Here's the Secrets to the
Mystery Braid
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.
How To
Trick Braid Leather
3-Strand
We have been making the ever-popular mystery braid bracelets for many years now, and per requests, the little kits are in the Oh!Boyd Catalog. But we know that a lot of the folks that are looking at these bracelets would really just like to learn how to make them themselves. And we know that they really don't want to pay anything for this rare and precious knowledge. Well, since we do always show folks leather tricks for free when we are out and about, we thought that we 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 will not cost much. So here you have it in photos and if you don't understand something...E-mail us and we will 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.
CAN YOU COPY THIS INSTRUCTION PAGE?
Thanks for asking!
Mysterious as it is, this basic braiding information is not secret.
However, we worked very hard to put together this instruction page, so please do NOT make copies of our hard work.
We encourage scouts, camp leaders, teachers, and all others in search of a fun project to never be copycats.
We also encourage anyone else not to plagiarize our text or use any of our photographs and text from any parts of our website.
There is a difference between being inspired by someone else's work/products/designs and thievery.
Instead, we suggest that you use this unique web page as a basic guideline to
develop your own set of mystery braid instructions as they apply to your 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.
--The Boyds
Republishing, selling, or profiting from these photos and text (except by Oh!Boyd, of course) is definitely not allowed.
BUY BRACELET S
BUY BRACELET KITS
IN STOCK - GET IT FAST!
Book Ships Same Day or Next Day
VIA USPS PRIORITY
(2-3 Day Mail Delivery Service)
Learn
Something
Old!
FREE DO-IT-YOURSELF
INSTRUCTION PAGE
Click to Go See
$5.00 + Shipping/Handing
($6 for Already Braided with Instructions)
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!
Start
LEFT
RIGHT
LEFT
LEFT
RIGHT
LEFT
THRU
RIGHT
HOLE
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 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.
HELPFUL TIPS
- You must totally complete both Step 1 and Step 2 (below) 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 directions to make some useful leather goods, plus 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
$9.99 + $6.50 Shipping/Handling
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 we 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.
Click
HEY, HEY, HEY! WE DO HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME HANGING OUT AT OUR FREE INSTRUCTIONS PAGE!
Come Back Often to See Our 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.
Start
So...you start with a strip of leather about 3/4" to 1" wide. Just about any flexible top quality leather will do. We 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.
The example shown here is painted, so you can see the braiding pattern more easily.
For Sale
Contact
Oh!Boyd
THRU
RIGHT
SHIPS USPS PRIORITY
(2-3 Day Delivery)
Best Leather Braiding Book
Besides the kits with included instructions, find quantity-discounted, already braided, ready-to-wear bracelets (no instructions).
Medicine Bags - Small neck pouches to carry special mementos, stones, prayers, etc. - any items of good spirit.
You might like to see our...
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