Chocolate Brown Fingerloop Braid

M. Alison Kannon

Rosalind Delamere

The technique known as finger loop braiding was used extensively throughout to create braids for everything from purse strings to clothing fasteners. Finger loop braiding was extremely popular during the period and dozens of examples have been found in London deposits which date from the 12^th to the 15^th Centuries (Crowfoot, p.138). Finger Loop Braiding continued into the 16^th Century. By this time finger loop braid is being still being used for purse strings and fastenings and also for points and as decoration and trim on clothing. There are also existing examples of sample books from the end of the Sixteenth Century giving finished examples of braids, their uses, and detailed examples of how they were created. (Arnold, p.220-221)

To create the braid threads are tied together to form loops and the knotted end is secured. The loops are placed over the fingers with one hand having an odd number of loops and the other having an even number. At least 3 loops are required, but one person can do up to seven loops. For braids of more than seven loops multiple people are required. The loops are then interwoven with the fingers to form the braid. The shed must be moved to the far end of the loops constantly. If one is making a braid that is longer than their arm length a second person will be required to move the shed. However, if the braid length is shorter than the braider’s arm length then the shed can be moved by simply spreading the hands. Depending on how the braider chooses to inter weave the loops they can weave a flat of tubular braid. (Crowfoot, p138).

As this was my first real finger loop braiding project I chose use the method indicated in the Museum of London’s Textiles and clothing 1150-1450 which required 5 loops and forms a flat braid (Crowfoot, p139). I used chocolate brown linen thread. I followed the direction exactly and as I only had one person I chose to weave a number of smaller lengths of braid rather than one or a couple longer lengths. The threads braided very nicely, although it was difficult on my first few efforts to spread my hands far enough apart to have a tight braid at the far end of the loops. To fix this problem though I simply shortened the length of thread I was braiding.

Figure 1: Listing of Finger Loop Braids found in London deposits. (Crowfoot, p138)

Figure 2: Pages from a sample book of braids. The first shows directions for “mak[ing] a round and hollow poynte”; the second shows how “to make this purstringe”, ”to make a string that every edg shall keepe his collor”, and “to make this flat sting”; the third shows how “to make a drum poynt”, “to make a shaft and 4 Crownes”, “to make a 10 boed poynt in a wave”. c1600 (Arnold, p.220-221)

Figure 3: Portrait (and detail) of Elizabeth Knollys. The jewel around her neck appears to be hanging from a braid and her gown also appears to have a braided trim. 1577 (Arnold, p.202, 221)

Figure 4: Portrait of Eric Sture wearing the suit he was later murdered in. The suit is trimmed with a yellow braid. c1567 (Arnold, p.17)

Figure 5: Braid used to trim the sleeve of the doublet owned by Eric Sture in Figure 4. c1567 (Arnold, p.17)

Figure 6: Detail of braid used to trim a leather fencing doublet currently in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum’s collection. c1610 (Arnold, p.25)

References

Arnold, Janet. Patterns of Fashion: The cut and construction of clothes for men and women c1560-1620. Macmillian. London, England. 1985

Crowfoot, Elisabeth et al. Medieval Finds in Excavations in London: 4 Textiles and Clothing c.1150-c.1450. The Boydell Press. Woodbridge, England. 1992.

Arnold, Janet. Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd. W.S Maney & Son's LTD. Leeds, England. 1988