The Reverend Keith Broyles sent this
note after seeing our last newsletter, which featured a tutorial for
a hatband:
I wish I had your newsletter with the
hatbands in it a few days ahead of time and I might have made
something different. But, I have other hats and now new patterns to
try, after Easter. We pastors are pretty busy this week but I had to
send you a note. Thanks for the tutorials.
This past Sunday night I finished the
hatband that is in the pics below. It is a king cobra weave with some
microcord and something else I had on hand that is lighter than 550
and heavier than microcord. I am not sure what it is because it is
wrapped on a piece of scrap wood I had laying around. It has sat
around long enough I am not sure what it is. There are two passes of
yellow microcord and two passes of red unknown. I used a mad max
style closure that would allow adjustments to any size hat. I
actually made this one a bit too long but removing a few knots got it
right. The tail of the closure has a diamond knot on the end and I
wanted to practice on ranger beads so I covered the tail from the
closure to the diamond knot with ranger beads.
The biggest thing I do with paracord is
make prayer ropes. They are similar in use to a rosary (I have made a
few of them too). Prayer ropes come from the Orthodox tradition but
mine are not Orthodox. I use a diamond knot. The Orthodox use a knot
I cannot figure out how to tie it. They say it is so complicated
Satan can't untie it. Theirs is also made out of wool and mine is
paracord. There are a few other things too. Because I am Methodist, I
call mine an Aldersgate Prayer Rope. Aldersgate is a prominent site
in Methodist history. I have tied almost 1000 of these and give most
away. If people want to donate, all the money goes back into paracord
to make more ropes. I have attached a few pics. Use them, don't use
them. It is just something different.
Rev. Keith Broyles
