six strand braid?

[SmilinJim]

Still learning so bear with some probably simple questions. In doing 6 strand braid an over one under one gives a symetrical single diamond braid, correct? If doing 4 seam 6 stand the braid is non-symetrical right? You can do 4 seam symetrical if you do a 4, 8, 12 or 16 strand because each hand holds a number of strands that is divisible by 2. If each hand holds an odd number of strands then you would need to do a single diamond overone underone braid.

This is my interpretation of what I have read. However, I tend to see things differently than what I read. (Just look at my post on covering knots, I tried to really complicate something simple)

Some insight here would be helpful.

Someone could give a nice tutorial, hint,hint.

Keep on Smilin

Jim

[Alan Bell]

I don't know a whole lot about formula's and logrithims, just a simple cowpoke from Texas. If you are doing a braid like a 12 strand flat you can also do two passes per side. If you have 7 strands in your left and 5 on the right you can start on the left and go under 2 and over, under over then again from the left go over 2, under 2, over 2, then do the same thing from the right to the left and repeat the pattern ad infinum. This style is the national braid of Argentina the 'Trenza Patria' and it has several variations. You could also divide a nine strand flat into 6 and 3 and do 3 passes per side so that basically you are shifting the larger side back and forth like a pendulum. That is how I look at it. I find it easier to visualize that memorize and I look at groups instead of individuals so I wold look at how we are building groups for any braid or knot. Don't know if that helps any but it is how I have managed to get things done. Alan Bell