entiendo

Well that's wonderful, I'm going to look at the mohair and see what it is I'm buying. Thank you so much

So if I order some mohair will you guide me a little? I'm excited to try now! I have a couple of pieces I have to make then I'm free until the next comes along. I'd love to be able to make reins I'm happy with and that don't cost a fortune. Sorry Megabit! It's not that I don't like romel reins but I too use a snaffle and like a good weight.

Well thank you, I just might try some mohair! Sounds fun, and truth be told, I'm not crazy about doing romel reins. They look really nice but are so expensive and time consuming to make and *I* like a nice round wide rein. I use old round nylon reins with my fancy braided bridle..LOL Doesn't seem quite right. My horse is a little embarrassed. My only question would be, does the mohair have good weight? Thank you for your kind words, but I'm not so sure my work blows yours out of the water, I think your work is very nice! I think you need to give yourself more credit for sure! Sell a few things and your customers will boost your ego a bit! Use some of the strings for a core!! Dah...! Very smart!

I'm a Gail fan too! Welcome! I love the flat loop bracelet! I would have cut the rest of the strings off the end buttons, but that's personal taste I think. Your transition from flat to round is perfect though, just perfect! Wow. I would have needed to put another button on the transition. I've never braided mohair. I bet those feel nice! The only thing I might have done was made the knot larger so the tape didn't show along the tassels. But the knots are beautiful, a nice shape, very smooth and nice color. Welcome!

Bracelets are the most profitable for me. They use very little roo and they pretty easy for me to make. I'm still not making a million though..LOL.

I just find a thickness I like and be sure no one touches my splitter. LOL I know my hides are somewhere between .8 and 1 mm so I just shave off a little from the thicker hides. .8 is a good thickness for me. A friend of mine does have a little tool that measures though I really didn't like it though. It seems when you get that thin feel works better.

I don't blame you for wanting to be like him! I want to too! I'm even considering nylon, which I've never done before because I never thought it looked very nice. I'm sure it's much more difficult to make it that nice though. I'm under no illusions, kangaroo is part of the reason why my braiding looks good. Thanks for the instructions. I have a commissioned bridle I need to make and I'd like to try that out with the rings.

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE....his Ditty bags! They are wonderful!!!!

Thanks, I got those...but what I really want to do is ABOK# 2241

Oh boy, I love the way the rings are covered. Couldn't get to the instructions. I Love the bosel set too, I've been looking at that since I started braiding.

I love all the buttons! You know there has been times when I played with a pineapple button too, but I can't leave all the parallels! I found myself going back and splitting them. For the same reason I rarely make a long gaucho or one with an extra pass. Silly I know, but it's stuck in my head to split those parallels.

Rawhider, so nice to see you again! Congrats on the baby! Boy or girl? You're in trouble if you have 2 girls, as mine are killing me now that they are growing up! LOL Can you believe I've never done a multiple strand button? Well I guess I do use 2 strands, even if I do the interweave the same color I usually use a second strand for that. The kangaroo gets a little stressed if I do it all with the same string. I've tried several times to do a multiple strand but I can't make it work for me. Lovely bosel, wonderful work as always. So nice to see you again. The place hasn't been the same without you!

I made my own heart necklace in roo with all 1/16" string and it turned out pretty nice, but my buttons still weren't as perfect as the original. The quirts though!!! OMG! beautiful! I love quirts. I wish I could make them more often.

OMG!!! Yup, I can't braid a bit!

I like what you did with the buttons as far as flattening them! Do you mind if I use that? I sure like it and have never seen the 3 strand done like that before. I suspect the minor gaps can't be seen when not enhanced by a close up camera lense. It's amazing to me the flaws that show up on a camera. The leather looks pretty good too, you must have found a way to deal with the tandy lace!

How do I add a couple of strings to this braid? thanks

Perhaps you can post a picture. I love hollywood's idea for cutting the last string.

I always braid my buttons directly onto my pieces. I use a fid with each over and under. I did try a mandrel, didn't work so well for me. All that string everywhere. Even so I still go back and tighten the button. That's why I use the center of the hide for buttons, so the buttons can be wicked tight. Course I broke many, many strings on finished buttons before I learned how tight was to tight. As far as how many passes on the foundation...experience. If there is to much showing through I make another pass. Sometimes I try and skimp, that's why I learned how to do the 2nd and 3rd interweave colors...LOL

Under 3 strings and cut it with a nail clipper. I hope your buttons are nicely rolled and taunt? For second and 3 interweave colors it's a little more tricky. I cut them as close as I can with my clippers and then take my fid and poke the last little bit under and roll again.

Love it!!!

I put finish on all my pieces, it really finishes all the pieces quite nicely. Because I live in California I can only get water base but I'm used to it now and like it. It also dries very fast. I use it with a little bit of water. I let all my pieces completely dry before I apply the finish. I also condition before I apply the finish. All the work we do darkens most the leather, the only exception being a hide that already comes finished or black, at least in my experience. Some leather changes more than others. It seems to depend how much dye is in the leather. My black doesn't change color at all, but my natural seems to pick up everything and changes color quickly. Hope this helps.

Learn something new every day, I didn't know you could do it in 3's.

I do u2 o2 u2. It helps the strings go around the core a little easier for me than o2 u2 o2. I hope we get to see a picture.

Kind of quiet around here! I hope we are all out enjoying the summer or at least braiding. I just finished a new bridle and matching throat latch, thought I would share.

Thanks a lot! I'll go check them all out as soon as I get a chance. I appreciate all the effort!