I wanted to use DMC floss that matched my cross stitch pieces to edge them. Floss is not that thick though, and I needed a cording of some type that would be thick enough to cover the edges. Each of my stitched heart pieces used several different colors of floss, so I decided to make use four different colors and make a four thread braid. Even using all six strands within the floss thread and using four different floss threads still did not make the braid thick enough, so I doubled everything. [If you are not familiar with DMC floss, there are six separable strands within the floss. Cross stitching normally uses two strands.] I used two threads per color, but I used the two as if they were one, so that I still braided them like a four thread braid. As explained in another blog post, I attached the threads to the cross stitch piece using thread. I used one long piece of each color thread that I attached at the halfway point.
I used a braiding method that I learned at summer camp decades ago for making friendship bracelets. I started with the left most threads, again treating the two same color threads as if they were one. The left most threads were cross over the middle two threads.
Next the thread that is now the second to the left is crossed over the thread that was the left most thread and is now the third from the left thread.
Next work from the right. The right most thread is crossed over the middle two threads, so now the initially right most thread is now second from the left.
Next the thread that is now second from the right, is crossed over the new second from the left thread.
The above four steps are just repeated over and over again. Left most crossed over middle two. New second from left crossed over new second from right. Right most thread crossed over middle two. New second from right crossed over new second from left. Repeat. Repeat.
One final piece of advice. If you are using a lot of thread, either make sure the thread hangs freely, or keep it flat and pieces together. Otherwise the threads will start getting tangled on the opposite side of where the braiding is being performed.
