How to Braid & Tie Knots
- 1). Hold the four strings with their ends even and tie an overhand knot near one end of the strings.
- 2). Grab the string you want to spiral around the others and pull it to the side, then drape the string over the other three, creating a loop.
- 3). Pass the string behind the other three and through the loop, then pull tight.
- 4). Continue tying knots in this fashion using the same string. As the knots add up you will see the spiral begin to form, while the three inner strings will be twisting within the spiral "staircase."
- 5). Turn the braid over so the loose ends are facing up and allow them to fall naturally when you have reached your desired braid length, then separate them so they are pointed in the four directions of the compass.
- 6). Pass the south end over the braid so it ends on the north, and the north end over the braid so it ends on the south. Two loops are formed by this. Be sure the loop beginning north and ending south is west of the other loop.
- 7). Pass the west end over the north-string loop and under south-string loop, and the east end over the south-string loop and under the north-string loop. Be sure that the west string is farther north than the east string, then pull all four strings to tie a square knot.
- 8). Tie a second square knot.
- 9). Begin a third square knot, but do not pull tight.
- 10
Wrap each string around its opposing string, then up through the middle of the knot. For example, the string beginning in the east will go over the south string, under the north string, around the west string then up through the middle of the knot. This creates a completion knot. - 11
Pull the ends tight to close the knot. - 12
Untie the overhand knot at the beginning of the string, allow the strings to separate then close them off with two squares and a completion knot.
Source...