Marudai

A is the most common of the traditional frames used for making, a type of Japanese braid.

Etymology

The marudai is generally made of a close-grained wood and consists of a round disk with a hole in the center, supported by four legs set in a base. The Japanese style is often about high and is used while kneeling or when placed on a table. The Western style allows the braider to sit in a chair to braid.
The warp threads that form the braid are wound around weighted bobbins called. were once made of clay, but now are most commonly wood filled with lead. The weight of the maintains even tension on the warp threads, and is balanced by a bag of counterweights called that is attached to the base of the braid.
Modern braiders often replace the with a foam disk with numbered slots that tightly grip the warp threads to maintain warp tension, so that weighted bobbins are not needed; instead, flexible plastic bobbins are used to prevent tangling of the threads. Unlike disks, have no indication of where the thread should be placed; it is done freehand.

Related terms

– "Mirror", the polished wooden top disk of the.
– a class of patterns for round cord all involving eight threads folded in half for a total of sixteen strands. In clockwise order, each bobbins is moved to the opposite side. When different combinations of thread color are used, many interesting patterns emerge, including diagonal stripes, diamonds on a background, triangles resembling hearts, and tiny six-petalled flowers. is named for the venerable Kongō Gumi company of Japan, the oldest known company in the world.
or – Japanese for "gathered threads".
– the broad cloth sash worn with kimono; braids are often used as, worn on top of the.
– the cord used to fasten the securely in some styles. Usually one string of is tied around the securely, and an accessory called the is often added in front for decoration.
– Counterweights used in braiding.
– a rectangular or square frame for.
– little spools. The thread is kept from unwinding by passing the thread under itself, forming a loop around the.
True silk – a hollow fiber with a rough surface that resists slipping past the loop unless gently pulled. For synthetic fibers, a flexible plastic "clamshell" bobbin may be preferable.