A braided shopping bag

Video guide

Click to see the instructions (video).

1 Cut 20 x 180 cm pieces of macramé cord. Double the cords over and tie them around the handle by making a loop, feeding the ends through the loop and tightening. Tie 10 pieces of macramé cord onto each handle and make sure that the ends are all the same length. The finished shopping bag measures (without the handle) 43 cm + 7 cm tassels.

2 Arrange the cords with 4 cords in each section. Measure 4 cm from the handle and tie a double knot with the two outer cords around the two middle cords in each section.

3 Make the 2nd row of staggered double knots 4 cm further down. Skip the two outer cords, braiding the sections together in a diamond pattern as shown in the picture. Arrange the two handles side by side and braid them together with double knots using the outer cords.

4 Tie 9 rounds of staggered double knots, thus continuing the diamond pattern when braiding all the way around. It's easier to keep the cords separate if you place a cushion or similar inside the shopping bag.

5 Tie double knots at the bottom by taking two cords from the front and two cords from the back of the shopping bag. Tie the double knot around 2 cords 4 cm further down following the procedure from previously.

6 Secure the bottom by tying double knots, forming a diamond pattern using two cords from each side.

7 Finish the shopping bag in one of the following ways: Cut the cord ends very short and secure with a blob of glue. Tie knots on the cords and turn the bag outside in so that the knots are inside the bag. Or you can make tassels by tying a knot 7 cm further down each cord and fraying the ends as shown in the picture.