There-Oughta-Be-a-Law Department
SO, VIA AN EMAIL FOR HELP on 7/30/2007, I HEARD ABOUT A CERTAIN PURVEYOR OF MYSTERY BRAID BRACELETS. The Emailer's family received, as gifts, six unbraided mystery braid bracelets that had been purchased from said purveyor. Fortunately, the family found this Oh!Boyd website page. ANYWAY, HERE'S WHAT I THINK OF ANY PERSON WHO...
is selling unbraided bracelets (supposed kits) with loose uninstalled snap parts - without instructions to install the snaps which require a special tool and some practice - and without the instructions to braid the bracelets. Yup, here's what I think of you...
WHAT NERVE! - WHAT A CREEPY CON ARTIST!
That kind of stuff just makes me so mad. Shame on you!
What would your momma think?
Did she raise you that way? Don't think so!
I hate lazy and sloppy, and I hate greedy even worse.
Buyer beware.
Click to Go See
$5.00 + Shipping/Handing
Sizes: Small, Medium, or Large
Choose From Many Colors
GENUINE DEERSKIN
with Reinforced Snap
Oh!Boyd Quality Fun
Made by
Who Else?! Oh!Boyd, Of Course!
Here's the Secrets to the
Mystery Braid
How To
Trick Braid Leather
3-Strand
Amaze your friends.
Make super gifts for your grandma, grandpa, uncley or aunty.
Delight the neighbor kids.
Get those hands off idle and
Occupy your mind with one more thing.
I have been making the ever-popular mystery braid bracelets for many years now, and per requests, I put them in the Oh!Boyd Catalog. But I know that a lot of the folks that are looking at my bracelets would really just like to learn how to make them themselves. And I know that they really don't want to pay anything for this rare and precious knowledge. Well, since I do always show folks my tricks for free when I'm out and about, I thought I really should figure a way to show the mystery braiding trick to all you budding artisans that are online and looking for something fun to do that doesn't cost much. So here you have it in photos and if you don't understand something...E-mail me and I'll try to make the instructions for the trick mystery braid more clear for you and the next visitor. If you don't get it at first, just keep practicing, and remember the Oh!Boyd motto:
Anything is Possible.
Start
LEFT
RIGHT
LEFT
LEFT
RIGHT
LEFT
THRU
RIGHT
HOLE
THRU
Left strip over middle strip
Right strip over original left strip
Left (original middle) strip over new middle strip (original right)
Looks Goofy!
You're Not Done Yet!
HERE'S ALL YOU
REALLY
NEED TO KNOW
Left
Right
Left
Thru Right
Right
Left
Right
Thru Left
THAT'S IT!
THAT'S ALL!
AIN'T NO MORE!
STEP #1
END STEP #1
STEP #2
RIGHT
Right strip (original left) over middle strip
RIGHT
Left strip (original right) over new middle strip (original left)
LEFT
LEFT
RIGHT
Right strip (original middle) over new middle strip (original right)
RIGHT
THRU
LEFT
HOLE
THRU
HINT: If strip length is short, keep your braiding tight and toward the top of the strip so this last hole is big enough to pull the end through it. You can loosen and even out the braiding once you are finished.
- You must totally complete both Step 1 and Step 2 to get back to a flat braid.
- If you have a long strip of leather, you can continue on with another Step 1, but you must have room for another Step 2 also, or it just won't work.
- Keep your braiding toward the top of the strip, and simply even out your braid spacing when you are done.
- For a simple closure, punch or cut a hole on one end of the strip and sew a pearl shaped button or bead on the other. Or you can install a snap.
Don't forget to visit the
- Leather purses, medicine pouches, drawstring bags
- North American fun gifts, souvenirs, accessories
- Original, Affordable, and Always Handmade
Want to Learn More Leather Braiding?
Oh!Boyd recommends this book:
Leather Braiding by Bruce Grant
(Cornell Maritime Press)
This is a small (173 pages) and rather inexpensive paperback book that comprehensively covers every kind of leather braiding technique. It has complete and understandable descriptions and how-to drawings for all the leather braids, knots, and buttons, including instructions for the 3-strand trick braid found on this page, as well as the more complicated 5-strand trick braid. Also includes a few photographs and some very interesting leathercraft history. A fun addition to any crafter's library. A "must have" reference for any leatherworker.
Leather Braiding by Bruce Grant
$8.95 plus shipping/handling (Just $5.00)
OUTSIDE USA? PLEASE ORDER VIA E-MAIL
ADDITIONAL POSTAGE FEE APPLIES
Three Strand Braid Bracelet Instructions
Best Leather Braiding Book
A Fun Reference Manual for Any Leather Worker
There has been so much interest in this one page featuring just one of the many and varied braids found round the world, that I decided to keep a few copies of this essential leather braiding book, Leather Braiding by Bruce Grant, on hand for those folks that have a genuine interest in the leather braid craft.
Contact
Oh!Boyd
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HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME!
Come Back Often to See New Items -- Maybe You Will Even Buy Something Someday -- When That Money Is Jingling and You Just Have to Spend It.
Or Maybe the Experience of Leather Braiding Will Give You Incentive to Make More Items with Your Hands, and You Will Pass Along Your Knowledge and Skills, Helping to Keep Handmade Crafts and Some of the Old Ways Alive.
Starting a Craft Business?
You might be interested in this "free advice" Oh!Boyd article:
Learn
Something
Old!
FREE DO-IT-YOURSELF
INSTRUCTION PAGE
Start
So...you start with a strip of leather about 3/4" to 1" wide. Just about any flexible top quality leather will do. I have even made trick braid bracelets with scraps of very lightweight suede.
As far as length goes, a 9-11" length should braid down to a 7-1/2" to 9" wrist size. The shorter the strip length, the less braiding will be possible. You just have to measure wrists and practice with the material to get your trick braid bracelets to turn out the way that you want them to fit.
You need a sharp scissors to make two long slits in the strip of leather. You want to have three even strips and you want to leave at least 3/4" of uncut leather on both ends - room for a snap or button closure.
I painted my example, so you can see the braiding pattern more easily.
Did your trick braid straighten out like this one after you completed both steps #1 and #2?
Super! Now make another one! The holidays are coming. The holidays are coming. Or Mother's Day or Father's Day or Valentine's Day or somebody's birthday ...or something.
If your braid still looks goofy, take it apart and start over.
Practice makes Perfect!
CAN YOU COPY THIS?
Thanks for asking!
I would appreciate it if you do not make copies of my hard work. However, I know a lot of people ignore my request because, well... mysterious as it seems, this is not secret information.
I encourage scouts, camp leaders, and teachers to
not copy, but to use these instructions as a basic guideline and to develop their own set of instructions as they apply to their own projects.
You might also like to gather your group around the warmth of a glowing computer, and follow the trick braiding instructions on this web page.
--Mary
PS - Republishing, selling or profiting from these photos and text (except by me, of course) is definitely not allowed.
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