Interweaves
In this thread we will look at some of the aspects of multi-string knots formed by interweaving
two or more single strands together to make a more complex knot. This technique makes it possible
to create many weave patterns and color patterns.
Simple Turksheads
The symmetry of the basic turkshead allows two or more like or similar knots to be interwoven
in several ways to create a more complex knot. One of the most effective uses of these techniques is
to produce decorative color patterns by using two or more colors in the interweave. With my usual
resistance for "learning" each knot individually I will use specific knots as examples but the
material will apply all the knots that meet certian criteria that make them possible in each method.
In general to interweave two simple turksheads they must have the same number of bights but they
may have the same number or a different number of parts. Of course any basic turkshead used must
be "possible" in that it does not violate the common divisor between parts and bights that applies
to all such knots. The use of pinned mandrels greatly simplifies the interweave process in that
you can form a foundation knot with an open structure between adjacent parts, leaving room for
the other knot or knots to be placed between them.
One visual method for interweaving
Parallel Paths and Splitting Pairs
The first step is to braid a primary foundation knot with a somewhat open structure with space
for the second knot between it's parts. Then the second knot is interwoven into this structure by
a basic process of laying a parallel path between a part of the primary knot and the second knot
in one pass across the knot and taking a bight to repeat the path in the other direction
repeating the process of paralleling an old and new part. The actual interweave is done by
splitting these parallel pairs as they are encountered in the braiding sequence. The way we
place the parralels and take the bights determine the particular pattern that we produce. By
varying these two basic characteristics we can produce several patterns.
Parallel Path
These are just partial sections of the braid structure at the bottom of conventional coded knots
to illustrate the paralleling of a part of the primary knot in red by the running end of the second
knot in green. On the left we are paralleling the part to the left(on it's right ) and on the right,
the part to the right (on it's left). The point here is that the new lead crosses every part that the
lead being paralled crosses in primary knot in the same manner. This is extremely important in the
matter of splitting the parallel pairs later in the braiding sequence. The semantic mess in the last
sentences are the key to this process so stay focused here. The running end of the new knot must
follow the path of the old lead it is parallel crossings of the parts of the first knot.
Splitting The Pairs
This is the partial template showing a parallel path on the
left of the foundation knot. When the running end of the new knot (secondary) approaches the parallel
pair from the upper right it must split that pair in a way that preserves the parallel status with
the lead to its left. Thus it must pass over the lead in the new knot and under the lead in the old
(primary) knot. Notice that this completes an over two sequence behind the "split" and an under two
sequence in the previous new (green) lead.
This is the desired coding of our final knot and is an
automatic result of the parallel pairs when properly split. If the parallel pair from the upper
right going down to the left were the earlier parts and the green lead from the lower right going up
to the left was the running end the sequence would be reversed but the result would be the same, the
exact parallel path between the new and old parts. The knack of making this method work is
recognizing the parallel pairs and splitting them properly. These two cases are not the only ones
you may encounter in different knots but the basic principles remain the same.
A Universal Method
In general row coded (ie. herringbone) knots work with the splitting of // pairs. However in some
column coded knots it fails because the // path is interupted in the knot structure. The
solution to this problem for braiding such interweaves without using a "run list" is an adaption
of an old Navajo rug weaver's trick that I have chosen to call "counting in the code". This method
is not limited to column coding by any means. It works with row coding as well.
Counting in the code
The left hand grid is a 4X3 turkshead that will
be the foundation into which we will interweave another like it to produce our composite knot. The
path of the first cycle of that interweave is traced across the foundation and interstices left
by placing it on alternate pins of a 6 pin mandrel.Note that this includes the seven Xings expected
from the 8 parts of the composite knot (p-1).
Now look at the grid on the right to see the
code sequences of the two half cycles of this cycle (and all the other cycles as well).
To
place the interweave just start the standing end of the second string (white) at bight position 2
and repeat the up and down half cycles three times for the three bights to complete the knot.
The secret here is to includ the interstices in the sequence counts.Also see that this replicated the
same sequences in the bights already in place in the foundation (red).
This all did not
happen by chance. It was part of the "spec" for the knot.
This included "8p X 6b" "single
bight boundary" "locked edges" "odd hc coding = O-U-U-O-U-U-O ".
I will elaborate on this in
the following topics. This is probable the easiest way to visually braid an interweave once you
get used to using it.
