I did a few more unorthodox A-fell 6-loop fingerloop braids where only the loop next to the traveling finger is gone through on the way to pick up the loop on the other hand, trying to understand the difference between loops taken reversed vs unreversed. First I did 1 bicolor loop (yellow and blue) with the other 5 loops blue, to see the path that each half of the loop takes. Then I did 2 bicolor loops (all with different colors) and 4 blue loops to double-check. Each braid started with reversed loops and then went to unreversed. For the first, I went back and forth, but I think I just did half and half for the second. I also dropped loops at random intervals and sometimes moved them around, so don't pay too much attention to the exact order in which the loops occur.
Conclusions:
The general appearance of each is pretty similar. They both have a D-shaped upper part with two Vs and an interlaced lower part. I can't tell if one is flatter than the other. Maybe? But it also might be how I tightened the braid. There were easy but slightly different ways to tighten the braid depending on how I picked the loop. If that makes sense. This is something I should maybe investigate with different yarn/thread, trying to stay consistent, to see if I can come to a more confident conclusion, and also to experiment with how the braid tensioning seems to affect it.
They are both quick and rhythmic to make.
There is a slight difference in the path of the strands which can be seen in the Vs. The V is on one side of the braid and then the other (as it slowly travels around the hand). If the left leg is Color A and the right is Color B, then it will still have the left leg as Color A and the right as Color B on the other side of the braid if the loops are taken reversed. If the loops are taken unreversed, then one side will have the left leg as Color A and the right leg as Color B, and the other side will be symmetric, with the left leg as Color B and the right leg as Color A.
The above pic is a section where the loops were taken reversed -- you can see the yellow is on the same side of the V as the strand travels from one side of the braid to the other.
For this second pic, the loops were taken unreversed -- you can see that the yellow is symmetric (i.e. opposite) on the other side of the braid.
So.... if one can pick out an individual strand of yarn on the original Sion braid and follow its path, one can determine which method was used. The spinning is irregular enough that it might be possible. I'm a dimwit, though, and am easily confused when I try to follow individual strands.
Obviously the above info is useful when creating interesting color patterns in unorthodox braids using the same general pattern. One can pick loops reversed or not in order to change things up.
Also, for the person who asked me about them, I think it will be sufficient to do the braid using either reversed or unreversed loops, at least until we can decipher the path of the braiding elements in the original.
I'll check again with the photos a few times to see if enlightenment will occur at some point.
The general braiding method for an A-fell 6-loop unorthodox fingerlooped braid in the manner of the 14th century Sion Purse 269:
Put loops on the middle, ring, and pinky fingers of each hand.
Hand 1 (I started with my right hand, but it probably doesn't matter if you start with your left): Put your index finger through the middle finger loop and pick up the pinky finger loop on the other hand. It's your call whether to take it unreversed or reversed.
Hand 2 (the left hand assuming you started with the right): Do the same moves with the other hand.
Transfer the loops down (i.e. pinky picks up the ring finger loop, ring finger picks up the middle finger loop, and the middle finger picks up the index finger loops. On both hands, of course.) to the initial set up and repeat.
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So, much ado about nothing, and probably taking the slow-boat route to understanding compared to more experienced braiders. It keeps me off the streets, I guess. Dunno how many more experiments and posts there will be before I get distracted by the next shiny object.
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My tablet weaving is still going well. It's reasonably fun to weave and I like the motif. I like how the band looks in the colors I'm using, even if it's not quite as contrast-y and striking as the colors in the book. I'll probably choose different colors next time I make it, just for funsies.
I've consciously tried to loosen up my tension to keep the band flat and the edges roughly symmetric. I'm also also use a chip clip across the pattern repeat below where I'm weaving to help keep it flat. I do think that the interaction of tablet orientation and thread plying direction (and direction in which the weft goes) is mostly responsible for what I'm experiencing with the one edge rolling in a way that is different from what the other edge is doing. I might only do one tubular edge next time. Having only one tubular edge seems to be relatively common, and for this band, only one of the edges was preserved and no one knows if the other edge was tubular as well.
Also, as is common with bands made using the diagonals technique, it's gonna need some blocking and ironing if I want it to lie flat. I kind of like the three-dimensionality of it.
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I'm having fun with the braiding, too. Relic purses, the Skjoldehamn braids, Ingrid Crickmore's fun explorations, L-M BRIC, paracord stuff,.... So much fun.
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Edited to add (because it's not worth another post)...
I think the circled area is one strand in this photo of the drawstring. There's that one light-colored ply in the yellow strand which makes it distinctive. (Yeah, I know it's two strands of yarn. But I'm using "strand" in the sense of "one side of the fingerloop".) Maybe, because I can't 100% conclude that the other strand of the braid is different -- maybe the entire loop has that lighter ply. Or maybe it's just this one short stretch.
But, if this is the same strand of yarn, and if it is different from the other strand, then the two Vs are symmetric, and thus the loops were taken unreversed.
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