Does anyone know how to do a braid image on buckskin?

[Mariposa]

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone knew how to do that braid thingy on buckskin. I know it uses 2 strands and you have to put holes in the buckskin in order for to blend into it...But Im stumped!:dontknow:

[Tara]

mari,

i'm not sure what you mean, i know how to do that feaux braid, where you cut slits every inch or so in a strip of leather/piece of fringe, and you pass the end through the slit, then the next slit, and it gives the appearance of a braid... or do you mean lacing up a seam, cris-crossing two pieces of leather (which I dont do, i just sew seams). Or do you mean something entirely different? do you have pictures of an example, or know of a picture on the web which shows an example?

Tara

[WolfTears]

I found a great book in the libary on braiding leather .

[Mariposa]

Yes Tara, that is what I need to do, braid into the leather as you described....but reading it sounds so confusing...do you have a fax machine where you can fax me a picture of what you are talking about, or perhaps a scanner?

I'll also check the library for braiding leather, but yes, I need to braid into the leather, Im just not sure about where to put the slits.

[Tara]

Mari,

a fax no, a scanner yes! I did these examples really quickly, sorry they are kind of crude looking!

I'm still not sure which type of braid you are looking for... so I scanned both in each image:

on the left of each image is the feaux braid, using a single strip of leather with a row of slits down the center, where the tip is passed sequentially through each slit...

on the right is the laced leather using two pieces of leather... creating a series of 'x's going down... if you want spaces between the x's... just use one piece of thong... ends threaded through the top hole, then just put the two ends through the sets of slits sequentially, criss-crossing them as you go down... if you want a continuous set of x's, start a second thong, but going through the holes in the opposite direction

I hope I havent totally confused you... I'm off to my mom's for the whole weekend and wont be back till sunday night

Tara