Three out of the four l-m lace-making procedures in series No. 3 are worked out with a three-worker collaboration. Although one of the three has come from Germany (the other two from England), all three follow essentially the same formula; the basic procedures used by the three workers are limited to only two kinds; one for twin 2-ridge flat braids and the other for four-ridge flat braids. The lace, the end product, consists of 30 elements which is constructed in two-layers using15 loops with each worker using five loops.

Five-element 2-ridge flat braids form the web of the lace. Three-element version of this braid is commonly known as a "pigtail" braid and used for braiding the hair.

In contrast, one person can fashion 16-element Lace Maskel using 8 loops. In this lace, 4-element pigtail braids made using two loops form the web. The procedure to make it is not included in this series. You will find it as well as a 16-loop two-person version in the 15^th-century English records such as The Tollemache Book of Secrets.
 

The basic two procedures used for making Katheren Wheele and other lace making techniques :

Twin 2-ridge flat braids. (Fig. 4)

Let's call this procedure T1(The Trinity no. 1)
The twins are made in two layers on top of the other.
The loops are mounted on La, Lb, Lc Rb and Rc.  

Step 1  --  The operator (Ra) goes through Rb and Rc and scoopes the upper shank of Lc.
Step 2 --   The operator (La) goes through Lb and Lc and scoopes the upper shank of Rc.
 
 
 
  

Four-ridge flat braid with a twill pattern. (Fig. 5)
 
T3 (The Trinity no. 3)

In this procedure, superimposed twins are connected at the right selvage.

Step 1  --  The operator (Ra) goes through Rb and Rc and scoopes the upper shank of Lc.
Step 2 --   The operator (La) goes through Lb and Lc and hooks up the upper shank of Rc.

Procedure for connecting the neiboring loops, R2(W1) and L1(W2).
 

+ 1: W1, W2 and W3 each respectively have red, white and green loops.

All three hold three loops on the left hand and two loops on the right.

+ 2: W1 and W2 always use T1 while W3 uses T3.

W1 and W2 each braids T1 repeat 5 times. W3 braids T3, repeat 5 or 7 times.

+ 3: W1 and W2 while each braiding T1, exchange the neighboring loops at each repeat as shown in fig 6.

After 5 repeat, W1 has white loops and W2 red loops.

+ 4: All three work as +2. W1 and W3 repeat 4 times, W2 3 times.

+ 5: W2 and W3 exchange the neighboring loops as +3 while W2 works T1 and W3 T3.

After 5 repeats, W2 has green loops and W3 red loops.

+ 6: W1 and W3 each work 4 repeats and W2 3 repeats.

+ 7: Repeat from step +3 (The color of the loops that each braider holds may not be the same as stated.)
 
 
While W1 and W2, or W2 and W3 are exchanging the loopse, W3, or W1 who is not involved in the exchange does not braid.

The number of the repeat given above for each worker may not necessarily results well proportioned lace fabric. You may need to experiment a few times to produce a satisfactory result.
 
 

L-M BRIC News is a publication by the Loop-Manipulation Braiding Research and Information Center founded by Masako Kinoshita to promote the study of L-M braiding. The Hardcopy version is distributed free of charge. Donations from interested readers, however, are welcome.