Braiding Disk

In this instructable I will first show how to make the basic braid and then show how to use that knowledge to make a bracelet of soft shackle to hang items from a belt or back pack

Take a square of cardboard and clip the corners to male an octagon.

I used the top of a pizza box and made a 4" square (size is NOT critical)

Cut a 3/4"(again not critical) in the center of each side of the octagon.

Take 7 strands of yarn and tie an overhand knot in one end.

Push the overhand knot through the hole in the center of the disk leaving the East (3 o'clock) position empty.

Turn the disk over and clip a light weight (bulldog clip) to the knot

I find it easier to move the disk in a counter-clockwise direction but you can move the disk clockwise if you prefer.

Count over 3 positions clockwise and take the cord there and move it to the empty slot.

Shift the disk so that the empty slot is once again in the East (3 o'clock position.

Here is the position of the yarns after one shift. That is how to braid using a braiding disk.

Count over three clockwise from the empty slot (East) and move the yarn there (South West) to the empty slot.

Turn the disk so the empty slot is in the 3 o'clock position.

Every few movements straighten out the yarns. Check out the progress of the braid.

To make the bracelet/soft shackle shown on the introduction I took 4' of yarns to make a 1 foot length of usable cordage,

In the middle of the 4" I tied the yarns together with a separate thread and braided for about 2".

I removed the braid from the disk and folded it in half and re-strung the doubled yarns.

I braided until the ends got too short. I ended up with a 1" long section of braid from the end of the loop to the end of the braid.

If the doubled braid is too thick you can thin it out.

After about a dozen yarn movements cut one strand in a slot. Repeat this process cutting one strand in a slot after a dozen or so yarn movements.

The braid will thin out and the ends will be hidden in the braid..

Tie a overhand knot with the yarns at the end of the braid.