How to Braid Cord Lanyards
Cord braiding is a fun activity that can be used to create beautiful cord lanyards in a variety of colors. Once mastered, many knots can even be completed as second nature, while still carrying on conversations or watching television. An excellent beginner's knot is the double box, which unites four different pieces of cord, allowing for a great deal of customization of your final product.
Instructions
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1
Cut 4 pieces of Paracord, 2 feet long, and lay 2 flat, side-by-side.
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2
Lay the second pair of cords atop the first set, perpendicular to the first set, so that the midpoints of the top cords are over the midpoints of the bottom cords.
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3
Create a pair of loops over the top cords with one of the bottom cords by pulling each of the ends of the bottom cord over the top cords and laying each back down on the opposite side of the top cords.
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4
Create 2 more loops by pulling each of the ends of the second bottom cord over the top cords and laying each end down on the opposite side of the top cords. Keep cord pattern consistent. For example, if the bottom cords extend to the left and right of the top cords, your loop order from top to bottom would be: left end of first cord, right end of first cord, left end of second cord, right end of second cord.
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5
Weave the top pieces of cord by passing each of the 4 ends over the loop nearest it, under the next loop, over the loop after that and under the final loop. Be sure the matching ends of each top cord have the same sequence: the end of 1 top cord, oriented above the loops would have the same sequence as the end of the other top cord, also oriented above the loops. Ensure the ends below the loops also pass over and under the same loops.
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6
Tighten the knot by alternately pulling on the ends of the looping cords. Pull the ends of the weaving cords.
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7
Repeat the knot until you are nearly out of cord, being sure to always use the same cords for looping, and the same cords for weaving.
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8
Tie off the ends of the cords when you are finished and knot them to secure your lanyard's form.
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