Use thin, flexible ropes in different colors and sizes for paracord crafts.
Knotting, braiding, weaving and crocheting are forms of rope work easily incorporated into crafting items with paracord. The dragon's tongue weave uses two or more colors of paracord to create an interesting woven pattern. The width of the resulting weave lends itself easily for use as a bracelet. You can make this weave using standard 550 paracord, or the lighter 440 paracord if you prefer a more slender bracelet. This weave works with any thin, soft, flexible rope.
Instructions
Connect the Buckle
1. Separate the cargo buckle into its two halves. Fold the black paracord in half to find the center. Push the center of the black paracord into the slot on the buckle from behind about 2 inches. Pull the loop over the buckle end, then pull the paracord ends to fasten the paracord to the buckle.
2. Snap the buckle back together and hold it flat on the bottom of your wrist. Wrap the black paracord loosely around your wrist to the slot on the other half of the buckle. Measure an extra 3/4 inch of length and cut both black cords with the scissors. Push the two ends of the black paracord through the slot on the second half of the cargo buckle from behind and pull them out 6 inches. Separate the buckle into two halves again.
3. Light the candle with the lighter. Hold the two ends of the black paracord close to the flame, but not in the flame, until they melt. Place the two ends together and let it cool to form another looped end. Let the paracord ends cool for several minutes. Slide the buckle half back toward the loop and place the loop over the end of the buckle, then pull the paracord snug to fasten the buckle to the paracord.
Weaving the Dragon's Tongue
4. Place the black paracord and belt buckle vertically on the table with the two black paracords parallel and close together. Fold the blue paracord in half to find the center and hold the center between your thumb and forefinger.
Feed the left end of the blue paracord between the two black cords and then under the left black paracord and draw it out horizontally to the left. Lay the right half of the blue paracord horizontally over the top of the right black paracord.
Keep the center of the blue paracord at the two black paracords and slide the blue paracord against the top buckle.
5. Fold the top blue paracord over the bottom blue paracord, then feed it under the left black parcord and over the right black paracord and lay it horizontally extending to the right.
Take the remaining left blue paracord over the top of the left black paracord and under the right black paracord and extend it horizontally to the right, below the other blue paracord.
6. Take the top right blue paracord under the bottom right blue paracord, over the right black paracord and under the left black paracord and lay it horizontally to the left.
Take the right blue paracord under the right black paracord and over the left black paracord and lay it horizontally to the left below the other blue paracord.
7. Repeat the previous two steps until one third of the bracelet is woven. Keep the weave tight against the top buckle.
8. Repeat the weave to make a solid woven pattern between the buckle halves until you reach the bottom buckle. Place the ends of the paracord through the slot in the buckle from the top, then push them individually through a loop in the weave on either side.
Alternatively, gently pull each pair of weaves toward the bottom buckle to make an open weave pattern that alternates between the left and right black paracords. Work weaves down the black paracord until the last set reaches the bottom buckle. This gives the weave a wave-like appearance. Insert the ends of the paracord into the buckle slot from the top and bring each end back through the weave inside a loop.
9. Trim the ends of the blue paracord close to the weave with scissors. Hold the ends close to the candle flame to melt them enough to keep them from unraveling.
