Marly's Braid or Purse Strap

This pretty braid can be used either to embellish a purse or a tote bag or for the strap of the bag. To make this easy but pretty braid, make 4 ropes in different colors, I used Red Heart yarns because they are easily found by all, the colors I chose, if you happend to like the color combo, were:
Bright Yellow, Delft Blue, Turqua (to get a nice aqua shade)and Spring Green, for the MacIntosh apple tone (please refer to previous tutorials to learn how to make the ropes.)
To make the braid proceed as follows:Pin the ropes to a pillow or to a piece of cardboard (with a piece of fabric underneat to keep the braid clean) to make it easier for you to make the braid.

1- Cross rope 3 over rope 2.
2- Without bringing the to the top, but moving them underneath the previously made cross, bring rope 4 and rope 1 to the center and cross rope 1 over
rope 4.
3- Cross tope 4 over rope 3 (bue over aqua) and rope 1 over rope 2 (green over yellow).
4- Cross rope 3 over rope 2 (aqua over yellow).
5- Bring Blue and green ropes to the center, underneath the other 2 ropes. Cross blue over green rope.
6- Bring the other two ropes underneath the previous rope and cross the yellow over the aqua.
7- Cross the aqwua over the green and the yellow over the blue.
8- Bring the yellow and the aqua underneath the other two ropes and cross them.
9- Bring the blue and the green under the yellow and the aqua and cross them.
Continue these steps for as long as you want to, thios will make a lovely braid for the front of a bag or a very striking handle for a bag!

When Things Go Wrong...

Debra's Braid

This is a fun braid, it is a combination of 3-strand and 4-strand that occurred to me as I was working with ropes. I named it after a friend of our family. This braid makes a pretty embellishment for a bag that needs a little "something."
To make this braid, you will need 4 crocheted ropes (please look at previous tutorials to learn how to make them!) preferably of 4 different
colors so that you will be able more easily to track where each one goes (and the braids look prettier that way.)
To make braid proceed as follows:
1- Working only with the first 3 ropes, cross rope 3 over rope 2.
2- Bring rope 1 over rope 2.
3- Bring rope 3 over rope 2.
4- Bring rope 1 over rope 2.
5- Bring rope 4 underneath rope 3 and over rope 2, bring rope 1 over it.
6- Bring new rope 4 under rope 3, over rope 2 and under new rope 1.
7 to 10- Ignoring new rope 1, and working only with 3 ropes, rep rows 1- 4.

Rep all these rows over and over to get your rope.















When Things Go Wrong...

Gladys' Braid

This is a simple 3-strand braid which is left open for effect. It is a bit asymmetrical and angular, which makes it interesting and less common than the usual 3-strand braid, it is also very easy to make.


Glady's braid will be most effective in 3 colors, especially if the they contrast against the background of the bag.
Make a ball of yarn for each color of rope you will be making, then make your ropes.

To make it proceed as follows:

Make your crocheted ropes as we have made them in previous tutorials. (Please take a look at our previuos tutorials and beautiful braids.)
Make twice as much as the size of the bag or tote you want to embellish. Leave one end of the rope attached to the ball of yarn, justin case you run
out of rope before you have finished the amount of braiding you need or on the other hand, if you have a bit more rope than you need, to be able to unravel and adjust
it.

Pin one end of ropes to edge of bag or purse, leaving an excess that will be folded over the edge of the bag and which will disappear under the lining.
To braid, work in the following manner:

1- Bring rope #1 over rope #2, then pass rope #3 over rope #2.
2- Bring new rope #1 over new rope #2, and new rope #3 over rope #2. (Leave the braiding quite "open" so that the fabric of the bag will show through.)
Continue to repeat these two rows, continuously until you have the length of braid you want.
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Alone in the Crowd