Easy Fingerloop Braid - for all your Medieval Lacing and Cord needs!

[@cryinward]

ah, another hobby to acquire

[@MorganDonner]

It least it only really requires string! Very low tool cost 😉

[@nobodybirthday]

I collect hobbies like regular people collect Pokémon cards 😂

[@dkphillips1654]

Lol...me too. Always looking for new ways to keep busy and productive.

[@cw4608]

Hahahaha! I feel it too.

[@kayceegreer4418]

@@dkphillips1654 I seem to always be looking for more projects to abandon... lol I have many, many project started that I haven't finished yet - I keep getting new crochet ideas!

[@believeinfaeries8713]

Me: I don’t need to learn *another* fiber skill. Also me: Let’s dig through the yarn stash and try this!

[@brittianica]

Flynn's Feats of Finery I had the same thought 😂😂 what yarn weight do you reckon would work for making like a drawstring cord?

[@louverousse9023]

@@brittianica Try sock yarn maybe ?

[@DebbieBuckland]

so me

[@rd6673]

Also me!

[@donnachance7921]

You get a tighter braid/weave not a “much more”

[@canucknancy4257]

Very cool. I'm amused by the "if you need to walk away from your weaving, leave your loops undisturbed on the table" I'm guessing you do not have a cat in the house. In my house, they would happily "help" with the weaving.

[@brittianica]

Canuck Nancy42 I had the same problem. that’s why when we bought our house, I INSISTED on a craft room with a closeable door!!!

[@canucknancy4257]

@@brittianica I have one that's closeable for just that reason. It's a lovely thing, isn't it :)

[@alicialong9017]

Ha yes - my small children are equally as destructive!

[@trainjackson63]

A bit of tape to hold them down might help.

[@canucknancy4257]

@@trainjackson63 I could see that working (but my cats like to eat tape too)

[@abandonedpast6410]

Very interesting, going to give it a try. It just so happens one of my work tables is a door, so I will use the "door knob of a table"... LOL!!

[@anitapaulsen3282]

That's awesome, lol!

[@lamoinette23]

LOL!

[@marisolcastaneda9353]

😂

[@6butterflywings6]

I need one of these! LOL.

[@racheldavis5482]

🤣

[@tarry_ny]

My friends and I used to make finger-loop braided friendship bracelets using embroidery thread, and this is really taking me back! I had no idea it was such an ancient technique though, how amazing that there are children who are inadvertently keeping this alive today!

[@darcyshelleybens7153]

I am Metis from Western Canada and we call this the back weave. It is part of our Fingerweaving tradition.

[@stanamilanovich3956]

That's so cool!

[@r-pupz7032]

So often we forget that groups other than white Europeans were using similar techniques, or other interesting techniaues.. we don't always need to look to manuscripts, many indigenous groups and cultures around the world were doing these things too and have preserved their traditions much better than medieval European culture preserved their women's traditions! I would love to see more of a spotlight on other traditions that aren't just white European - don't get me wrong I'm fascinated with medieval European history but there is so much else out there that so often gets overlooked, because Europeans colonised everywhere and no we think of it as the default. Thank you for sharing, I'd love to see more of the techniques your culture uses!

[@brittanymckinnon4524]

.... How do you finish a weave off properly then? Because I am having the biggest trouble trying to figure out how lol .... Please help 🥺

[@misstanyamae]

@@r-pupz7032 Weaving Hand, Brooklyn based, has a really great program for fiber arts education, especially among BIPOC. I would love to see more programs like this, especially with the youth outreach.

[@k.umquat8604]

@@r-pupz7032 Everything you said was true and needed to be pointed out.. However,the Metis are actually descended from the children of European colonists and Native women, so they have been influenced by Europeans quite a bit.

[@whyknotish]

This is crazy! I learnt this when I was little from a book of friendship bracelet techniques. It was my favourite one! I’m getting flashbacks to tiny me spending all my spare time tied to a chair or the leg of my bed creating thousands of bracelets. It got the point where I would work with individual strands from embroidery thread so I’d produce a cord only a 2mm in diameter. I’ve still got a jar of them and all my threads tucked away in my camphor wood box. Although I did it palms up, it was otherwise identical. Who knew I was practicing a medieval technique as I watched my Saturday Disney!

[@penneya3911]

We would safety pin the end of the strings to our shoe, slightly easier than finding a clamp!

[@whyknotish]

P A that’s nifty! There’s still bits of string attached to various chair and bed legs in my room (even after moving house twice) 10+ years later from where I used to tie mine!

[@lothruin1]

I learned it for friendship bracelets, too! I have also since used it for costuming for faire, and remarked much the same thing at the time. How many centuries of oral tradition led to me using a medieval technique to make gifts for my friends, at age 12?

[@Terahnee]

Yes! Exactly. I have vivid memories of doing this at Girl Scout camp in the 80s. And in my bedroom at home :-)

[@Terahnee]

Although I have to say, the method I most remember was a flat braid that only went through the loop closest to the one being caught. ie, 123 on the left hand and 23 on the right, only wove through 2 on the left, not on 2 & 3 on the left, if that makes sense....

[@debra333]

Morgan, you are a thoughtful and thorough teacher. I'm dyslexic, so things get jumbled in my head like clothes in a washing machine. But you make great sense. Thank you.

[@MamaKitty-ub9fh]

Debra you're right she is a wonderful teacher. I'm not dyslexic but I have to take a certain medication which affects my memory and comprehension and add to that I'm one of those "crafty people" who have the desire but very little skill, lol. But she was very easy to understand. Sorry Megan to talk about you and not to you but I do appreciate your ability to make this understandable to all levels of skill. I've recently become almost completely bedridden and I'm looking for things that help keep my mind active and when you said about using your feet I felt that you were talking to me, lol. Thank you for taking the time to video & teach us

[@debra333]

@@MamaKitty-ub9fh Bless you. I'll keep you in my thoughts, sending healing vibes your way. (I love your moniker...I'm a proud Kittymama, too!!😻)

[@shutupsavannah2195]

MamaKitty 0630 I also spend a lot of time in bed due to pain and have some issues with brain fog. i find cross stitch great bc the stitches are just lil diagonal slashes but you get a great effect when you look at the finished product. May be an issue w comprehension (I’ve been sewing since before my illness really affected me, so can’t weigh in) but hand work is great to do from bed. Bernadette Banner is great for lovely relaxing hand stitching inspo and she’s got some tutorials as well.

[@hopegold883]

Except I’m unsure about the ends. When you tie that first loop to start, it looked like it was a couple inches from the end. Do the loops just hang off the end there? And also, at the end, did she just tie it all inside knot, or tie the three and two together? Not only could I not see what she did, but after that in the video, she seemed to be deliberately hiding that end so I couldn’t even look at it. Obviously I’m the stupid one because this video went up 6 months ago, and no one else is asking.

[@helenwilson4815]

I agree & I'm dyslexic also .

[@Veerlejf]

If anyone wants to get deeper into fingerloop braiding, I can recommend "Tak V Bowes Departed: a 15th century braiding manual examined" by Gina Barett and Elizabeth Benns. It both discusses the manuscript, and gives clear illustrated instructions how to make the braids.

[@MorganDonner]

Oooo, I can't believe I forgot to put that in the description box, thank you for the reminder! It's a fantastic book.

[@AgentPedestrian]

The website fingerloop.org is also cool if you can't afford a book. I tried every single braid they had listed in a night. Short ones.

[@raquelalmeida9002]

++

[@tagmopruannsilver8267]

Morgan and Co, I want you to know that I made a mistake and found out how to make button holes in these braids. First, I accidentally made 6 loops (and I'm not sure if that matters for the button holes, but it there it is). I could still braid the loops like you show here with palms down, but the magic happened when I weaved my index to pick up the outer loop. If you follow over under over under on both hands, you get a single braid, but if you choose one hand to reverse that, you start creating 2 smaller braids. So my pattern became 3 loops on each hand, my left index would go over under until I could grab the last loop. Then I would have 4 loops on my left hand and IF I wanted a single braid my right index would go over under until I got the last loop on my left hand. But, I could do 10 or so stiches of that right index going under over instead to create 2 sides of a button hole. Just switch back to the normal over under pattern to close the hole

[@rachelclark6393]

Whoa. That s awesome! That could be really useful! I haven't tried this so I only understood your instructions in the theoretical, but I can see how it works and how you could use that. Fascinating, thanks for sharing. If I ever get through enough of my other hobbies to justify picking this up, I'll definitely try it!

[@OrthodoxMidwife]

Nice!!

[@MorganDonner]

For anyone referencing this video in the future: Making 5 loops: 1:55 Starting your braid: 3:45 Have fun braiding everyone! I'd love to see your braids on IG (tag #morgandonner in your posts so I can find you!) :D

[@Catbirdmom2]

How did you end it?

[@mayfair_forest_witch]

1:42 "As long as it's something that's a little bit far away from you and it's going to move" - I guess you mean don't use your cat or a dog, noted.... 😅

[@aellalee4767]

I love that you kept your misspoken word in there, "doorknob of a table," my mom and I often do that kind of thing when we're tired and laugh so hard that we cry over what we say. Reminded me of how much fun we had, I moved out years ago, but a nice reminder.

[@lhannis1]

Good Mistress, this SCAdian weaver, spinner wool artist type person that I am, seriously suggests if you are going to use wool for this, get wool meant for warping a loom, it is just stronger and won't break as easily.

[@brittany45]

I've found sock yarn, particularly West Yorkshire Spinner, is a good "Actually able to find it" alternative. Just grippy enough to not unravel when you return your hands to the Walk Down position also not super bouncy like what is shown here.

[@lhannis1]

@@brittany45 that works too, warp is best. A good NON NYLON (that is important because apparently people think adding nylon to yarn is a good thing) sock yarn should be strong enough

[@MorganDonner]

A very fair point! I certainly don't mean to disparage the good name of wool. I should give it another try with a nicer thread!

[@lhannis1]

@@MorganDonner oh I never thought you were disparaging it! I just wasnt sure if you knew that existed because not everyone realizes the difference

[@arielsmith-essers3079]

Great idea. I was also going to suggest a different ply if you’re going to use wool yarn. This one looks like a fairly loose 2 ply which would be prone to breaking but if you use a 4ply it would be stronger. It’s all in how the wool is spun and the kind of wool used too. Soft merino in a 2 ply would be very breakable compared to a hardier wool. So a nice strong twist to the wool helps.

[@Abbe1133]

“The doorknob of a table” Honestly I didn’t question that in the least :) I am so excited for the wool dress, I can hardly wait to see it! I really like this technique, and you’ve given me some ideas for Christmas presents, so thank you!

[@suzynash3487]

When I was younger many people had a kitchen table with a drawer to keep their cutlery in. These did indeed have small round knobs on to open them so it made perfect sense to me.

[@bahbcat]

I've seen tables made out of doors. Didn't even make me pause untill she started explaining.

[@MamaKitty-ub9fh]

@@suzynash3487 growing up I had that type of table, lol. Always thought it was the smartest thing. And after I married and had children I wished I had one again since I always felt like a Jack-in-the-box at meal times! I've been keeping an eye out at Thrift stores, Goodwill and auctions for one that was in decent shape and affordable. As a Grandmother Jack-in-the-box it would definitely be a Godsend!

[@Duskkit]

One of the desks in my family's computer room is a door from our old house, which we moved away from when I was maybe six. One of my early memories is there suddenly being a table with a hole in it, and a doorway that was empty, awaiting a (presumably less problematic in some way) new door. Not a table with a doorknob, but it easily could have been. I believe the hole where the knob used to be is currently covered by our printer, but it has in the past been used as a route for cables to go through without being either squashed against the wall or sticking out into the area people are sitting in.

[@CathyHay]

What a neat technique, and so simple! I loved seeing a clip of the actual primary source manuscript, and the image showing the method in action! So cool!

[@MorganDonner]

I hoped someone out there would think that was as cool as I did!! 😊♥️

[@roxiepoe9586]

@@MorganDonner Add another someone. I always appreciate primary.

[@bernadettebanner]

*agrees vehemently*

[@kallandar13]

Cathy Hay I agree-primary source inclusion is always a nice touch!

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

Oh yeah it was very cool. Seeing something that old just fires the imagination. Who had it written and why are a few of the questions that are bouncing around my head now.

[@lisahenry20]

This video was recommended to me because I've been watching a lot of hair videos (including historical ones) so I started watching because I thought it was a medieval braid for your hair. I finished watching knowing how to braid yarn, so even though it's not what I expected to learn to do, I'm still happy 😂

[@Carla-ns8rx]

you can include this braided yarn in your hair braids.

[@karenneill9109]

So great to see this again! Tip for making a longer braid when you haven’t got a friend... Pull all the threads together in the middle of very long loops, tie a single knot, put the threads not being used into a wee baggie or something similar, do a larkshead there, braid the first side. Then take the knot out, turn the work around, move the lark’s head back to ‘tidy’ braid, then do the other half. It eliminates the loose bits as the braid is started, and helps manage very long threads. It’s a technique used in macrame, it should work with this. Braids sometimes have a wrong and a right side- if so, make sure it will be consistent. My daughter loves finger weaving, I bet she’ll like this, too.

[@Koosei]

I was wondering how to work it with extra long lengths, so thanks for your comment! I don't know much about macrame or knots though. can you explain what a larkshead is?

[@karenneill9109]

@@Koosei Bobbins work well, too. Even just bits of cardboard with the threads wrapped around them can help. A larkshead is the basic macrame knot- one cord is straight, the other is looped around the first. Hard to explain knots- video is worth a thousand words! I’d go to KZbin for a better explanation.

[@IrisCarterEnterprises]

@@Koosei Go to 2:11 in the video above and she shows a larkshead. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYLTdpZ9m9tgqLs

[@deniseforrester4999]

id need to see that done . Larks head ?

[@IrisCarterEnterprises]

@@deniseforrester4999 Go to 2:11 in the video above and she shows a larkshead.

[@sarahatch2046]

I'm not sure why your awesome video popped up in my feed, but I'm so happy it did. Apparently the universe decided I need to try fingerloop braiding. This looks so cool. Thanks for teaching 🥰

[@angela2645]

I can definitely see this as being a kids chore while mom is working on other things!

[@LaSa1]

I love how your hair is perfectly braided while you teach us braiding 🌈

[@BryceHistorically]

Fun! I haven’t really done much Fingerloop Braiding, but it looks like it gave you such a nice finished product. I do, however, make a lot of Bobbin Lace, and it kind of looks like if you were to take the strings from your loop and replace each finger with a pair of bobbins, you could end up with very similar patterns and string travel. Hence the theory that they are related, I suppose. Craft roots are fascinating. 😊

[@juliebeans7323]

I was wondering if you could use bobbins to work longer braids..... I recently watched a traditional Japanese braiding video..... Amazing!

[@motherendurance]

I am a bone/pillow/bobbin lacemaker too and I was thinking the exact same thing!

[@sarahlabbe9779]

Cue me with 6 safety pins, one on my shoelace for the first loopy bit and 5 others on my pant leg for pausing my work through the day. (Yay for long commutes and busses + waiting rooms)

[@nartyteek]

I use my feet! I use my feet like a second pair of clumsy hands for loads of crafts. Makes me feel oh-so hobbity.

[@jenniferprice1036]

I did the same thing! Tied the loop to my big toe and sat crosslegged then stretched out my legs as I went LOL

[@serinad9434]

Also you can use your feet to beat (tighten) the start of the braid, if you don't have someone there to help. Make the strands slightly longer than the length of your legs, and then you just use your big toe to 'push' the yarn each time.

[@lilibetp]

I frequently use my feet when I'm rolling balls of yarn from hanks.

[@ginnyjollykidd]

I've used my feet to play "cat's cradle", a yarn game using a long loop it takes 2 people to play, but I've used my toes to set each form on and then done the next move. This finger weaving reminds me of string games like making "crows' feet."

[@MamaKitty-ub9fh]

nartyteek I can remember my sister trying to teach me to knit as I child and having her roll her eyes &shake her head because I held the needles with my toes and the yarn with my hands thanks for for bring that memory back ;)

[@vasilisabelikoven]

Your first video on this inspired me to try my hand at fingerloop braiding and in doing so i made some really lovely braids to use on a viking outfit reconstruction/intepretation. I found that doing it on my bed, with the braid anchored on one of my bedposts, allowed me to sit comfortably and then use my toes to beat down and braid and also keep tension nicely on the braid. Thank you for this video!! I'll definitely be giving the palms down technique a shot :D

[@MorganDonner]

Ah, yes, the time-honored tradition of toe beating 😆 Very handy when you don't have a friend around to help out!

[@BethAge95]

hi, do you have any evidence for the use of finger loop braides for the viking age? i was looking for it but the earliest ones i could only find were mediaeval.

[@vasilisabelikoven]

@@BethAge95 much of what I have found indicates either leather, or some sort of fabric were used as laces, since we know tablet weaving was used, I decided that finger loop braids were not too much of a stretch to imagine they might have been used

[@ragnkja]

metalhummel The Viking age overlaps with what’s called medieval in most of Europe, but maybe you meant that you’ve only found references from the latter half of the 11th century or later?

[@innahaapa1314]

I did something similar, I anchored my yarns onto a weight on the floor and braided standing and did the beating with my toes. I have to say it gave me quite a lot of steps and was less tiring on the arms and back. ;-)

[@beadinggem]

Love this way of finger loop braiding. Much easier. I am actually a jewelry maker but we use braided cords too! Like the Japanese kumihimo technique for both wire and fiber. I am going to share this technique on my blog so others can learn this!

[@pay1370]

how fun, i remember being obsessed with fingerloop braids for friendschip bracelets when i was a kid! guess thats enough of an excuse to start making miles of braids again ;)

[@ablanccanvas]

pay1370 | mind you... it looks like you are a ‘cat’ [profile pic] and maybe you will want to chew the ends of your braids. 😳

[@PoesRaven1984]

I used this technique to make friendship bracelets when I was little! I would break those wool threads for sure...I kept so much tension on the embroidery thread we used to make the bracelets that mine actually came out three dimensional rather than flat...they were kind of trapezoid shaped. I should have known that this was yet another amazing fiber art that had been recycled through the generations. I did not, however, realize that there were different styles. I'm going to check out your other videos right know. By the way, this is crazy but I actually learned to make these palms up. ;)

[@AlexaFaie]

Someone else mentioned that the version they did as a kid was palm up and resulted in a square braid rather than a flat one, so perhaps that is why your ones turned out 3D rather than flat if you did them palm up. Must be something about the direction.

[@emlangan]

It may not be documented in period sources, but when I learned this to make "friendship bracelets", I learned a palm-up technique that didn't require you to weave your index finger through the loops on the same hand. Set up in the same manner, 3+2, but have the 2 on index and middle rather than middle and ring. Using the empty ring finger on the 2-loop hand, go through the ring and middle finger loops on the other hand, and pick up the loop from the index finger. Then walk the strands up, rather than down, freeing the ring finger on the now 2-loop hand, and repeat. I also discovered that you could vary which "side" of the loop you picked up, and make either a single braid, or two separate strands. Switching between meant you could make a single braid with openings in it. I used it to weave a key necklace (for my locker) where the key was embedded in the cord rather than sliding along it. I wonder if you could use something like that for a closure (buttoning or lacing through the openings), or a belt hanger (make the slot near one end, loop around your belt and then pass the free end through the opening. Hmm... (I have actually used this for a bodice lace - I used modern embroidery floss and (I think - it's been a few years) tied knots part-way up so I could braid the first section without needing eight-foot arms, to make a very long lace for a 14th-century gown/kirtle.)

[@kyab2815]

I would watch this.

[@practicallymedieval2027]

woohoo. I scored a bunch of cone cotton/linen thread at the thrift store, and its miserable to knit with and I have no loom to weave. This is so happening! Such a well timed video.

[@ginnyjollykidd]

Ooh! What a find!

[@N0T504N0NYM0U5]

I'm making a crochet bag for myself and remembered seeing this video years ago, and I can't tell you how excited I am that this video is still up. Thank you for the tutorial and explanation, I forgot how fun this is to do.

[@suemiller9842]

Morgan, if you tie a knot in each loop, your loops will be the same length again. Thanks for a super video.

[@augustwogsland3309]

I learned how to do this as a kid and spent many, many hours with string tied around my toes making bracelets and necklaces from embroidery floss. I didn't realize it was a medieval technique until now! How cool!!!

[@I8AFluffyBunny]

Tip: don’t try this with kitties anywhere near you. They kept chewing on the yarn and snapping it! :)

[@vhehl698]

my cat keeps playing with my yarn when i saw haha

[@peggysue1725]

Yup my cat also thinks it's impolite to have yarn out when he is present, he just sat on all of them so I only got as far as cutting them out.. I'll trick him later tho, really wanna try this out :D

[@SouthCountyGal]

I used to knit in my car, sitting in my own driveway, because my cats were certain all the yarn belonged to them.

[@PatriciaSahlberg]

Thank you for this! I learnt this at a medieval fair at about 9 years old and had forgotten some of the steps. Now I can do it again. I also learnt back then that it was easy to do in the dark, just feel your way. Perfect project for those dark medieval evenings. :-)

[@espere_]

I love beginner-friendly methods! You made this look easy, I can’t wait to try.

[@nicolejosan6364]

That's amazing. I thought that I knew them all. Crochet, knitting, braiding, embroidery, sewing, macrame... and now this ancient craft gets my brain in a twist. How did these women invent it?

[@CarieSpacefortheButterflies]

This looks amazing! In terms of wool, the strength of it comes from the twist and number of plies - a high twist 4ply sock yarn would be a lot harder to break than a 2ply lower twist (like a Shetland yarn) even though they’re the same thickness. Also the fluffier the yarn the more it will Velcro together and the more force you need to exert on the stretch so a smooth high twist yarn might work a treat - don’t write off wool just yet!!!

[@51plunkybassline02]

The music that’s always playing at the start of your videos sparks joy in my soul

[@joycejeng264]

This was really interesting to learn. How do you finish it securely? Just tie a knot at the end?

[@IAmSuzyQ]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! When I was a little girl my friends and I used to do this all the time, but I couldn't remember how to do it. Everytime I tried to look it up, I'd search for "finger weaving" and although I found lots of different ways to do it, I couldn't find the one we used to do...until just now! So, again, thank you so much for posting this video! I've been going nuts looking for it, and now I can finally relearn this technique and teach it to my friend's daughter. We're gonna start now and make a ton of garland to use when we decorate for next Christmas. 11 months should be plenty of time to make more than enough for both of our houses. I already bought a bunch of red and green yarn from the Dollar Tree and now I'm looking for some multicolored yarn that has red, green, and white. Maybe we'll get REALLY CRAZY and use some silver and gold yarn too! We're two wild and crazy girls!😉 Anyway, I just wanted to thank you. Doing this makes me feel like a little girl again, and it's fun to make something so beautiful! Take care and please stay safe out there! ✌️💜😷

[@rachelonishi2546]

I used to use this method to make quick friendship bracelets in elementary school. I wouldn’t have thought to use this for lacing!

[@cynthiat6505]

Good gravy! When I get to heaven, I will have thick hair like yours!!! Jealous to the Max!!! You are an excellent teacher!!!!! I’m going to try it with 3 colors for a bracelet for my grandchildren. Thank you so much!

[@DodiTov]

Hmmm....(watches video intently)...Cat's cradle!!! I wonder if children were taught cat's cradle to keep them occupied while Mom made braid?

[@Blue-bn3ze]

I learned cats cradle out of boredom when I would finish with school early (it was a year behind what I was used to because of the difference in states n all so I finished everything quite early and pokemon didn’t always keep me busy)

[@Marny5580]

@Amber T My mom was excellent at cat's cradle - but hardly taught it to me - and she HATED hand-work - so I taught myself how to embroider while on the bus and gave away what I finished so she wouldn't see. I had no one who did anything - except one aunt who made gorgeous clothes - but not for me and never dawned on her to teach me. I am not in my 80s and continue to be thirsty for knowledge - but no longer do much more than look and enjoy - my knitting and crocheting continue - some what - but have many UFOs of various types of needlearts. Go figure. Thanks, Mom.

[@kyrangollehon5241]

8:45 You can also felt the yarn back together! As long as it's a natural fibre like the wool shown here, you could also add in a short section from the skein to match the length lost

[@Donteatacowman]

This is such a great explanation! After one viewing I feel like I could do this easily without watching the video again. I don't know what I'll use it for, but now I've got it in my repertoire. Thank you!

[@amazinggrace5692]

I’ve done finger braiding to pass the time on long road trips. Once you have the pattern down, it allows you to converse while still doing a craft. In fact I do a lot of craft prep or experimentation on long trips. I have used a clipboard as a clamp in the car. As a tee in the 70’s, I made many many macreme projects to and I used my big toe as a stabilizer. Now I teach crafts to blind crafters at our local Center for Vision Loss. I knew all that necessity of using any scrap of thing I could find to make crafts would come in handy. 💕🐝

[@moondrunkmay]

Oh my goodness! I grew up on reenactments, and I used to make these to sell when I was tiny!

[@moondrunkmay]

I used to sing "Peter pointer goes through two, picks up pinkie and pulls her through, walk the doggy down the hill" to help me remember

[@vikingwoman3372]

i learned this from my grandmom when i was 5 yrs and have been doing them ever since-only i have palms up,hug from a 50 yr old norwegian

[@eimat67]

Suggestion: solid dark/ contrasting colour table cloth to make it easier to see the threads. :)

[@ce4072]

Agreed. The wood print fabric wrap just doesn't help for this project.

[@Dougcher23]

Yes, I was about to make that observation. Light yarn/string = dark background, dark yarn/string = light background.

[@evalaraholm1171]

Oh Gods Finding something that I have never seen before regarding weaving, beading, crocheting happens rarely, but wow I love this❤

[@NdayeniD]

Do you notice a significant difference in how tired/sore/whatever your hands & arms get doing it palms down vs. palms facing? Palms down seems like it would keep your hands and wrists in a bit more natural position and thus perhaps reduce the effects of the repetitive motions? Fingerloop braiding is definitely on my lists of crafts I want to try and I'm glad to see you made another video on it :)

[@MorganDonner]

I have not noticed significant wrist stress, but then I've never braided for longer than an hour or so at a time. I have noticed a bit of discomfort with having my fingers crooked, especially when using a lot of tension with a strong tiny fiber like silk, so that's something to watch out for!

[@brittany45]

I've found where you position your arms is a bigger issue. You ideally should have your arms parallel or below your work or you're arms have a tendency to go asleep. Having to stop and shake out the tingly feeling is the worst.

[@MAashChick]

@@MorganDonner I'd think that palm down is more natural for maintaining tension. Palms in over time is likely to be harder on your hands as your muscles wouldn't be as relaxed

[@ellasmommy9278]

As a medialist I found this very interesting and I'm so glad you posted your documentation. That gives me direction if I want to do this as an arts project.

[@joelleburdette642]

Excellent timing, thanks! I was looking for an easier one to start with, so I can practice for more complex projects. Your instructional style (both the way you film it and the way you explain it) is clear and helpful, so thanks for that, too.

[@MorganDonner]

Thank you! I'm glad to hear that the teaching style hit the right chord with you. :D

[@panacheluxury4262]

@@MorganDonner, it absolutely did. Very easy to follow.

[@MamaKitty-ub9fh]

Megan I agree with everything that has been said about your your ability, your teaching, your attitude and your braids, lol. You have a new subscriber who will be binge watching all your videos. I've never seen or heard of this before so glad you popped up on my list

[@FwooshEye]

Wow, I had forgotten I used to make these as a kid :) Must be close to 20 years since then. Feeling kinda nostalgic now!

[@elizabethharber9448]

I’d love to see how this is applied to a garment. How does one deal with using the short sections - joining on the garment? How can new loops be added while creating to make longer lengths of trim?

[@Crosshill]

we need answers!

[@taranian]

We called this five-finger braiding when I was growing up, and we used it for making friendship bracelets. I had no idea the technique was so old!

[@kyasarin131]

I'm halfway through my first braid and I'm having an absolute blast! You're an excellent teacher :D

[@thesqueedler]

I had no idea this was a medieval weaving technique! I learned it also as a young teenager, from my stepsister in the '80s in rural North Carolina. We made so many friendship bracelets this way. I like the hands down style. I'll have to try it.

[@roxiepoe9586]

This is going to drive the cats crazy! I must begin right away.

[@dianescardace3687]

😂

[@twocrows2]

You solved a riddle for me! Thank you, Morgan! In the series "Wolf Hall" on Masterpiece Theater on PBS, Cromwell is watching his [dead] wife do fingerloop braiding --- [she had died earlier and he's feverish and remembering her/hallucinating that she's present.] He asks her to slow down so he can see how she does the braiding and she tells him that she can't slow down because she won't be able to do it if she thinks about it. I've watch the series several times. I never knew what she was doing ---- now I do. Thank you.

[@trishse4030]

It's funny I learned this when I was a child but I forgot how to do it. I would spend hours making key chains for keys I didn't have lol.

[@johannageisel5390]

I need a new key chain.

[@tspeecestudios]

Man, this comes off infinitely easier than your previous loop braiding video--gorgeous though it was--but this one I could actually follow! UPDATE: I could, actually in fact, follow!! This was so much easier than I expected and it has such a good, logical rhythm, I cry!! 😭

[@knkbigelow]

I learned how to do a palm up version that resulted in a square braid rather than a flat braid. Great for friendship bracelets and such. Similar under over except at the end it was reversed.

[@earndoggy]

Oh wow! I've struggled with fingerloop braiding. Then I permanently damaged a finger on each hand and stopped trying. I tried this and had success the first time. Then I tried three loops which I'd never done before and had a perfect round braid on the first try!! And I was able to go FAST! The palms down method has been literally magic for this old lady! Thank you!!!

[@CatGirl-ob4ki]

I was a little intimidated by your first video, this one seems better suited to my skill level. Can't wait to try it out.

[@randibodnar4500]

No idea how I got through 30 or so comments without one stating how absolutely entertaining you are to watch. Your laid back, completely casual approach, the fun editing around your 'errors' rather than editing them out...I could watch your videos all day. I just happened upon this video by chance and absolutely must give this a try, it looks very relaxing so long as I can keep the kitties occupied elsewhere. I can't wait to explore further and see different variations and applications. Thanks so much.

[@pennythrelfall]

OMG, these have to be some of the clearest, simplest instructions I have ever seen for fingerloop braiding. Suggestion for those who struggle with which loop goes with which finger when making braids with different colours is to tie a small piece of different coloured thread on the end of each loop. Then use a marker on the fingers to match the start position of each loop, this is really helpful if you have to stop part way through as you always stop with the loops at the starting position [if that makes any sense]. Thanks Morgan

[@cathryncampbell8555]

Thank you for a *fascinating* video, Ms. Donner! I couldn't help thinking of Japanese Kumihimo as I watched your Fingerloop technique. The Japanese always transmuted every craft into an art form, so they used uniform bobbins to make their lace, cord & braids. Of course, Japanese Kumihimo was often used on the armour of (relatively affluent) Samurai warriors, so I wonder whether Japanese peasants used the same Fingerloop method....

[@barbaradelia-leibrock8316]

I’ve been quiet intimidated by others, watching you trying new technique and oh no string broke, intimidated no more and have subscribe. Thank you

[@FoxWeaver]

I just learned this for our largesse party for the Kingdom of Caid. Word of wisdom to everyone, start with larger yarn before moving to size 10 crochet thread. Your fingers will thank you for it. By the end of the nine cords I made, I was bandaging the high stress fingers to cushion against the threads.

[@rcamels3042]

Me: *studying for finals* KZbin: Morgan Donner Upload! Me: *no longer studying*

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

Rcamels30 I’m sure I read some where that 15 minute breaks every couple of hours was good for your mind while studying. Hope that your finals go well!

[@willcarpenter4401]

I'd learned about this cord by watching someone else's video, but something in what they were doing just didn't sit will in my head. I'm glad you were the top of google's search, because this was exactly what I needed. TY so much for your very clear instructions- I managed to follow right along and get my first braid started.

[@phranerphamily]

You inspired me! This was my first attempt and I used just some bakers string. It was fast and fun! Thank you so much and I look forward to you showing more intricate weaving patterns. 🙂

[@WhatNoKaboom]

My brain would blow up with finger braiding. I have started with kumihino, an ancient Japanese art of braiding. It does not trap your fingers and the ability to make braids with many, many strands and endless colour setups for amazing patterns.

[@rwhayes3277]

I wonder if this is how the “Cat’s Cradle” thread game originated. Very interesting. Thanks.

[@ginnyjollykidd]

I thought that myself. If you do it right, you can repeat cat's cradle forever. It also looks Linda a few other string figures like crow's feet or witch's broom.

[@MamaKitty-ub9fh]

@@ginnyjollykidd I thought the same thing

[@Melindrea]

I needed to make some drawstrings for a bag, and remembered this video. This is *amazingly* easy!

[@skophidiam]

Cool! Reminds me of card weaving in a way :) Speaking of braids, your hair is beautiful!

[@devorahallen4657]

Oh my gosh I love this. I got so excited that I paused the video at 5:40 and immediately went and made 26 inches of braided cord! So simple and such an elegant result! Thank you so much!!!

[@devilmethewitch2024]

I was actually first introduced to finger loop braiding when I saw your first video. It looked nice and I have some embroidery thread lying around from craft store trips, so I had a go with it. It turned out pretty nice and I also went to find other resources and I made more in different patterns. I knot my strings and keep the knots where I hold them. I have cotton threads and I do notice that they turn fuzzy as I braid and pull on them more. I tie my hair with the braids I make or put them in my hair as some kind of hippie hair extension situation and they are quite nice.

[@caylasecura4867]

You are my new favorite tutorial person; this was so good - easy to understand, thorough and your voice is so soothing. Thank youuu. Time for some crafting!

[@alybrynjohnson2495]

Because it’s wool yarn, you might also have tried ‘gluing’ the broken yarn ends to each other by spitting on them and rolling them together. It’s something people do to join yarn while knitting. It might have made the length more even, but would have probably been more fragile. Results depend on if your yarn is super wash

[@lacyoh8066]

I came to the comments to make this comment as well! There are videos here on you tube Morgan showing the technique. You basically felt the two bits back together but I’think you’d need to take a bit more care after it was don’t to not stretch too much. It is how you make you length of thread to make anything while nalbinding as well.

[@LadyFenn-v9r]

So cool! Thank you for the super clear instructions. It is very similar to the 12 stranded braid Sally Pointer shows in one of her videos. For the wool- I would suggest using a worsted spun wool (where the fibers lay more parallel to each other resulting in a smoother, stronger thread) as well as maybe a yarn made from a long wool breed sheep, such as a Romney or Coopworth (still soft, just a LOT stronger of a wool than the usual Merino one sees). To fix the break, one could also felt the ends back together- you could even splice a bit more yarn in to get the length right. However, this will still be a weak point in your work. Once again, lovely work and thank you so much for the instructions! 😊

[@elisabetfinlayson8539]

I was watching another video, and then you uploaded and I was like: I need to know finger-loop braiding - now!

[@jenniferpearce1052]

Finger-poop?!😂

[@elisabetfinlayson8539]

Jennifer Pearce finger loop- I was exhausted when I wrote this. 😂

[@jenniferpearce1052]

@@elisabetfinlayson8539 I love silly typos!😊

[@freydablack9027]

I never even heard of this craft but the algorithm offered it to me after a knitting video and I am so glad it did! This seems to be easy enough for an arthritic beginner and I now am excited to try it and maybe even expand into your more advanced braids like the one shown at the end. Excellent explanations. One request though: could you give us an idea of the ratio between the length of unbraided "string" (ie. thread not stretchy like the wool used here) and the final braid, please! I'm subscribing!!!!

[@brierobb9879]

That is the best loop braiding method I have seen. Thank you for the video.

[@Chakolit]

I actually learned this specific braiding pattern when I was working as a camp leader years ago. the technique we used was with the palms facing each other but it was with the 5 strings in the same pattern. We did where you would hook the 2 lower threads with the ring finger and then through the top thread. It's a ton of fun to do with embroidery thread and a variety of colour. Makes for great friendship bracelets that look really good, are fast and are simple enough that some younger kids can understand.

[@stellaandginger]

Is there any way to estimate how long to make the initial loops if you know how much yardage the final product requires?

[@harrietlucyblack6057]

In my experience, I loose about 5-10% of the initial measurement

[@loup7454]

This video is so clear and helpful - I watched it once, could see exactly what you were doing and decided to a practice piece. I had a scrap of very chunky acrylic yarn about five feet long so I made the loops, fixed it to my embroidery hoop table clamp (with the screw upside down to tie the end to) and got going; I was done in about five minutes and now I have an eight inch sample that I’ve tied off. Will likely use it as some sort of key ring for a key I don’t carry around (like the back door etc). Anyway it was so easy to get a nice exult, and I am not great with yarn (I have watched so many videos to learn to crochet and not managed to understand from any of them….) so this was great!

[@GlacierLovely]

Would it be wise to use a thicker yarn when practicing so you can see the braid easily? This looks so fun, much better than a friendship braid lol

[@MorganDonner]

You could absolutely practice with a thick yarn!

[@Crosshill]

@@MorganDonner what does it look like if you fandangle it to have 5 different colored loops?

[@AgentPedestrian]

I can attest to it looking very nice and structured with two contrasting fairly thick yarns. Lots of braids create a chevron pattern that is simply gorgeous!

[@Lulu5771]

You showed up in my feed and this craft is totally new to me. I am dreaming up ways to use the braid. I love this and imagine it can be very sturdy with lots of uses. Thank you for the well done video instructions !

[@homesteadtotable2921]

Morgan: "As long as the table remains undisturbed, we should be okay..." Toddlers and 4 cats at this house: "Hold my sippy cup/hold my catnip..." 😂 In all seriousness, thanks for this. You really spelled the how to out politely, keeping it fairly "idiot proof" on top. I think I could probably whip up some cordage in a jiffy with these. If you are like me and have a small rigid heddle loom, you may have a built-in warping board and even clamp for warping, and yarn for dayssss. I know it may be anachronistic, but knitters who want to "fake it" and make it work can probably get away making "i-cord" for a similar looking end result, if they use fine needles and thinner yarn. I-cord is a tubular knit ribbon often used for trims or belts, but doesn't need constant tension. Makes the project portable in a pinch. 😉

[@jennhill8708]

Finally, a way to make fingerloop braiding that makes sense! Marvelous!

[@SebastienFortin07]

Hi, I have a question. How actually finish the braid? Do you knot the end? Thanks!

[@angieclouser7239]

I was taught how to do this when I was 5 and now, it's one of my favorite hobbies. I do this for stress relief. I use safety pins for my knot anchor, it works well for me.

[@Mhidraum]

Hmmm... That looks a lot like the braid on Erik Stures' suit from 1567. I guess I'll have to look into fingerloop braiding for my version. Thanks!

[@M.Happie]

I loved the way you showed how to do this, it was very simple and much easier in my opinion. I would've loved to see a close up of the braid itself though. I am really interested in doing this with a multi-colored string, that I dyed myself, and I'm wondering if the pattern would look good doing it this way. Thank you for a wonderful video and I I'll be looking forward to more. 💗

[@solanisomeni]

Wonderful to see the old skills are being kept alive. :) One tip. If one of your loops break and you have to tie it together again. Tie/make small loop knots (similar to the loop/tie you made to fasten all of your loops together) in the other loops to make them even again. I little tricky to get them all exactly even again but, practice makes perfect, especially if you need to make a long braid. On a side note, I really love your hair, you have the same length hair as I do.... I love it when I get ready for Medieval days, as it makes me feel more authentic when I put my hair up in various styles. No downer to those that need weave or wigs, you do what you can. Just saying that for me, it really helps bring out the feeling of authenticity and puts me deeper into the mindset of the olden days. :) Thank you for your excellent tutorial! Kudos to you and keep it up!! Blessings //Solani

[@genevieveatkinson4217]

How does one tie off or finish the braid so it doesn’t unravel?

[@MorganDonner]

You could tie a knot, sewing around the end, or dab a bit of melted bees wax on there to keep it from unraveling.

[@asymmattrical]

This was great!! You are so adorable and I could listen to you talk ALL DAY!! I’m looking into non-mechanical weaving and braiding as an approach to homesteading and living off-grid. This helps a lot! Now, to see if I can attach several of these together to make a sort of fabric. Thank you!! Loved it!!!

[@anniebrahe3301]

Very interesting and very pretty! (Also, I love your nails!)