Take thirty-two strands with twelve hairs in a strand, or any number that can be divided by four, and sixty strands for usual size, and place them on table like pattern. Have every alternate two strands of black hair, and the others of light hair. Commence at A, taking two strands of light hair in left hand, Nos. 1 and 2, and take two strands of black hair in right hand, Nos. 3 and 4, and cross No. 2 (light) over No. 3 (dark), then No. 1 (light) under No. 3 (dark), then No. 4 (dark) over Nos. 1 and 2 (light); so on around the table to the right until you get to A; then commence and work back to the left by taking light hair in left hand and dark hair in right hand, as before, and put No. 3 (dark) over No. 2 (light), and No. 4 (dark) under No. 2 (light), and No. 1 (light) over Nos. 3 and 4 (dark), so on around the table till you get to A; then commence as at first, so on, braiding first one way around the table then the other till you have the chain completed.
Braid it over wood, or brass wire, the size and length you wish your chain. When braided take off your weights, tie the ends fast and boil and dry, then take out the mold and put a cord through with some cotton wrapped around it so it will be soft and pliable. This is called the Striped Snake Braid, and can be braided all of one color if desired.
Take any number of strands that can be divided by two, eighty hairs in a strand, twenty strands for usual size, place on table like pattern. Commencing, take No. 1 at A in right hand and No. 1 at B in left hand, and swing around the table to the right, and lay the one in right hand at No. 1 at B, and the one in left hand at No. 1 at A; then bring back No. 2 at B with right hand, and No. 2 at A in left hand, to the left, then take No. 3 and swing to the right, then No. 4 and swing to the left, so on, round first to the right then to the left, with every number of strands till you get to No. 1; then commence as at first, and so on till the chain is as long as required.
Braid this over a small wire, with a hole in one end like the eye of a needle, so as to draw a small cord in the place of the wire. When you have it braided take off your weights, tie the ends fast on the wire, and push the braid together on the wire; boil in water about ten minutes, then take it out and put it in an oven as hot as it will bear without burning, until it is quite dry; then take it out and slip off the wire on to the cord, and sew the ends of the braid so it will not slip on the cord, and put a little shellac on the end to keep it fast. If you want it elastic, use elastic cord. To vary the size of the braid, vary the number of hairs in a strand.