Completing plastic lacing crafts provides an entertaining activity while also creating a useful item that brings the extra satisfaction of knowing you made it yourself. Plastic laces can be braided together in a variety of styles, with each style best suited for specific craft types. The circle stitch is an excellent beginner stitch for creating a key ring or a lanyard as it makes a rounded chain, while the flat cobra stitch is ideally suited for items such as bracelets.
Things You'll Need:
- Scissors
- Plastic Lace
- Bead
Barrel Stitch
Cut two laces of even length and arrange the cords on a flat surface in the shape of a cross, with a lace running left-to-right on top and a lace with ends pointing toward you and away from you on bottom.
Fold the loose end nearest you over the top lace to form a loop, then fold the end farthest from you over the top lace to the right of the first loop.
Weave the left loose end over the left loop and through the right loop, then the right loose end over the right loop and through the left loop, so the end starting on the right is woven closer to you. Pull the four ends to tighten a square stitch.
Pass the lace end nearest you over the prior stitch, to the left of the end farthest from you, then the lace farthest from you over the stitch to the right of the stitch that started near you. The loops will still be parallel to each other, but will be diagonal to the other lace, as opposed to perpendicular as with the starting square stitch.
Weave the left lace over the left loop and through the right loop, so it finishes farther from you than the right lace, then weave the right lace over the right loop and through the left loop so it finishes nearer to you. Pull the ends to tighten a circle stitch.
Tie circle stitches in this manner until your braid reaches your desired length. Leave the last stitch loose.
Wrap each loose end around the start of the loose end from the same piece of lace then up through the middle. Pull the ends to tighten a completion stitch. For example, the end that started the stitch on the left is woven as normal, wrapped around the right end then pulled through the center of the stitch.
Cobra Stitch
Cut a piece of lace ten inches long for every inch you want the bracelet to extend. Fold the lace in half and pass the loose ends through a bead.
Fold the loose ends down so the length of the lace from the fold to the bead is 1/4 as long as the loose ends. You should have a core running from the fold to the bead, with a loose end hanging on either side.
Pass the left loose end in front of the core, creating a loop between the left end and core, and the right end behind the core, creating a similar loop in the right lace.
Thread the left end through the loop in the right end, and the right end through the loop in the left end, then pull tight.
Repeat the braid until the section between the end of the braid and the fold is just large enough to slip over the bead, passing the same end in front each pass. Because the braid causes the ends to switch sides each time it is tied, the loop passing in front of the cord will be on the right for each even pass of the knot.
Tie a knot in each loose end. Cut off the excess lace after each knot.
