Braiding is a easy, medieval and quite practical way to make
laces, straps, ties, and many other narrow wares. There are far more
possibilities than just the simple 3-strand braid that everyone knows.
Although there are many ways to make cords and narrow strips of fabric,
this discussion is limited to a few of the most common braids made from a
set of elements and using no equipment.

Basic Flat Braid
The elements are divided into two equal or nearly equal groups,
and the outside element from one group is carried over the rest of that
group and added to the inside of the other group.
Type: 3-strand This is the "basic" braid, virtually
ubiquitous in time and place.
Construction: over 1

Examples:
- Medieval London- worsted wool, each element composed of 5
strands (Crowfoot et al. 1992)
- Medieval York- interesting example made from hair moss (Walton 1989)
- Medieval York- as part of a more complex diamond mesh
structure (Walton 1989)
Type: 5-strand
Construction: over 2

Examples:
- Durham, early 10th c. silk edging sewn to tablet-woven band
(Crowfoot 1939)
Type: 8-strand
Construction: over 3/over 4

Examples:
- Durham, early 10th c. silk edging sewn to tablet-woven band
(Crowfoot 1939)
Basic round or square braid.
This braid is excellent for making cords and lacings. It is
constructed with a multiple of 4 elements. The elements are divided into
four groups. The outside cord is taken over its own group and two
adjacent groups, and then carried under the last group it crossed over to
end in the center of the band.
Type: 4-strand
Construction: over 2, under 1

This braid can also be made quite quickly with 4 weighted bobbins. Then
end of the braid is attached to a fixed point, allowing the bobbins to
hang. If the bobbins are held so that they are at the corners of a
square, the braid can be made simply by interchanging the diagonal
elements.

Examples:
- prehistoric Denmark- leather thong (Hald 1980)
Type: 8-strand
Construction: over 5, under 2

Examples:
- Most common braid found in medieval London (13-14th c.), all
were silk, and at least one was more than one color (Crowfoot et al. 1992)
- prehistoric and medieval Denmark (Hald 1980)
Type: 12-strand
Construction: over 8, under3

Examples:
- survives in Scandinavian folk crafts, probably much earlier
(Hald 1980)
- very common in other areas- Peru, Middle East
Type: 6-strand
Construction: over 4, under 1, over
This is a variation on the basic form of round braid

Examples:
- Medieval London- one silk braid found (Crowfoot et al. 1992)
Other Structures
There are a few other types of braid which I think are
interesting and useful, but which don't fit in the previous categories,
so I've tacked them on at the end.
Type: 5-strand guilloche
Construction: 2 outer over 2 inner, wrap 5th

This braid can be produced more quickly using 2 card-weaving
cards, threaded in opposite directions with 2 strands each. Instead of
passing the weft through the shed, it is wrapped around the inner pair.

Examples:
- Durham, early 10th c.- silk edging on tablet-woven band
(Crowfoot 1939)

Finger weaving
In another very common class of braids, the elements serve as
both warp and weft, following a diagonal course over and under the other
elements (tabby weave).

These braids were used in Scandinavia as garters and carrying straps
(Hald 1980). Arrowhead and zig-zag patterns were common (created by the
starting arangement of colors, not by differences in method.) Scraps of
wool braid were found at Mammen, and a leather strap made in this
technique was found at Oseberg.
