Braided Epaulet "How-to"

**Tartan Hiker** · 7th April 07, 09:49 PM

I recently purchased a used Eton jacket for conversion to a formal kilt jacket, and with a black-tie event coming up next weekend I decided that I better get things in order. Snowy and cold today, so a good time to stay in and sew!

I knew that finding black wool to match the jacket would probably be impossible, so I decided to try my hand at a braided epaulet. To make the braids I secured a length of black nylon parachute cord at the local outfitters. I'm no genius when it comes to Celtic knotwork, so I downloaded this freeware program to draw the figure for me.

http://www.abbott.demon.co.uk/knots.html

After some tinkering and two false starts I settled on this design. The program will print in black line, color, or three-D, but the blackline version is easiest to follow. If you're using the program I did, set it on square-square, NX = 9, NY = 2. Set 1st Col to -15 to get blackline. Copy and paste it into word processor then enlarge and print it.

I made a mock-up of the design using a scrap of lumber and some finishing nails. Note that there is a nail at each numbered point, plus one in each of the four corners and one centered at the top.

I pinned the end of a 12-foot section of para cord and started weaving the design around the nails. A pair of forceps makes this much easier.

Here is the first circuit completed.

I then "chased" the cord around the pattern one more time to add mass.

And here it is completed.

More to follow.

**Tartan Hiker** · 7th April 07, 10:18 PM

After completing the weaving I carefully lifted the knot off the board and began tightening it up by pulling on the paired strings from the bottom.

This is really tedious, and takes more time than the actual weaving. Be patient and think nice, calm thoughts. Be sure that the paired cords remain flat and don't cross over one another.
Here it is nearing completion. Keep pulling until all the slack has been eliminated and you have the two loose ends hanging off the bottom of the knot. Trim them down and melt the ends with a match, quickly mashing them into the braid on the underside so that they will stick there out of sight.

Here are the two completed knots.

And here is one attached to the jacket. A few stitches with stout black thread holds the end at the point of the shoulder, and an appropriate button stitched through from the underside holds the other end.

**turpin** · 7th April 07, 11:06 PM

That is some neat work TH. I will definitely have to try that! Very creative.

**Doc** · 8th April 07, 12:11 AM

Thats a slick piece of work. they look great on the jacket.

**djweso** · 8th April 07, 04:08 AM

I don't think it would've ever crossed my mind that you could do this yourself. Well Done!

Looking forward to seeing the whole jacket. I can only imagine that it will be stunning.

**Fearnest** · 8th April 07, 04:38 AM

Amazing work! Having done some fancy knotwork myself, I can only second your "think nice, calm thoughts" comment - otherwise your knot may wind up plastered against the opposing wall!

Looks superb!