Patterns for Sisith found on this Website
The strings I use for Woad Blue are 'Sport Weight' linen. These are the only suitably sized thickness of linen strings I have found so far for dyeing. That limits me to two sizes of sisith. You can use other coloured strings to be opposite the woad strings, but you will need to match the thickness as best as you can, even if you have to use more or less strings of the the other colour.
I invite you to click on the pictures to see a brighter, clearer image.
C. Karaite Traditional Sisith - Half sized
If you wish to tie this for yourself, the pattern for tying is:
20 - 6 - 7 - 6 - 7 - 6 - 7 - 4 - 4.
The medium uses 4 strings of each colour per sisith:
White strings at; 100cm, or 39.5 in (cut 16 for 4 sisioth)
Blue strings at; 85 cm, or 33.5 in (cut 16 for 4 sisioth)
The small uses 2 strings of each colour per sisith:
White strings at; 85 cm, or 33.5 in. (cut 8 for 4 sisioth)
Blue strings at; 75 cm, or 29.5 in. (cut 8 for 4 sisioth)
D. Custom #1 Karaite styled Sisith - With a Twist
If you wish to tie this for yourself, the pattern for tying is:
20 - 8 - 13(twisted) - 12 - 4.
The medium uses 4 strings of each colour per sisith:
White strings at; 102cm, or 40in. (cut 16 for 4 sisioth)
Blue strings at; 80cm, or 31.5 in. (cut 16 for 4 sisioth)
The small uses 2 stings of each colour per sisith:
White strings at; 80cm, or 31.5 in. (cut 8 for 4 sisioth)
Blue strings at 70 cm, or 27.5 in. (cut 8 for 4 sisioth)
E. Custom #2 Karaite Styled Sisioth - Using only 1 Blue Section or String
If you wish to tie this for yourself, the pattern for tying is:
Medium : 25 - 20 - 1 knot.
Small: 25 - 30 - 1 knot.
The medium, uses different numbers of strings per colour:
White strings, 6 per sisith at; 80 cm, or 31.5 in. (cut 24 for 4 sisioth)
Blue strings, 2 per sisith at; 80 cm, or 31.5 in. (cut 8 for 4 sisioth)
The small, uses different numbers of strings per colour:
White strings, 3 per sisith at; 70 cm, or 27.5 in. (cut 12 for 4 sisioth)
Blue strings, 1 per sisith at; 70 cm, or 27.5 in. (cut 4 for 4 sisioth)
Further instructions are needed for this pattern as the tying needs to start off of center. Align all the strings, both colours, together and then find the center.
For the Medium; Go back from the center, 5cm, or 2 in., down towards one end of the group of strings. Fasten a small twist tie there.
For the Small; Go back from the center, 4cm, or 1.5 in., down towards one end of the group of strings. Fasten a small twist tie there.
Anchor that shorter end with a knot to the hook. Now start plaiting from where the twist tie is, always keeping the blue strings as one group and the white strings as the other 3 groups that your fingers hold. Plait 25 times from there. Undo the anchoring knot and adjust the sisith so that the plaiting you just did is centered over the hook. Remove tie and separate the 2 ends of the strings into 2 groups of each, again keeping all the blue strings as one group, with the white strings being the other 3 groups. Plait both ends, of what you just plaited, together for; 20 plaits for the medium, or 30 plaits for the small. Finish by taking all of the strings and evening them out, together and tying with a simple knot at the bottom of the plaiting. Don't firmly tighten the knot until you have tied all 4, then you can adjust the knots to be even with each other.
