How to French Braid With String

A french braid, like any other braid, creates pleats, as shown in the picture.

Many people think of French braids as the braid worn by little girls with long hair, but in fact the French braid is used for much more than hair styles. It can be used in crafts of all kind, including quilting. French braiding is an interesting braiding technique, where a person starts off braiding the usually way and then adds in more strands of hair or strings and even fabric, as the braid progresses.

Things You'll Need

• String
• Heavy tape
• Hard surface

Instructions

1. Cut several pieces of string in the same length. Beginners start with six pieces.

2. Tie the pieces of string together in a knot at the top. Tape the knot to a hard work surface. Pull to make sure the tape won't give.

3. Start with the middle three pieces of string. The left side string will be A, the middle B and the right C.

4. Grasp string C between the thumb and forefinger on the right hand. Loop string C over string B. Hold string C and B in the right hand.

5. Loop string A over string C, which is now in the center of the three strings. Hold string C in the left hand and string A and B in the right hand.

6. Add in another piece of string, preferably from the left side, because this hand is only holding one string. This piece of string will act as a teammate to string A, think of this new string as part of string A. Do one round of looping with the two strings acting as string A.

7. Add a teammate to either the B string or the C string. Take this new strand from the opposite side the first extra strand was taken. Do another round of looping.

8. Add a teammate to the last string. From here beginners will be out of string and should just continue to loop the double strings over each other until the strings reach the end. For more advanced braiders, continue to add more string into the braid until the strands are completed.

Tips & Warnings

• The more strings to include in the braid, the earlier they must be introduced. Add in the new string after every loop, instead of waiting after every loop cycle.

• String can get tangled in someone's hands very easily. Stop between every loop and make sure each string is grasped firmly between the fingers so there are no tangles.

References

• French Braid Obsession: New Ideas for the Imaginative Quilter; Jane Hardy Miller;2009
• French Braid Instructions