Leather Bolo Cords Instructions
A bolo is a popular western style of tie. It can be worn with casual dress or to dress up a fancy shirt, and is easily adaptable to just about any style of costume. The bolo's clasp is frequently made from silver or turquoise. You will need some skill with braiding to make the bolo cord, using rawhide lace. Rawhide lace is a form of leather that is commonly used in western jewelry due to its pliability. It is fairly inexpensive, although you can find higher grades and other types of leather.
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Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- 3 thin rawhide leather strips (up to ¼ inch)
- Water
- Hammer and nail
- Beads
- Bolo clip
Instructions
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1
Measure the length from the center of your sternum, up around your neck and back down to where you started. The leather that you use must be at least four inches larger to allow for the beading and knots. Cut your rawhide lace strips so that all three are the same length.
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2
Tie a knot in the top of the strips of leather, being careful to make sure that all three strips are of equal length after tying.
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3
Soak the leather in water for half an hour. This makes sure that your leather will be pliable and easy to braid. It is important that when you are braiding that the rawhide is wet the entire time. If you need to stop before the strips are braided, simply soak the leather again before you begin anew.
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4
Take the wet leather out of the water. Drive the nail through the top knot so that you can tug on the leather without it moving. You will remove the knot (and nail hole) later.
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Braid the three strips of leather, pulling so that the leather braid is tight. If you miss a loop, unbraid a few lines and try again. It is imperative that your braid is smooth, tight and not missing any loops.
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6
Thread a bead or (several beads) over the three unknotted strips of leather. This is just for aesthetics and can be omitted if necessary. Frequently this bead work will match the outfit or the stones on the bolo clip. Be careful not to let go of the leather or it will unravel.
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Tie a small knot below the bead(s). Depending on the beads that you are working with, you might insert other beads on the other side of the knot. Some craft stores sell leather clasps that will fit over the three strips of leather to hide the leather ends.
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8
Remove the strip from the nail. Make this side of the bolo cord match the beadwork (or leather clasp) that you have previously done. It might involve soaking the knot again and retying it, depending on the grade of the leather you are using.
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9
Allow your bolo cord to completely dry. The leather will shrink as it dries, tightening the braidwork considerably.
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10
Fasten the bolo slide around the cord, leaving a loop for your neck. It can be tightened as needed.
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Tips & Warnings
There are many different types of leather that can be used to braid your bolo cord. If you don't have rawhide lace available, check to be sure that you need to soak it. Synthetic leather usually is not soaked for pliability, however if you chose to use another type of leather be sure to make sure your braid is extremely tight- otherwise it will unravel easily. Using rawhide gets rid of this issue;when it dries, the leather tightens.
