Fingerloop braiding is a technique of making sturdy, and decorative, cords from threads. It is a type of braiding known as loop manipulation. The braid is made from loops of thread, attached at a central point, and the loops placed over the fingers and interlaced in different ways.^[1]

It originated in the Middle Ages, and excavations from London have produced numerous examples in silk, between the second half of the 12th century, and first half of the 15th.^[2] From the 15th century onwards, various directions and recipies for different fingerloop braid techniques began to appear in books and in print^[1]

A related technique, which involved the loops being placed over the hand or fingers, is the Japanese kute-uchi style.^[3] This technique arose in the 7th Century, and were used through the middle ages to the 19th century, for uses such as tying armour. ^[4]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Benns, E. 2007. "Set on Yowre Hondys:" Fifteenth Century Instructions for Fingerloop Braiding in Netherton R. and Owen-Crocker, G. Medieval clothing and textiles Vol. 3. Boydell Press.
2. ^ Crowfoot, E., Pritchard, F. and Staniland, K. 1992. Medieval finds from excavations in London: 4. Textiles and clothing c.1150-c.1450. (HMSO, London.)
3. ^ Illustrated Instruction: Kute-uchi L-M BRIC News, 2004.
4. ^ Single-face Tortoise-shell Design Braids L-M BRIC Illustrated Instruction Series No. 7

[edit] External links

• Photographs showing step-by-step braiding
• Online version of Compleat Anachronist #108: Fingerloop Braids
• Loop-Manipulation Braiding Research & Information Center (L-M BRIC) News
• Fingerloop Braiding: Gothic secrets and modern delights
• Sample Fingerlooped Braids from a Fifteenth-Century Manuscript