning sequence or threading of the cards. The book begins with patterns with just a few cards and continues to patterns with more than 50 cards. The book includes more than 200 patterns to explore and weave with some full page photos of actual woven bands. 87pp. Pb.

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 - $15.00
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.

Techniques of Tablet Weaving - $54.00
Peter Collingswood. This magnificent book is available again, re-typeset and rearranged. No other English writer has been able to so clearly and thoroughly explore a difficult technique. With photos of historic pieces, many diagrams, and clear text, the author delves deeply into areas such as double-face twill patterning, plain/twined weaves, brocades and patterned velvet. Many b & w photos and illustrations. 320pp. Pb.

Tubular Cardwoven Neckpieces - $21.00
Linda Hendrickson. This is a book slim in size, but chocked full of inspiration. For the jewelry/fiber artist, this book guides the cardweaver through designing, preparing the warp, weaving, and attaching findings to this mode of adornment. There are some basic designs and some ideas for Fimo clay and bead decorations for the neckpieces. 6 pages of color photos and many black and white photos and illustrations. Pb.

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General Braiding

Celtic Knots for Beaded Jewellery - $26.00
Suzen Millodot. Learn how to make beautiful, necklaces, bracelets, rings, brooches and earrings using real, three-dimensional Celtic knots combined with beads and pendants. Eighteen stunning projects using clear step-by-step photographs show how to create original, stylish designs. 80pp. 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.

Friendship Bracelets - $21.00
Veronique Follet. You do not need any weaving equipment to make these vibrant Central and South American bracelets. Just learn two basic knots, use a safety pin to keep your work taut, and then knot colourful cotton threads into a host of different patterns. This book shows – row by row in coloured easy-to-follow diagrams – how to make twenty-two different designs of bracelet. Using eight to twelve threads per row, create chevrons, stripes, diamonds and many other patterns in a carnival of colours. When you have made your bracelet, tie it on your friend's wrist – he or she will not be able to fasten it without your help – as a lasting token of regard and affection from one person to another. 64pp. Pb.

Inkleweaving - $34.00
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.

The Lucette Book - $17.00
Daniel C. Phelps. Herein find the perfect (new) addition to any lucetter's library. A variety of techniques are covered in this book, including different shapes of cords, multiple colors, and the chevron cord. The illustrations are clear and easy to follow. 24pp. 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.

Nalbindning: The Easiest, Clearest Ever Guide - $34.00
Nalbindning is an ancient technique used to produce hats, socks, mittens and other woolen goods using a single short needle and lengths of woolen yarn. Although later superceded by knitting, a tecnique that uses 2 needles instead of one, nålbindning produces garments of a superior quality with stitches that do not run if snagged and a weave that is more dense and therefore easier to felt, providing maximum protection from cold or moisture. It is for this reason that the nalbindning tecnique was still used until very recently in some parts of Scandinavia. This instruction book has full colour pictures throughout and step-by-step instructions in both English and Swedish designed for the absolute beginner to learn this ancient tecnique. 19pp. Pb.

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.

Sprang Unsprung - $29.00
Carol James. An illustrated guide to interlinking, interlacing and intertwining. A step-by-step manual that is well illustrated and untangles the technique of the little-known art of sprang. Beginners and practitioners at all levels will find James’ richly-illustrated user-friendly style of presentation a welcome addition to the literature on the textile arts.80pp. 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 - $37.00
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.

Twenty to Make: Micro Macrame Jewellery - $10.00
Suzen Millodot. Using braids, cords, and beads, this illustrated guide examines the versatility of a few simple techniques and applies them to 20 imaginative designs for macrame projects. Patterns for two easy knots — the square knot and the lark’s head knot — are easy to follow and show how tying them in different ways can be combined with beads to make stylish necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Crafters will discover how repeating one knot and complementing the cord with contrasting beads further expands the possibilities of macrame. Interweaving cords of different colors, creating trendy necklaces, or by varying the position of the knots for an original look offers crafters and jewelers fresh, alternative ideas while taking an exciting look at a traditional craft. Step-by-step instructions are accompanied by close-up photographs of all the designs, and material lists provide all the information needed to create beautiful jewelry. 48pp. Pb.

Lucet - $12.00
Here is a neat hand-sized tool for constructing lucet braid. Made of varnished wood.