How to Plait a Broom

Broom plaiting is popular among broom makers.

Plaiting is another term for braiding, and it is a necessary skill when engaging in broom making. Though brooms are functional and are made for a purpose, there is a whole subsection of broom makers that do it as an art form and others who do it for fun, as a craft. When you've reached the stage of plaiting, you've gotten past making the sweeping part of the broom and are ready to prepare it to attach to the broom handle by binding the stalks together. Plaiting is really decorative and is used more as an art form than for function. The broom could be tied to the broom handle without the plaiting, but many find it a great way to keep an artistic element in broom making.

Things You'll Need

• Nylon cord
• 20 lbs. hemp string
• Scissors
• Lighter

Instructions

1. Ensure that there is an odd number of stalks when preparing to plait. If there is an even number, find the thickest stalk and either bend it in half or cut it off, so you are left with an odd number.

2. Wind the hemp string in and out of the stalks going all the way around the handle and spiral it up the broom handle at least eight circuits around.

3. Hold the string taught and the broomstalks tight while plaiting. This is a decorative piece of the broom but if things are not held tightly in place, it will come unraveled.

4. Make another band of string. The string should go around the handle eight times. After two wraps, insert a loose nylon loop with the loop piece sticking up out of the string binding and the tails sticking down below the string binding. Finish wrapping the string.

5. Cut the cord and put the end through the nylon loop and finish by pulling the nylon loop to hide the end of the tying cord. Cut the frayed piece of cord hanging below the binding string and singe it with a lighter to keep it from coming undone. Your plaiting is now done and held in place.

References

• How to Make a Broom