Add a touch of style and sophistication to the simplest of outfits with this distinctively shaped belt. The natural beauty of hemp is combined with vibrantly coloured jute to make the stripes of the tabby weave panels, which are connected with delightfully textured triangular sections of diagonal double half hitches again in hard-wearing hemp. All in all, an essential accessory that is both pretty and practical.
1. Mount the four 5m (161⁄2ft) lengths of 5mm (3⁄16in) hemp onto the straight bar of the belt buckle using reverse lark’s head knot.
2. Number the cords 1 to 8. Make cord 8 a holding cord (see Essential Terminology), bring it down right to left and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 1–7.
3. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 8 a holding cord, bring it down right to left directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 2–7.
4. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 8 a holding cord, bring it down right to left directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 3–7.
5. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 8 a holding cord, bring it down right to left directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 4–7.
6. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 8 a holding cord, bring it down right to left directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 5–7.
7. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 8 a holding cord, bring it down right to left directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 6 and 7
8. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 8 a holding cord, bring it down right to left directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie a diagonal double half hitch onto it with cord 7.
9. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Drop cord 1 down 10cm (4in). Make cord 1 a holding cord, bring it down left to right and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 2–8. This creates negative space 1 that will be used as the warp for your weave in step 30.
10. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 1 a holding cord, bring it down left to right directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 2–7.
11. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 1 a holding cord, bring it down left to right directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 2–6.
12. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 1 a holding cord, bring it down left to right directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 2–5.
13. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 1 a holding cord, bring it down left to right directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 2–4.
14. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 1 a holding cord, bring it down left to right directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 2 and 3.
15. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 1 a holding cord, bring it down left to right directly beneath the previous row of double half hitches and tie a diagonal double half hitch onto it with cord 2.
16. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Drop cord 8 down 10cm (4in). Make cord 8 a holding cord, bring it down right to left and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 1–7. This creates negative space 2 that will be used as the warp for your weave in step 30.
17. Repeat steps 3–8.
18. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Make cord 1 a holding cord, bring it down left to right and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 2–8. This creates negative space 3 that will be used as the warp for your weave in step 30.
19. Repeat steps 10–15.
20. Renumber cords 1 to 8. Drop cord 8 down 10cm (4in). Make cord 8 a holding cord, bring it down right to left and tie diagonal double half hitches onto it with cords 1–7. This creates negative space 4 that will be used as the warp for your weave in steps 23–29.
21. Repeat steps 3–8.
22. Trim ends to desired length and finish each with an overhand knot
Note: If you wish, you can tie the ends of the belt tightly across the bottom of your clothes rack so the warp (hemp) cords of the negative spaces are taut for weaving.
23. Begin weaving in negative space 4. Join together two 1.5m (5ft) lengths of 2mm (3⁄32in) jute in colour 1 (to be used as your weft thread) and tabby weave for six rows or 1cm (3⁄8in).
24. Add a 2m (61⁄2ft) length of 3mm (1⁄8in) hemp and tabby weave for 12 rows or 2cm (3⁄4in).
25. Join together two 1.5m (5ft) lengths of 2mm (3⁄32in) jute in colour 2 and tabby weave for six rows or 1cm (3⁄8in).
26. Add a 2m (61⁄2ft) length of 3mm (1⁄8in) hemp and tabby weave for 12 rows or 2cm (3⁄4in).
27. Join together two 1.5m (5ft) lengths of 2mm (3⁄32in) jute in colour 2 and tabby weave for six rows or 1cm (3⁄8in).
28. Add a 2m (61⁄2ft) length of 3mm (1⁄8in) hemp and tabby weave for 12 rows or 2cm (3⁄4in).
29. Join together two 1.5m (5ft) lengths of 2mm (3⁄32in) jute in colour 1 and tabby weave for six rows or 1cm (3⁄8in), or until the negative space is completely woven.
30. For negative space 3, negative space 2 and negative space 1, repeat the weaving as described in steps 23–29.
31. Use a weaving finishing technique to weave in all ends through the back of the design.
