Lesson One

The Basic Turkshead

Lesson One

Here I wlll define a couple of things and show you how I will depict the structure of the knots with templates. This is basic groundwork so that the material in later lessons wil hopefully make sense.

What is a Simple Turkshead

The simple braided knot known as a turkshead is a closed segment of a basket weave flat braid pattern done in the form of a cylinder, executed with one thong. This over one, under one braid pattern is sometimes called casa coding.

How Do We Define A Specific Knot

Each knot of this type may be fully described in terms of its parts X bights. The parts are the thongs in the flat braid pattern of a particular knot, and the bights are the points where the thong changes direction at the edge of the cylinder, exiting and reentering the braid pattern. The number of parts determines the length of the knot, and the number of bights, the diameter. In specifying the pXb definition, we only count the bights at one edge; while there will be an equal number at the opposite edge.

The common divisor rule

Such knots can be defined with any number of parts and bights with only one constraint. The two numbers can not be equal, or have a common divisor. Any pair of numbers which observe this rule can be braided with a single string. Thus a 5 X 4, or 3 X 4 knot are possible, but not a 4 X 4. or a 6 X 4 knot, with a single string. Be sure to notice the qualification of "a single string" here, as it is possible to interweave two or more simple knots in a manner to produce a larger knot that violates this common divisor rule. (More about this later.)
Note that a knot with an even number of bights can only be braided with an odd number of parts, while a knot with an odd number of bights can be braided with either odd or even parts so long as we observe the common divisor rule.

Templates

For simplicity and clarity, we will illustrate the various principles in braiding these knots with templates instead of sketches of the individual knots. A template is simply a graphic representation of the braid structure of a particular knot as if it had been sliced across the cylinder and spread out flat. Again for simplicity, we will assume a vertical orientation of the knot cylinder, and a clockwise direction of the wraps around the cylinder to form the knot. We will also number the bights for use with pinned mandrels. The first wrap of each template will be highlighted in red and the second in green.

This is the template for a 5p X 4b knot with the bights numbered. The solid lines denote an over crossing by the thong, and the broken lines an under crossing.
Note that one half of the first bight appears on each side of the template at the bottom. The path of the thong would be from the 1 at the bottom right, upward to 3 at the top, then downward to the left to the edge of the template. Here we jump horizontally to the right side and continue in the same direction to bight 2 at the bottom.
The second wrap in green goes to 4 at the topand returns downward to 3 at the bottom,
If we continue this process for two more trips around the knot, we arrive at 1 on the bottom. A final tuck under the braid at the bottom of the start completes the knot.

This is an 8p X 5b template with the first wrap highlighted in red. Note that one half of the 1 bight is on opposite sides of the template at both the top and bottom. The same process for 5 wraps around the knot will complete this knot. Note that all wraps after the first are parallel to the preceding wrap. In the 5 X 4 knot, they are also adjacent, while in this knot, there are two intervening spaces between consecutive wraps. (More about this later.)

Pinned Mandrels

With a decrease in manual dexterity with advancing age, I find it much easier to braid knots on small wooden mandrels with removable pins. ( I will show you later how I construct them.) The only real reason for the difference in bight alignment is to make the process of counting the bight increment a little easier as I usually don't bother with acttually numbering the pins on the mandrel. The pins are small "panel nails" pushed into snug holes drilled in the mandrel so tthey can be removed to slide the knot off the mandrel.

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