Posament Materials Requirements

How much tenntråd do I need to make that?

How much material is needed to create a particular length or size of posament is one of the most common questions asked in posament reconstruction. Below are experimentally determined ratios for calculating the amounts you will need.

Caveats to the calculations:

1. The multiplier works in any unit (centimeters, inches, miles), but the excess recommendation would need to be converted from centimeters. (The automatic calculators ONLY use centimeters.)
2. All these experimental example posaments are woven fairly tightly. Variations in weaving density may change the amounts needed. Please refer to the images for an approximation of how tightly to weave the posaments to receive similar results. If you increase/decrease your screen viewing size until the images match the lengths in the table, you will have a good idea of what your final posament will look like.
3. Because the line that goes around the outside of each knot takes a little bit more material than the inside line, you need an asymmetric amount for each line on the knots. You may want to start with a little extra on the outside line. The braids are an exception; they should be relatively balanced and can be worked with even lengths.
4. These calculations only cover the spiral posaments at present. The drawn wire posaments should be added soon.
5. These calculations are based on using the commercially available tenntråd in the 0.25, 0.3, and 0.35 sizes. Results may differ when using other sizes or handmade tenntråd. These sizes were chosen because they most closely match the diameters of spiral wire seen in the Birka examples. However, if one wanted to expand these calculations to other sizes of spiral wire (commercial or handmade), the percent difference calculations from the Posament Reconstructions page could be cautiously used to provide an estimate.

Key to Data Tables:

Sample Calculation:

For Braids and Bands:

Tenntråd Required = (relevant Multiplier x desired length) + Excess

Example:
I want to make 20cm of P10 in 0.25 tenntråd.
From the table: P10 with 0.25 tenntråd = 16.7 multiplier and 8cm excess
(Multiplier x desired length) + Excess = (16.7 x 20cm)+8cm = 342cm
Minimum 342cm for this project!

For Spangles, Finials, and Rings:

Tenntråd Required = (relevant Multiplier + Excess) x desired quantity

Example:
I want to make three of P24 in 0.3 tenntråd.
From the table: P24 with 0.3 tenntråd = 23 multiplier and 10cm excess
(Multiplier + Excess) x desired quantity = (23 + 10cm) x 3 = 99 cm
Around 99cm needed for this project!

(Because you make spangles one at a time, not as a continuous item, if you leave the tenntråd in one long piece, the excess can sometimes be reused in subsequent items, so you may end up with some left over. This is generally only a noticeable quantity if you are making either a large number or one of the larger spangles.)

Find the multipliers and the recommended excess from the data tables below!

Braids (P1, P2, and P3)
Bands (P9, P10, P12, P14, and P15)
Spangles (P16, P17, P18, P19, and P20)
Finials (P21 and P22)
Rings (P23, P24, and P26)

Afraid of math? There are automatic calculators at the bottom for
Braids, Bands, Spangles, and Finials and Rings!

Data Tables

Braids
P1, P2, and P3

Number	Tenntråd Size	Amount of Tenntråd (cm)	Length (cm)	Height (cm)	Width (cm)	Multiplier	Excess
P1	0.25	100	13.2	0.3	N/A	7.6	5
P1	0.3	100	13.7	0.4	N/A	7.3	5
P1	0.35	100	13.7	0.5	N/A	7.3	5
P2	0.25	100	3.4	0.8	N/A	29.4	7
P2	0.3	100	4	0.9	N/A	25.0	7
P2	0.35	100	4.2	1.1	N/A	23.8	7
P3	0.25	100	14.5	0.25	N/A	6.9	5
P3	0.3	100	15	0.3	N/A	6.7	5
P3	0.35	100	14.5	0.4	N/A	6.9	5

Bands
P9, P10, P12, P14, and P15

Number	Tenntråd Size	Amount of Tenntråd (cm)	Length (cm)	Height (cm)	Repeat Size (cm)	Number of Repeats	Multiplier	Excess
P9	0.25	100	8	0.6	0.7	11	12.5	9
P9	0.3	100	8.5	0.7	0.8	10	11.8	10
P9	0.35	100	7.7	0.8	0.9	8	13.0	13
P10	0.25	100	6	0.75	0.5	12	16.7	8
P10	0.3	100	5.7	0.9	0.55	10	17.5	10
P10	0.35	100	5.3	1	0.6	8	18.9	13
P11	0.25	100	4.5	1.5	1.1	4	22.2	25
P11	0.3	100	4.3	1.7	1.3	3.5	23.3	29
P11	0.35	100	4.1	1.8	1.4	3	24.4	33
P12	0.25	100	6.3	0.7	0.4	20	15.9	5
P12	0.3	100	6.4	0.8	0.6	18	15.6	6
P12	0.35	100	6.2	0.9	0.7	15	16.1	7
P13	0.25	100	6.7	0.75	0.5	14	14.9	7
P13	0.3	100	7	0.8	0.6	12	14.3	8
P13	0.35	100	7	0.9	0.6	11	14.3	9
P14	0.25	100	5	0.9	0.7	8	20.0	13
P14	0.3	100	5	1	0.8	7	20.0	14
P14	0.35	100	4.8	1.1	0.9	6	20.8	17
P15	0.25	100	5.5	0.9	0.75	8	18.2	13
P15	0.3	100	5.5	1.2	0.9	7	18.2	14
P15	0.35	100	5.5	1.3	1	6.5	18.2	15

Spangles
P17, P18, P19 and P20

Number	Tenntråd Size	Amount of Tenntråd (cm)	Height (cm)	Width (cm)	Multiplier	Excess
P17	0.25	12	0.6	0.8	12	5
P17	0.3	13.5	0.7	0.9	13.5	5
P17	0.35	16	0.8	1.1	16	6
P18	0.25	52	1.4	1.4	52	21
P18	0.3	57	1.6	1.6	57	23
P18	0.35	65	1.8	1.8	65	26
P19	0.25	23	0.9	1	23	9
P19	0.3	25	0.95	1.1	25	10
P19	0.35	27	1.1	1.25	27	11
P20	0.25	48	0.85	1.8	48	11
P20	0.3	55	1	2.5	55	10
P20	0.35	62	1.1	2.8	62	12

Finials
P21 and P22

Number	Tenntråd Size	Amount of Tenntråd (cm)	Height (cm)	Width (cm)	Multiplier	Excess	Tenntråd in each component (cm)
P21	0.25	30	0.9	0.9	30	12	Ring 18, Finial 12
P21	0.3	36	1.2	1.3	36	14	Ring 22, Finial 14
P21	0.35	42	1.8	1.6	42	17	Ring 26, Finial 16
P22	0.25	46	1.5	1.5	46	18	Ring 18, Finial 28
P22	0.3	50	1.7	1.7	50	20	Ring 21, Finial 29
P22	0.35	57	1.9	1.8	57	23	Ring 26, Finial 31

Rings and Balls
P23, P24, and P26

Number	Tenntråd Size	Amount of Tenntråd (cm)	Length (cm)	Height (cm)	Width (cm)	Multiplier	Excess
P23	0.25	14	0.5	0.5	0.3	14	6
P23	0.3	14	0.7	0.7	0.4	14	6
P23	0.35	15	0.75	0.75	0.6	15	6
P24	0.25	20	0.5	0.5	0.4	20	8
P24	0.3	23	0.8	0.8	0.5	23	9
P24	0.35	24	1	1	0.6	24	10
P26	0.25	11	0.4	0.4	0.4	11	4
P26	0.3	12	0.5	0.5	0.5	12	5
P26	0.35	15	0.55	0.55	0.55	15	6

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Calculators

Braids (P1, P2, and P3)

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Bands (P9, P10, P11, P12, P13, P14, and P15)

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Spangles (P17, P18, P19, and P20)

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Finials and Rings (P21, P22, P23, P24, and P26)