Hey everyone! I’ve gotten lots of requests over the past few weeks regarding the steps on how to create a double four-strand braid for our pewter thread and Saami inspired folks. This is a beautiful dense Irish looking pattern that takes a bit of practice. To start you will need 4 strands of 0.35mm pewter thread approximately 20″ long each.
Double your strands in half over the hook of your paper clip and divide into 4 sections with two strands in each section. Don’t worry if this looks a little wonky to start with.
Take your two sections in the middle and cross the right section over the left section. and pull taut.
Take the outermost section on your left and cross it over the nearest section and pull over to the right. Pull taut.
Take the outermost section on your right and cross it under the nearest section and pull over the left.
Pull both sections firmly to either side and you should begin to see the pattern emerging.
Depending on how tightly you braid you should end up with a finished braid approximately 6.5 to 6.75 inches long. Remember to figure that a good 0.25 inch on either end will be hidden in the body of your bracelet if you are going to sew the braid to a leather strip. These proportions work well for a 7 inch finished bracelet on reindeer hide so if you want a longer braid increase the length of your strands by 2 inches (20 – 22 inches). Again, depending on the how tightly you weave your strands will determine the overall finished length of the braid. Strands measuring 22 inches in length should yield you a finished braid measuring approximately 7.7 to 8 inches long.
Good luck and I am always happy to answer questions and help in any way I can. Don’t forget to share your projects on our Saami Inspired Facebook Page. Thanks for following our blog and stay tuned for a new project post May 6th where we’ll add a little color to your life.