Braiding Eight Cords Into a Flat Braid

Everyone can braid things, right? Can you braid more than 3 things? Here is how to braid 8 strands of cord, string, yarn, leather strips or you name it.

Take four strands of cord, string, yarn, or these things which are the "self ties" out of old yoga pants.

While the purpose of this instructable is how to braid, you will need something to start on. A great looking belt buckle like this cat belt buckle from the mid 1970s will work very nicely.

Stabilize the belt buckle so you can tug on it a little bit. I tied a cord on the belt buckle, then tied the cord around a chair leg. Depending on the size of the chair, tug all you want.

Starting with the belt buckle upside down, take the first cord, fold in half and make a loop.
Feed the loop under the belt buckle end.
Fold the loop down over the cord ends.
Bring the cord ends up through the loop.
Pull tight.
In the knotting world, this is lark's head.

Do the same with each of your cords doubling the cords and ending up with 8 cords to braid.
In the image from left to right, there are 2 blacks, 2 blues, 2 grays and 2 blacks.

Always count from left to right, 1 through 8.
Starting with the 5th cord (gray) from the left, put it over the 4th cord (blue.)
The colors are now black, black, blue, gray, blue, gray, black, black.

Take the 3rd cord (blue) and put it over the 2nd cord (black.)
Then continue that same black cord over the 5th gray one.
The colors are now black, blue, gray, black, blue, gray, black, black.

Take the 7th cord (black) and put it over the 6th cord (gray), then under the 5th cord (blue) then over the 4th cord (black.)
The colors are now black, blue, gray, black, black, blue, gray, black.

Take the 1st cord and put it over the 2nd, under the 3rd, over the 4th.
The colors are now blue, gray, black, black, black, blue, gray, black.

Take the 8th cord and put it under the 7th, over the 6th, under the 5th and over the 4th.
Now the colors are blue, gray, black, black, black, black, blue, gray.
The whole thing is rather loosely braided at this point.

Time to tighten it all up a little. Tug a little on each cord and pushing the braided parts closer together.

Take the 1st cord (the blue one in this case)and put it over the 2nd, under the 3rd and over the 4th.
Take the 8th cord (gray) and put it under the 7th, over the 6th, under the 5th and over 4th.
The colors are now gray, black, black, gray, blue, black, black, blue.

Looking at another way, take the left most cord (gray) and put it over, under and over.
Take the right most cord (blue) and put it under, over, under, over over the gray.
The colors are now black, black, gray, blue, gray, blue, black, black.

Always take the left most cord first and put it over, under, over.
Then take the right most cord and put it under, over, under and over.
The colors are now black, gray, blue black, black, gray, blue, black.

Left cord: over, under, over.
Right cord: under, over, under, over.
Tighten. Repeat.

To end it, tack down the ends either straight across or in a "V" shape. Third image is machine sewn in the "V" shape. Select a thread color to either match or contrast your braided colors and using a tight zigzag stitch, machine sew following your previous stitches. Trim the ends. Done.