Using A Braiding Board - Pattern 3 - Zigzag Braid

braidingboard51.jpgA visually striking pattern, but still pretty simple to make - created by weaving a section of diagonal stripe braid (the same as on the previous page), then another section of diagonal stripe braid, but working back in the opposite direction.

Setting Up

What? Where? How?

If you've landed straight on this page, all this talk of move groups and sequences might not make the slightest sense. If this is so, please do take a look at the introduction page for this topic - where everything is explained in full and hopefully clear detail.

Start with seven pairs of threads in a knotted or plain end, arrange them in mirrored pairs on the board like this:

braidingboard42.pngT2 + B2
T3 + B3
T4 + B4
T5 + B5
T6 + B6
T6 + B7
T8 + B8

Move Groups You Will Need For This braid

Don't do anything just yet - this is just a description of the move groups you'll need - the order in which to perform them appears further down.

Move Group E

Bring the rightmost threads to left
Move:
T8 to B1
B8 to T1

Move Group G

Bring the leftmost threads to right
Move:
T2 to B9
B2 to T9

 

Move Group F

Weaving from right
Move:
T7 to B8
B7 to T8
T6 to B7
B6 to T7
T5 to B6
B5 to T6
T4 to B5
B4 to T5
T3 to B4
B3 to T4
T2 to B3
B2 to T3
T1 to B2
B1 to T2

Move Group H

Weaving from left
Move:
T3 to B2
B3 to T2
T4 to B3
B4 to T3
T5 to B4
B5 to T4
T6 to B5
B6 to T5
T7 to B6
B7 to T6
T8 to B7
B8 to T7
T9 to B8
B9 to T8

 

Creating The Braid

OK, ready... You've already set up the threads as detailed at the top of the page (right?)

Take note of the colour of the leftmost colours (red in my diagram above) - these will be your ‘marker threads’ (you’ll see why later)

Now perform the move groups in this sequence:

Move Group E
Move Group F
Move Group E
Move Group F
Move Group E
Move Group F
Move Group E
Move Group F
Move Group E
Move Group F
Move Group E
Move Group F

That's six repeats of E and F - after which, your marker threads will have migrated to the rightmost positions (T8 and B8), then:

Move Group G
Move Group H
Move Group G
Move Group H
Move Group G
Move Group H
Move Group G
Move Group H
Move Group G
Move Group H
Move Group G
Move Group H

That's also six repeats of G and H - after which, your marker threads will have migrated back to their starting positions (T2 and B2)

Keep repeating this sequence until the braid reaches the desired length, then turn back to this page to find out how to finish off.