Ply-split Braiding

17-ply-split-braided-pot

Ply-split braiding is an old textile-making technique that involves passing a hook or other tool between the plies of one cord, catching a second cord and pulling one end of the second cord back through the opening between the plies of the first.  Repeating this process many times creates a dense fabric that holds its shape.  In Rajasthan, men use ply-split braiding to make highly patterned straps to hold saddles on their camels.  The same technique can be used to make vessels and sculptural forms, with the resulting shapes largely determined by the location and rate of the addition of cords.

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