If you haven't checked out this site, they have instructionals on many different stitches, as well as the various names for stitches in different languages:
http://www.annatextiles.ch/vo_sti/content.htm
I started off reviewing the instructional for the plaited braid stitch on the site listed above:
Looks easy, no? No. Rather than destroy any of my gold or silver threads (they are a little more expensive...) I opted to experiment using a bamboo thread in a 10/2 weight. Here are two shots of my attempt at following the directions:
Okay, not too bad, but obviously not as polished as I'd like...the loops are not even, nor are my entrance and exit holes. I do not feel like I am interpreting the instructional correctly. What to do? How about we go back to a more basic stitch? The just simply called "braid stitch."
I decided to draw in parallel lines to follow, until I feel more confident about the stitch.
First things first...I realized there is no anchor stitch like in a lot of other stitches, so I moved my first entrance hole to the bottom line.
Holding my breathe...
It seems that I am having issues with keeping my loops even and consistent. That may be more easily corrected when I move to the gold thread, since that is less fluid. I think with more practice today, I should be able to try the plaited braid stitch again by this evening...
Stay tuned...!
Just about everyone has issues with tension in loops while they learn.
ReplyDeleteYou are entirely correct that it will be easier to control when you are using metal threads, because they are stiffer.
Eowyn (my mentor) looked into the question of whether the vines on that big piece were plaited braid or not - and has a fascinating answer. She wrote it up in her LJ,including the stitching examples she did, and I've written to ask her permission to pass it onto you.
Using parallel lines to help you is also a pretty normal thing to do :-)
There's lots and lots I could tell you about Plaited Braid stitch - because it is SO hard, there has been heaps of discussion about it - but on email would be easier. There are lots of different stitch diagrams for it, and people talk about which is the best, and why some are incorrect. You are far braver than I to attempt PBS using the stitch diagram you did. I have one paper that takes 4 pages to take you through the various steps.
I'd need to e-mail you Eowyn's entry too, because of the pics. I seem to have mislaid your e-mail tho - I'm at a_velvet_clawATyahooDOTcomDOTau. Drop me a line if you're interested in any of the above info, and I'll put you in my address book this time :-)