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...

Kelly's Braid

This is a pretty braid that looks as if it had been made with 3 strands of rope, but in reality it is made with 5. The difference between making this braid and making a common 3 rope braid is the change in colors, which is really evident and beautiful all through the length of the braid. You can use this braid to embellish a bag but also you can use it to make the bag's handle. if you want it to embellish the front of your bag, measure the length and make extra cord (please see our previous tutorials to see how we do it) pin the ropes to the top of your bag, leaving an excess that will go over the edge of the bag and we sewn to the inside of it and under the lining of the bag. If you want to use it for the handle of your bag, simply sew the ropes firmly to a ring and begin braiding, once you have the length of handle you want, sew the other end of the braid to another ring. Fasten off. Attach rings to bag.
This braid is worth making if you want wonderful colors! You don't get all these colors with 3-strand braids.

Here is how to make Kelly's braid:


After choosing what you will do with the braid, either sew the ropes to a ring or pin them to the top of your bag as explained before.


1. Take the first rope that lies to the right and bring it to the middle, then take the first rope that lies to the left and bring it to the middle and cross it on top of that one.


2. Take the rope that is now the first one on the right and bring it to the middle and then take the rope that has now become the first one on the left and cross it over that one.


Continue this process until you get the length of braid you want!

Encouraging Promises

Lilly's Braid

This is a pretty easy and great looking rope braid that will greatly enhance any simple bag or tote or bag that you want to embellish. It is a 6-strand braid which, to start with, I recommend that you make with ropes of different colors so that you can easily follow what you do until you get it down pat and can make it with ropes of the same color against, say, a contrasting ground or a lighter or darker ground.

To start, make your ropes as explained in previous tutorials.
Make 6 ropes of co different colors twice as long as the size of your tote or bag. If possible, leave them unfinished at the bottom part of them, just in case you need to enlarge them or to shorten them when you are done braiding.
This is NOT an exact science! Pin your ropes at the top of the bag as usual, leaving a little excess which you will bed over the edge inwardly
and will be sewing to the inside of the bag, to be covered by the lining.
Think of your ropes as pairs. You have 3 pairs.
To make the braid proceed as follows:

1. Take the left rope of each pair and place it over the rope on its right side.

2. Skip the two outer ropes and working only with the ropes in the middle, take the right rope of each of the middle pairs and pass it over the left rope of each pair. (Look at the photos)






















3. From here on you just repeat the first two steps over and over until you have the right length of rope for your project. Pin the edges down and sew all around with matching yarn.


You can make the braid tighter or you can open it up a bit more so that the background of the tote or bag can be seen behind it.





































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