Figure 96.—Laulau food platter, braid finish (second course):

a, The braid with its three plies is shown at the bottom or near end of the plaiting edge, with a couple of dextrals (4 and 5) running in the direction away from the plaiter; b, the platter is turned over to expose the true upper surface. The braid ends are now at the far end of the plaiting edge and the dextrals left over from the first course are now directed towards the plaiter. Before doubling over the plies of the braid, the back ply (3) is twisted in over (2) to bring the working pair on the plaited side. c, Each ply is doubled over with a half turn. Thus ply (1) is now the back ply of the working pair. The under weft element (1') is therefore discarded and the under element (1) is ready to be twisted in from the right under the front ply (3) when it will pick up the new weft (4). d, The technique is exactly the same as on the other side. The discarded weft (1') has been cut off to avoid confusing the figure while the other discards commencing with (3') are shown on the right. The edge of the braid on the other side projects slightly beyond the edge of the new braid. The braiding is continued to the near edge when all the wefts are incorporated in the braid. The last wefts are continued on as a free braid tail, which is knotted, doubled over on to the under surface and kept there by passing the knot under a couple of crossing wefts. (See Plate XII, D, 2.) The ends of the midrib strip forming the commencement are also doubled in on the under surface and passed under some crossing wefts.