TXAG

I've read the term you're looking for is "braiding master"...not "master braider"... I can recommend a book that might help with what you're trying to do...it's "Braiding Fine Leather" by David Morgan...it covers braiding around a core, attaching to an o-ring, etc. There's no one in my area that I can learn from, so I've been learning from here and also a lot from YouTube. Good luck...hopefully there's someone in your area that can/will teach you. I'd like to hear of any DVD's that only focus on braiding also.

That would be handy...wish I could find one of those to fix up...

Looks nice... I'd like to make some baseballs sometime if I could find a tutorial...

Right. Except I was also born in Texas and lived here all my life. Yours looks like the Liberian flag. ...not that there's anything wrong with that. Just looks closer to the liberian flag than Texas'. But like I said...it's neat. I'm certain she'll love it.

Ok, well back to the knot -- I was able to complete a 9Lx8B 4-pass knot with the tutorial by adding in the extra overs and understand between the ends. During this time, I also discovered the "reverse interweave", described in one of the Hought books...it basically centers the passes between the ends. I think by applying the same technique, I can probably make a 3 or 4-pass knot in the same way, so that it is centered. I'm trying to figure out how to make it have two colors per row that are centered and without "doubling" previous passes. Maybe I'll figure it out before I die. lol

Looks like this...neat... http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Liberia

Here you go... http://www.amazon.com/As-Seen-On-TV-Bedazzler/dp/B000N8GKY4

I think this section is meant for selling raw materials..e.g. leather and lace...not finished products.

Ok, forget it then.

That's good, in theory...but I've been an Amazon Prime member for a few years and have noticed tgast items that are "fulfilled" by Amazon are often WAY overpriced so that they can offer "cheaper" shipping. It used to sort of even out, but now that they apparently collect sales tax on ALL transactions, it's not really much of a bargain anymore at all. ...at least in my several years of experience on there... I have also pretty much decided I will not be buying anymore Tandy products anymore.

Nah...I understand where to begin the passes now...and when I look at the pics of the knots again, it appears they are not centered either. I read more in one of the Hought books the other day and she mentioned a "reversed second interweave"...where she flips the knot around 180 degrees and begins it from the other side, specifically to address that problem. I do not know how to apply that fix to this knot though...maybe the 3rd and 4th passes need to be started on the other side the same way.

Hmmm...Not sure I've seen those specific ones that attach that way then. You might try choosing the "arts, crafts, and sewing" category on there and then search for rare earth magnets. I'll see if I can find them on there. Well, I found a place that may have what you need...www.kjmagnetics.com If you cannot find them on their website, I'd recommend contacting them...looks like they have all sorts of different mounting options for magnets.

Ahh...didn't see the charms. Well, you can get similar magnets on amazon. I'd give you a link, but the lovely idiots in IT at T-mobile broke my tablet's ability to copy text. You can find them on Amazon by searching for "rare earth magnets". They have all sorts of sizes that should work for your project. I've bought some to hang stuff on my walls in my office and they work great...they are very strong.

I don't get it -- what is the purpose of the magnets supposed to be?

Is there a link to this video? Maybe others would like to see it.

I know...it does seem like that. Or it is possible I am just the village idiot. Haha I'm almost finished with the fourth pass and I have 5 leads of the dark color at the bottom and only 3 leads at the top. I do not know how to get the lighter passes centered. Very frustrating.

Yeah, I am going to try it again in a minute...last night, I pulled out all the last attempt at a 3rd and 4th pass I made so that I'm back to a completed 2-pass knot...hopefully, I'll get it right this time... Edit: I think I finally got it -- if so, I'll post pics later... (the first two half cycles on new passes are hardest for me...)

I've gotten away from using pins of any sort...too much of a PITA. I can usually see the parallels and where to split fine...it's just hard for me to know exactly where to begin.

PM sent to smileyboy re: springfield leather.

Just because I understand the concept doesn't mean I have the technique down...but I'm working on it.

Thank you very much for taking time to make those pics. I think it will help a great deal. I apologize for asking what is probably a very stupid question...but can you please tell me where your pics begin? I don't see an under 2-x anywhere at the end of the second pass. I'm sure it is probably something I am doing wrong... Edit: Did you start the 3rd and 4th passes at the side opposite of the original standing end? If so, is that how you were able to get those passes centered so there wasn't one row of the first color on one end and three on the other side?

That helps, Buck...I'm on the right track now...now I need to figure out how many x's to go under after the first half-cycle...

Tracym is correct -- it isn't just doubled. It's four different knots, offset by one each. I saw a pic of a doubled one on here...I'll try to post it so people can see the difference.

Ok, well...I tried it, but I cannot get the fourth pass started correctly. I did the first two in one color and the third one in a different color...doing that leave one "row" of the first color at the bottom (where the standing end is) and then two rows (x's) of the first color at the other side. And I still can't seem to begin the fourth pass correctly. I'll try to mess with it some more tomorrow. Sure wish I knew where everyone disappeared to that could answer my questions without even having to hardly think about it.

You should see what Bruce Johnson has...he will give you a fair/honest deal.