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Is this Horsehair Braid?

Saturday, February 11

I need some help please.

Last year, on one of my many trips into a charity shop near my workplace, I bought this for £1.




I bought it because it was only £1, and it looks like there is more than 50metres there.  It was stored with other sewing related stuff, so I knew it had to be useful somehow.


Since buying it, I have  seen something similar to this being used on various blogs, but I am still not 100% sure if this is the actual horsehair braid, as I have never seen it in a sewing notions store.


So please folks, if anyone knows for sure what this is, can you let me know? Thanks.

17 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. It is stiff, but not ver. It feels like plastic I think.

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    2. That was meant to say "not very"

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  2. I never used it, let me know when you find out. are you well hun?? Take care of yourself ok!

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  3. Looks like horsehair braid from here :)Good score for $1. A thrifty woman after my own heart!

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  4. Horsehair braid usually has a little line of cotton running along one edge with tiny loops in it that you can pull on to make the plastic curve in. I have a feeling that the 'grain' of horsehair braid is also on the bias to help with curvature. So I don't think it is. But I'm intrigued now! Let us know what you find out.

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  5. I don't know but it certainly looks like you could use it as such!

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  6. Hi Dibs - it looks like horsehair braid to me, so what a great find! I bought horsehair braid to make a dress last year and it was this same brand here (http://www.sewessential.co.uk/Category.asp?CategoryID=757&NumPerPage=5&page=1) which doesn't have the little loops along one edge (as mentioned above), as you need to sew with a long stitch down one edge of the braid before attaching, and then pull those stitches to gather, instead of pulling little loops. I think the posh stuff comes with the loops ready to pull on one side, but not all braid does.
    I really love the effects you can create on skirt hems with it - have fun! :)

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  7. It could well be as it looks like the horse hair braiding I have, which I got from the same place as Kestrel^. but I've not really had any any experience using horse hair braiding so I couldn't say exactly, although I'm struggling to think of anything else it could be. Great find though especially for £1, that will see you right for years lol!

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  8. Oooo. How educational all these comments are. I've never used it so am interested!

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  9. It looks like the horsehair braid I've used. Like Didyoumakethat said, it usually has little loops on it but the stuff that's not that wide doesn't because you can easily shape it into a curve (if that makes sense). So if it's less than one inch wide, which it looks like it is in the picture, then it doesn't have the loops. The stuff I've used felt like plastic too but it was quite bendy.

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  10. Sorry, I don't know.I have never used horse hair braid. Anxious to find out.
    How are you feeling? Take care of yourself.Sending prayers.

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  11. It looks exactly like the horsehair braid I have, which cost $50 for a roll - the wider stuff has a gathering strip, but this width works without one. Excellent bargain.

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  12. It looks like the stuff I've used. Check out Gertie's blog - she does really great tutorials on how to use it.

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  13. Yup you got yourself a good deal! My horsehair braid is 2" so it has the loops but smaller ones will come without the loops.

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  14. That looks like "horsehair" braid to me -- v. useful for places where you need a lightweight, very stiff reinforcement, as on a full skirt's hem. Used to be made of actual horsehair, which is coarse and stiff. Upholstered furniture cushions used to be stuffed with horsehair, as it is resilient and springy. (I think they even wove a very durable fabric from horsehair, for covering sofas and armchairs, in Victorian and Edwardian times.) Not so many horses around anymore, and less labor-intensive to make from plastic nowadays. You made an excellent buy.

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  15. This looks to be the same horsehair braid that I have bought, mine is not very wide and doesn't have the little loops that I've seen used online (Gertie's tutorial). It's destined for a hemline to create a 50's, more oomph kind of look (hopefully) which was $4.99 metre here in Oz, so you definately have the buy of the century.

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