How do you handle tamales while braiding?

[Pascal Olivier]

Hello everyone. Happy New Year. I was wondering what is the best way to handle your tamales while braiding a rawhide reata, for example.

Thank you,

Pascal

[Hilly]

Hello everyone. Happy New Year. I was wondering what is the best way to handle your tamales while braiding a rawhide reata, for example.

Thank you,

Pascal

You get your spouse to feed them to you. That way you don't get your hands all messy!

[jerryrwm]

You get your spouse to feed them to you. That way you don't get your hands all messy!

You sure you didn't get that mixed up with "brats" ?? I mean what does Steven's Point know 'bout tamales?

No where but Wisconsin does McDonald's have Johnsonville Brats..

To answer the other tamales question, I use sandwich bags with a rubber band. Helps keep them from unraveling too quickly and makes the untangling a lot easier. I also keep them at different lengths so they are less likely to tangle. Doesn't always work out that way but it started out with good intentions.

Jerry

(Making sure the plow is on the truck for the next couple days, as they are looking for as much as 12" before Friday. We'll see.)

[TimKleffner]

Pasca

I've found that with the really good tamales, as greasy as they are, it's best to do one or the other. Eat Tamales or work leather. Can't do both

Happy tooling

Tim

[TwinOaks]

Work bare handed so you can braid, color, and oil the leather in one step?

[Pascal Olivier]

Thank you, everyone! And especially thanks to Jerry.

Pascal

[HorsehairBraider]

Well... I find mine tangle less when they are all the same length. I don't put them in sandwich bags (although I think that is a good idea!) but I absolutely am prepared to STOP, and RE-DO them any time they start to get too loose. I find the time I take to do this saves me a LOT in braiding speed! I try to keep them fairly short below my braiding. I find them easier to control if they are just one hand width below the braiding edge (we'd call that a "fell" in weaving, don't know if braiders have a word for that). That way I can lengthen them with my hand while braiding, I don't have to stop for it. Wind them carefully, then they won't tangle. When they start "falling" down their length a lot when you go to lengthen them, time to re-wind!