Andean Sling Braids

Rodrick Owen and Terry Newhouse Flynn

Schiffer Publishing, Ltd

This truly a beautiful book.  It is very well conceived and presented. The Table of Contents enumerates everything one needs to travel the pathway of Andean Sling Braids. It begins by listing all of the braiding equipment, continues on to the various yarns, instructs the braider on all of the machinations of preparing the warp, setting up the braiding and basic working methods. Braider is then introduced to an amazing array of colorful braids which range anywhere from four to twenty four strand braid designs.

There are some choices of equipment one can utilize on which to arrange the threaded bobbins.  I have constructed many braided forms with both the marudai and the foam disk cards. In this elegant book we are presented with the “core frame.”  The braiding technique on this frame involves braiding around a “core” of passive thread that are concentrated in the center of each braid. The exchange between the passive and the active braiding threads create a myriad of intriguing designs.

BraidersHand is an excellent source for the “core braid” frame. The marudai mirror has the various thread bobbins located in strategic positions. Alongside this structure there is an upright upside down L shape form from which additional bobbins are suspended. There are great photographs of the “core frame” and luscious braids throughout this book.

Nothing is left to chance.  As stated above, everything one needs to create these braids are presented in depth. I am certainly looking forward to exploring many of these captivating new core based designs.

Razine Wenneker