TAKE sixteen strands, twenty hairs in a strand, and place on table like pattern. Commence at A, take Nos. 1 at A lift across inside of Nos. 1 at B, and bring back Nos. 1 from B to A; then go to C, take Nos. 1 at C lift across inside of Nos. 1 at D, and bring back Nos. 1 from D to C; then commence at A again and repeat it three times; then commence at A, take Nos. 1 across to B and lay them outside of Nos. 2 at B, and bring back Nos. 1 from B to A and lay outside of Nos. 2 at A; then go to C and change from C to D the same as from A to B; then you are through the braid, ready to commence as at first.

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Braid this over a small wire, with a hole in one end like the eye of a needle, so as to draw a small cord in the place of the wire. When you have it braided, take off your weights, tie the ends fast on the wire and push the braid together on the wire; then boil in water about ten minutes; then take it out and put in an oven as hot as it will bear without burning, until it is quite dry; then take it out and slip it off of the wire on to the cord, and sew the ends of the braid so it will not slip on the cord, and put a little sh.e.l.lac on the end to keep it fast.

If you want it elastic, use elastic cord. To vary the size of the braid, vary the number of hairs in a strand.

NECKLACE PATTERN.

TAKE sixteen strands, twenty hairs in a strand, and place on table like pattern. Commence at A, take Nos. 1 at A across over inside of Nos. 1 at B, and bring back Nos. 1 from B to A; then take Nos. 2 at A across over inside of Nos. 2 at B, and bring back Nos. 2 from B to A; then take No.

1 at C in right hand and No. 1 at D in left hand and change them, lay the No. 1 from C in place of No. 1 at D, and lay the No. 1 from D in place of No. 1 at C; then change the Nos. 1 and 2 at A and B as at first; then change the Nos. 2 at C and D, as you did the Nos. 1 at C and D; then change the Nos. 1 and 2, as before, at A and B; then take Nos. 3 at C and D and change as you did the Nos. 2 at C and D; then change again Nos. 1 and 2 at A and B as at first; then take the Nos. 4 at C and D and change as you did the Nos. 3 at C and D; then you are through the braid, ready to commence as at first.

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Braid this without cord or wire.

NECKLACE PATTERN.

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TAKE sixteen strands, twenty hairs in a strand, and place on table like pattern. Commence at A, take Nos. 1 lift over to B in place of Nos. 1 at B, and bring back Nos. 1 from B to A; then take Nos. 2 at A and change over in place of Nos. 2 at B, and bring back Nos. 2 from B to A; then take No. 3 at A in right hand and No. 3 at B in left hand, and lay them inside of Nos. 1 at D, and bring back Nos. 1 from D and lay in place of Nos. 3 at A and B; then take No. 4 at A in left hand and No. 4 at B in right hand, and lay inside of Nos. 1 at C, and bring back Nos. 1 from C to A and B, and lay in place of Nos. 4; then commence as at first and repeat this three times, then take Nos. 1 at A, lift over to B in place of Nos. 1 at B, and bring back Nos. 1 from B to A; then take Nos. 2 at A and change over in place of Nos. 2 at B, and bring back Nos. 2 from B to A; then take Nos. 3 at A and B, lay inside of Nos. 1 at D; then take Nos. 4 at A and B, lay inside of Nos. 1 at C; then take Nos. 2 at A and lay outside of Nos. 1 at B, and bring back Nos. 2 from B and lay outside of Nos. 1 at A; then take Nos. 1 at C, lift over inside of Nos. 1 at D and bring back Nos. 1 from D and lay inside of Nos. 1 at C; then take No. 1 at C, on the side next to B, in right hand, and lay it inside of No. 1 at B; then take the No. 1 at D, next to B, in left hand, and lay it inside of No. 1 at B; then take the No. 1 at C, next to A, in right hand, and lay it inside of No. 1 at A; then take No. 1 at D, next to A, and lay it inside of No. 1 at A; then take the Nos. 3 and 4 at A, lift over to B, and lay outside of Nos. 1 at B, and bring back Nos. 3 and 4 from B and lay outside of Nos. 1 at A; then lift Nos. 2 at A over and lay in place of Nos. 2 at B, and bring back Nos. 2 from B to A, and lay in place of Nos. 2 at A; then take No. 4 at A, in left hand, and No. 4 at B in right hand, and lay them inside of Nos. 1 at C, and bring the Nos. 1 from C back in place of the Nos. 4 at A and B; then take No. 3 at B in left hand, and No. 3 at A in right hand, and lay them inside of Nos. 1 at D, and bring back Nos. 1 from D and lay in place of Nos. 3 at A and B; then you are through the braid, ready to commence as at first.

NECKLACE PATTERN.

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TAKE twenty-two strands, fifteen hairs in a strand, and place on table like pattern. Have the strands at A and B black hair, and those at C and D light hair. Commence at A, take Nos. 1 and cross over inside of Nos. 1 at B, and bring back Nos. 1 from B and lay in place of Nos. 1 at A, then take Nos. 2 at A, cross over inside of Nos. 2 at B, and bring back Nos.

2 from B and lay inside of Nos. 2 at A; then take No. 1 at C in right hand, and No. 1 at D in left hand, cross over and lay the No. 1 from C at D, and the No. 1 from D at C; then change the Nos. 1 and 2 at A and B as at first; then take the Nos. 2 at C and D and change them as you did the Nos. 1; then change again at A and B as at first; then take the Nos.

3 at C and D, and change as you did the Nos. 2; then change again at A and B, and so on till you get to Nos. 7, and after changing that, change again at A and B; then change Nos. 7 again, then those at A and B, then Nos. 6, then at A and B, then Nos. 5, and so on back to No. 1, and change No. 1 there as you did Nos. 7. Always braid those at A and B between each of those at C and D.

NECKLACE PATTERN.

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TAKE 24 strands, twenty-five hairs in a strand, and place on table like this pattern. Commence at A, take Nos. 1 lift across inside of Nos. 1 at B, and bring back Nos. 1 from B to A, then go to C and take Nos. 1 at C and cross inside of Nos. 1 at D, and bring back Nos. 1 from D to C, then go to A and change Nos. 1 from A to B, as at first, then take Nos. 1 at E and F and swing round table with the same, and lay down in between Nos. 1 at A and B, and lay the No. 1 at A and B in the place of No. 4 at E and F, then change the Nos. 1 at C across inside of Nos. 1 at D, and bring back Nos. 1 from D to C, then change Nos. 1 at A and B the same, then the Nos. 1 at C and D again, then take Nos. 1 at H and G, swing round table with the same, and lay in between Nos. 1 at C and D, and lay the right hand ones at C and D up in place of No. 4 at H and G, then you are through the braid ready to commence as at first. Braid it over a cord so to push it together.

NECKLACE OR EDGING BRAID.

TAKE sixteen strands, fifteen hairs in a strand, and place on table like pattern. Commence at A, lift Nos. 2 across inside of Nos. 2 at B, and bring back Nos. 2 from B to A; then take Nos. 1 at A, lift across inside of Nos. 1 at B, and cross them, the one in right hand over the left, and bring back Nos. 1 from B to A, and cross the right over the left; then go to D, lift Nos. 1 across inside of Nos. 1 at C, cross the right over the left, and bring back Nos. 1 from C to D, and cross the right over the left; then repeat all from the beginning three times round the table. Then go to D, lift Nos. 3, cross the right over the left, and lay them outside of Nos. 1 at C; then go to A, lift Nos. 2 across inside of Nos. 2 at B, and bring back Nos. 2 from B to A; then take Nos. 1 at A, lift across inside of Nos. 1 at B, cross the right over the left, and bring back Nos. 1 from B to A, and cross them; then go to D, lift Nos. 1 across inside of Nos. 1 at C, cross the right over the left, and bring back Nos. 1 from C to D; then take Nos. 3 at C, and lay inside of Nos. 2 at D, and leave them there. Then you are through the braid, ready to commence at A, as at first.

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See explanation on page 9.

HEAD DRESS OR NECKLACE BRAID.

TAKE twenty-four strands, eighty hairs in a strand, and place on table like pattern. Commence at A, lift Nos. 1 and 2 across inside of Nos. 1 and 2 at B, and bring back Nos. 1 and 2 from B to A; then go to C, lift Nos. 1 and 2 across inside of Nos. 1 and 2 at D, and bring back Nos. 1 and 2 from D to C; then go to A and change the Nos. 1 and 2 from A to B the same as at first; then take Nos. 1 at E and F, swing round table to the left, and lay them down between Nos. 1 and 2 at A and B; then lay the Nos. 2 at A and B in place of Nos. 4 at E and F; then change the Nos. 1 and 2 at C across inside of Nos. 1 and 2 at D, and bring back Nos. 1 and 2 from D to C; then change the same at A and B; then change again at C and D the same; then take Nos. 1 at H and G, swing round table to the left, and lay them between Nos. 1 and 2 at C and D, and lay the Nos. 2 at C and D in place of Nos. 4 at H and G. Then you are through the braid, ready to commence at A, as at first.

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Braid it over a strong cord, and when braided push it close together, tie the ends, and boil in water five minutes; then heat it in an oven until it is quite dry, and it is ready for use.

RING PATTERN.

TAKE thirteen strands, fifteen hairs in a strand, and place on table like pattern. Commence at A, lift No. 5 over between Nos. 2 and 3 at A; then take No. 1 at A, and lift over between Nos. 2 and 3 at B; then take No. 1 at B, and lift over between Nos. 2 and 3 at C; then lift No. 1 at C over between Nos. 2 and 3 at C; then lift No. 4 at C over between Nos.

2 and 3 at B; then lift No. 4 at B over between Nos. 2 and 3 at A. Then you are through the braid, ready to commence as at first, and repeating until it is the required length. Then tie it out straight on a flat stick, boil it in water five minutes, then heat it in an oven as hot as it will bear without burning, until it is quite dry, and then it is ready for use.

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The above directions, after braiding, will suffice for finishing all Ring Braids, unless other directions are given.

RING BRAID.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

TAKE twenty-four strands, twenty hairs in the strands at C and D, and ten hairs in the strands at A and B, and place on table like pattern.

Commence at A, take Nos. 1 and lift across table and lay inside of Nos.