Some Elementary Plaits
Before starting, straw must be soaked for about 20 minutes in warm water. This makes it pliable.As you work, keep your straw damp by placing it under a small cloth or tea towel..
Straw Suppliers
Rosemary SaultYoxall Farm, Longcroft Lane, Yoxall, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE13 8NT.www.simplystraw.co.uk Tel. 01543 472629
Rosemary grows wheat, oats and rye
Elaine LindsaySomething Corny, Rowan Cottage, Inveramsay, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, AB51 5DQ.www.somethingcorny.co.uk Tel. 01467 681330
Something Corny supplies straw working materials, books and tools for the craft
How to doThree Strand hair Plait
This is probably the most familiar plait
Three strand hair plait
Tie 3 straws together. Spread 2 to the right and 1 to the left.
Take the outside right.Fold to inside left position.
Take the outside left.Fold to inside right position.
Continue pattern.Take the outside right.
Fold to inside left position.
Take the outside left.
Fold to inside right position.
Left to right.
Right to left.
Tie off when complete.
How to doCompass Plait
This is probably the easiest of plaits
Compass Plait
Tie 4 straws together and spread in North, South, East and West positions.
Swop place of North and South (ie take the North to the South position and the South to the North position.)
Swop the East and the West (ie take the East to the West position and the West to the East position)
Continue pattern - North to South....
....East to West.
Note the straws do not cross (ie. the orange is always to the right of the blue. The purple is always lower than the red.
When complete tie all ends together.
How to doCathedral Plait
A quick and easy plait which can be used alone or combined
Cathedral plait
Select 7 straws.
Place 1st straw horizontally.Place 2nd straw vertically
Place a 2nd horizontal straw below the first.
Fold the 1st horizontal straw over the 2nd
Place a 3rd horiaontal straw below the 2nd
Fold the 2nd horizontal straw over the 3rd.
Continue the pattern with a 4th straw ....
.....a 5th straw
....a 6th straw
Fold down the final ends.Fold the vertical straw behind the work.Tie all ends together.
How to doAn Arrow Plait
Arrow plait
You need 7 damp straws and a piece of wire.
The wire has been threaded into one of the straws and all straws are tied together with a clove hitch.
The wired straw is the 'core' straw and is placed in an upright position. The other straws are 'workers' and are spread three to each side.
The straws are held upfright like this. (please ignore the shadow)
The lower straw on the right is wound behind the core straw and up behind the straws on the left
It crosses in front of the core straw and rests on the top right
The lower left straw, now passes in front of the core straw and the straws on the right. Then it travels behind the core straw and rests on the top left.
Here the red straw on the right has travelled behind all the straw on the right, behind and infront of the core straw. It rests on the top right.
Now the lower left straw has travelled in front of the core straw and those straws on the right. It has gone round the core straw and rests on the top left.
I hope you are starting to see a pattern. The lower straw on the right goes up behind the core straw and around and rests on the top right
The lower straw on the left, passes up and in front of the core straw, then around and rests on the top left.
Continue in this manner. Lower right, up, behind and around
Lower left, up, in front and around
The final pattern looks something like this. It is much neater using the top section of undyed straws. I've used coloured straws to help with the moves.