Connecting two or more braiders, the LR-RL, RL-LR moves

There are two types of interconnecting moves, one where one loop passes through the other on the way to being exchanged between braiders and another where the loops pass through each other twice before returning to their original positions. Both types are done right through left and left through right.

LR-RL. In the LR-RL move both braiders will temporarily move all the loops except the outermost to the opposite hand. For the right braider they will move all the loops from their left hand and the left braider will move all the loops from their right hand. Then the right braider will take their left most loop and pass it through the left braider’s right most loop. The left braider will take the right braider’s loop and the right braider will take the left braider’s loop. Return the temporarily moved loops back to the original hand. This allows both braiders’ braids to become connected along that edge make it one braid. In addition, colors can move across the full width of the braid in the case of complex-colored braids.

RL-LR. This move is done similarly to the LR-RL move but instead the left braider’s right most loop will pass through the right braider’s left most loop before taking the right braider’s loop and the right braider takes the left braider’s loop.

LRxRL. The set up for the LRxRL is the same as the LR-RL but in this case after the right braider’s left most loop passes through the left braider’s right most loop, the left braider’s loop will pass through the right braider’s loop. The loops then go back to their original positions and return the temporarily moved loops back to their original hand.

RLxLR. This move is the opposite of the LRxRL move in that the left braider’s right most loop will pass through the right braider’s left most loop first before the right braider’s loop passes through the left braider’s loop. The loops will return to their original positions and return the temporarily moved loops back to their original hand.