How to Make a 4 or 8 Part Round Braid
Choose the colors for your braid., Tie strands together at the end., Secure the end of your material to something., Arrange your colors for a 4-strand braid pattern., Arrange your colors for an 8-strand braid pattern.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose the colors for your braid.
Decide on the colors that will appear in your round braid.
Select just one or two, or up to as many as four or eight different colors, depending on which type of braid you do.
For a 4-strand round braid, one or two colors are typically used in different configurations, but you can use up to four different colors for each strand if you wish.
For an 8-strand braid, typically one or two colors are used to create patterns, but you can use as many as eight different colors for each strand. -
Step 2: Tie strands together at the end.
Tie the pieces of material you will use for your braid together at one end.
Use a simple overhand knot (tying all four pieces around themselves) to secure them together.
You can fold over one longer piece of your material to create two strands, in which case you will tie together the loop ends of the folded pieces.
Remember that this will create two strands of the same color when you plan out what colors you will use.
Don’t worry about how neat or perfect this knot is, as you will likely redo it or use a fastening instead to complete your final braided item. , Fasten the knotted end of your strands to an object that will keep them firmly in place while you are pulling and tightening the strands to create the braid.
Tape the end to a work surface, loop it over a hook, pin it to your pant leg, or whatever method works for you.
If you prefer to work on a flat surface to help keep your strands in order, opt for taping the end down to a table or other horizontal surface that your material can lay flat on.
If you prefer to keep tension on the strands and hold onto and manipulate them with your fingers the whole time, opt for suspending the end from a hook or an angled surface that you can pull the strands out from. , Decide on how you’d like your colors to appear once they are braided, and arrange the strands accordingly.
Two colors on a 4-strand round braid can create a spiral or diamond shapes, depending on what order the colored strands are in when you begin.
Begin with two strands of the same color in the middle, and the outside two strands in a different color, for a pattern that will look like a spiral.
In other words, you can hold one strand of each color in each hand if you are holding onto the strands to braid.
Begin with two strands of one color on the left and two strands of another color on the right for a pattern that will look like diamond shapes or a square with four colored sides.
In other words, hold one color in one hand and one color in the other if you’re holding onto the strands the whole time to braid., Decide on how you want your colors to look once included in an 8-strand braid.
Arrange the strands according to whether you’d like a large chevron, small chevron, or stripe pattern for your completed braid.
For a two-color wide chevron pattern that appears on two sides of the braid, place two strands of each color on the left (or in your left hand) and two strands of each color on the right (or in your right hand).
Four strands of the same color should all be next to each other in the middle.
For a two-color narrow chevron pattern that appears on all four sides of the braid, arrange the strands alternately with a strand of the first color, then a strand of the second color, then a strand of the first color, and so on.
For two-colored stripes down the braid, place all four strands of one color on the left (or in your left hand) and all four strands of the other color on the right (or in your right hand). -
Step 3: Secure the end of your material to something.
-
Step 4: Arrange your colors for a 4-strand braid pattern.
-
Step 5: Arrange your colors for an 8-strand braid pattern.
Detailed Guide
Decide on the colors that will appear in your round braid.
Select just one or two, or up to as many as four or eight different colors, depending on which type of braid you do.
For a 4-strand round braid, one or two colors are typically used in different configurations, but you can use up to four different colors for each strand if you wish.
For an 8-strand braid, typically one or two colors are used to create patterns, but you can use as many as eight different colors for each strand.
Tie the pieces of material you will use for your braid together at one end.
Use a simple overhand knot (tying all four pieces around themselves) to secure them together.
You can fold over one longer piece of your material to create two strands, in which case you will tie together the loop ends of the folded pieces.
Remember that this will create two strands of the same color when you plan out what colors you will use.
Don’t worry about how neat or perfect this knot is, as you will likely redo it or use a fastening instead to complete your final braided item. , Fasten the knotted end of your strands to an object that will keep them firmly in place while you are pulling and tightening the strands to create the braid.
Tape the end to a work surface, loop it over a hook, pin it to your pant leg, or whatever method works for you.
If you prefer to work on a flat surface to help keep your strands in order, opt for taping the end down to a table or other horizontal surface that your material can lay flat on.
If you prefer to keep tension on the strands and hold onto and manipulate them with your fingers the whole time, opt for suspending the end from a hook or an angled surface that you can pull the strands out from. , Decide on how you’d like your colors to appear once they are braided, and arrange the strands accordingly.
Two colors on a 4-strand round braid can create a spiral or diamond shapes, depending on what order the colored strands are in when you begin.
Begin with two strands of the same color in the middle, and the outside two strands in a different color, for a pattern that will look like a spiral.
In other words, you can hold one strand of each color in each hand if you are holding onto the strands to braid.
Begin with two strands of one color on the left and two strands of another color on the right for a pattern that will look like diamond shapes or a square with four colored sides.
In other words, hold one color in one hand and one color in the other if you’re holding onto the strands the whole time to braid., Decide on how you want your colors to look once included in an 8-strand braid.
Arrange the strands according to whether you’d like a large chevron, small chevron, or stripe pattern for your completed braid.
For a two-color wide chevron pattern that appears on two sides of the braid, place two strands of each color on the left (or in your left hand) and two strands of each color on the right (or in your right hand).
Four strands of the same color should all be next to each other in the middle.
For a two-color narrow chevron pattern that appears on all four sides of the braid, arrange the strands alternately with a strand of the first color, then a strand of the second color, then a strand of the first color, and so on.
For two-colored stripes down the braid, place all four strands of one color on the left (or in your left hand) and all four strands of the other color on the right (or in your right hand).
About the Author
Samuel Flores
Committed to making lifestyle accessible and understandable for everyone.
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