4 strand sennit

This is a simple and quick round braid.

I've used it as the ties for boat bumpers I made, as dog leash, as a knife sennit, and when I was making medieval costumes, as a money pouch belt. It's an attractive braid and depending on the colour of the strands, it can have nice diamond pattern.

My Grand-Maman wrapped wire coat hangers with this braid.

The term Sennit is almost equivalent to braid in the sense of a braid of fibre to make a cord or line. It is not used as a braid for hair unless you are making cordage out of the hair.

You need to start with 4 strands.

Memorize the formula, over 2, back under 1.

It's a little confusing when you start but as soon as the braid takes shape it gets much simpler.

Starting from the right, take the outermost strand, in this case a black one, and pass it over 2 strands on its left.

Working with the same strand bring it back UNDER the strand on its right.

Tighten everything up. Use pins or clothepins or spring clamps if you want.

Now we do the same thing but starting from the left.

Take the left strand and pass it over 2 strands on its right.

Working with the same strand, bring it UNDER the strand on its left.

Tighten the braid being careful not to change the order of the strands.

Go back to the right side and "over 2, back under 1". Go to the left and do the same.

That's all there is to it.

After a bit of practice you will hold all the strands in your hands and quickly braid without having to pin or tie anything. It helps to work tightly.

When you have enough length, either melt the ends together or bind it securely, better still bind and melt. Here is a link to the whipping page.

It's possible to braid this sennit around a core. This makes it thicker.

Some people braid this sennit by going under 2 and back over 1. It's the same braid. Just be consistent throughout and it will work.

Some of my Knot Pages

• Bowline, The Must Know Knot
• Bowline on a bight, how to tie a bowline if you don't have the ends.
• The Anchor Bend Knot
• Cleat Hitch it's surprising how many people can't tie this knot properly.
• Constrictor Knots make it a point of being difficult to untie. it's their job!
• Highwayman's Hitch makes it a point of being easy to untie, good for a quick hitch at the dock or where you need to get it undone fast. Useful if you want to tie your horse so you can untie him for a quick get-away.
• Reef Knots are used to reef sails, otherwise they are very unreliable.
• Rolling Hitch A useful knot that can be tied on another line to pull some slack so you can untie a knot or untangle a winch line.
• Sheet Bend joins 2 ropes together
• The Stopper Knot stops a knot from running out of a cleat. 2 styles
• Truckers Hitch helps tighten a rope around a canoe on a car or on a trailer.
• Farmer's Loop Similar to the Trucker's hitch, easy to tie.
• Round Turn and two half hitches a useful multipurpose knot
• The Fireman's coil keeps your coiled rope from getting tangled.
• Buntline Hitch, a very old knot that has found a new life with modern slippery rope