paleryder wrote on Feb 6^th, 2012 at 10:03pm:


Braids can be done in several different ways.  Peruvian sling braiding is done in the hand.  It's a crossing technique.  The strands are divided into 4 sections forming a cross shape, and then the strands are literally crossed at the top of the fist, where the 4 sections combine together.  The work emerges slowly below the fist.  Usually 16 or more strands are used for elaborate braids.
 
The use of a core in a sling braid only has one real purpose and that is to provide a 3rd color to an otherwise two color braid.  So if you are alternating white and black diamonds, you can throw white into the core for a section in exchange for some red, and proceed to do red and black diamonds.  Most of the Peruvian patterns only work with two colors since you are working with 4 sections which combine together.  If you try to put another color in, the patterns don't look right anymore and become random looking even through they are still ordered.  So alternating colors is a better option and a core comes in handy for that.  In braids of 24 strands, 3 colors or more can be used and still the patterns come out right.  Cores also make braids slightly thicker than they otherwise would be, without adding durability.   

The core usually won't work if it contains more than half the amount of strands in the outer braid because gaps begin to form in the braid. 

If you're just going to work with 8 strands, it's easiest to braid off a hook on the wall, as is done in whipmaking, using the 4 strand braid as seen in the picture posted by xxkid, or by doing an 8 strand braid in 4 seam.  But it isn't authentically Peruvian to do that, and the braids are of a different character. 

Braiding off a hook is certainly easiest and quickest once it's learned, but braiding off the top of the hand is a different type of thing entirely and makes more beautiful slings in my opinion.

To finish a sling braid, a tassle or wrap of somesort is usually best.  It will generally need repair from time to time.  I just quit the braiding and take a separate strand and tie it on with half hitches for about an inch or so.  I go all the way down to the end and then pull off the extra forming a sort of popper which cracks when the sling is used.  It continues to slowly pull off as it wears but provides a nice place to hold during use, and once it comes off completely, I just replace it. 

Here are a few of my slings.

Very nice Slings.

I also work with pleasure in this manner.

Best I use silk.

Excellent. Thank you!

I hope you guys are talking about this 250 Braids book because that is the one I just ordered. Are the mistake easy to identify? What are they? Inquiring minds want to know.

Does anyone else find that having a core impacts accuracy? It might be my loose weaving, but I find that the sling tends to twist weirdly around the core sometimes while throwing...the latest models (no fancy 16 color braids mind you) I've just 4 strand round braided to the pouch, tying off my strands before I start weaving (much easier to do walking I think ).

I have tapered a mantle over core by cutting a braided strand and replacing it in the braid with a strand from the core. That way the cut strands are pinched into the braid, and not loose in the core. I guess I don't know if it's really desireable or not, but I was thinking the core would keep the cords from stretching, and that loose strands in the core would not provide that function. My thinking might be off, but that's what I thought. The sling I made for jlasud at Christmas was done that way, although it was eight around two in the retention, two fives through the split pouch, rejoined as a four-strand (four pairs) since I was advised not to try to taper an eight or twelve-strand braid, then I dropped (cut) two of the eight and replaced them in the braid with the core strands when I started to taper the release. Everything locked in. Once again, not something I swear by, just something that occured to me to do. Hope your peruvian comes out cool. I bet it will, and you'll have a great experience working with it for sure.

I purchased Cahlander's book "Sling Braiding of the Andes". The other book (Owen's) is on its way. For the most part, Cahlander's book has been easy to follow but I haven't gotten too far. Got far enough to try the 16 strand upbraid with no core.

Here's my first attempt with a mini-sling:

http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a480/paleryder1/Slings/P2140199.jpg

http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a480/paleryder1/Slings/P2140198.jpg

Sorry about the poor quality of the photos. I'm about as good at taking pictures as I am at making slings.

I was amazed- it worked! I'm still uncertain as to how much tension to try and achieve. I pulled down each layer tightly then snugged up the layer I was getting ready to braid. It seemed to keep things tight. There's a little play. This is 80/20 (acrylic/wool), bulky weight, if that makes a difference.

I can do the finger loop and start the cord. I think I can probably do the pouch. What I'm uncertain about is how to add in additional strands. In Cahlander's book, she describes a guy doing a 16 braid strand and then before getting to the cradle, he adds another 16 strands (for total of 32), which he braids for several inches before he begins the cradle. How is this done?

I have 4/4/4/4 strands.  I was thinking about lying four long strands in a + over the existing strands and then try to figure out how to continue the braid. Not sure that would work because the new strands would just fold over on themselves, right?  I then thought about hitching a new strand to each of the 16 but the transitions on the slings in her book are pretty clean. Not sure what will work.

Any ideas? Thanks for your encouragement!

May it be blessed,
Todd

Cahlander's book is also great and Tada's book is in Japanese and harder to follow but has the most complex stuff in it.  250 braids is the best all around.