How to Braid Plastic Strings Into a Square Rope

1). Place a metal loop on a safety pin and pin to a pillow. Cut one piece of plastic cord 72 inches long. Cut one piece of plastic cord in a different color 72 inches long. Thread one end of each cord through the metal loop and match up all four ends.
2). Hold the center where the two cords cross the metal loop with the fingers of one hand. Arrange the cords so that the vertical cord is beneath the horizontal cord. Fold the top vertical cord over the horizontal cord and to the left side of the bottom vertical cord. Fold the left horizontal cord over both vertical cords and to the bottom of the right horizontal cord.
3). Fold the right bottom vertical cord over both horizontal cords. Fold the top right horizontal cord over the right side vertical cord and through the loop of the left side vertical cord. This is the first weave. Pull the cords tight.
4). Bring the left side vertical cord up and the right side vertical down. Take the left side horizontal over the left side vertical and under the right side vertical. Take the bottom right side horizontal over the bottom right vertical and through the loop of the left vertical.
5). Bring the left side vertical cord down and the right side vertical up. Take the right side top horizontal over the right side vertical and under the left side vertical. Take the bottom left side horizontal over the bottom left vertical and through the loop of the right vertical. Repeat Step 4 and 5 for the length you want.
6). Tighten your final row. Use a nut tool and weave each tail strand back through the cord two rows. A nut tool is a slim metal rod with a soft point on one end. It is sold in kitchen departments for prying nuts out of shells. A crochet hook will also work. Press the pointed end between the weave one row back from the end. Insert the gimp on that side of the square into the weave and out the other side while the metal rod holds the weave open. Repeat for each piece of gimp, pulling each tight as you go. Move the nut tool down another row and repeat. Snip off the end of the tail.