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Activities / Parandi / Braided Thread Parandi

Braided Thread Parandi

Braided Thread Parandi: Cotton Plait with Tassel Ends

Level
Intermediate
Duration
2 - 3 hours
Budget
₹193 – ₹407
Age
12+
State
Punjab
Craft
Parandi

Materials

  • Cotton embroidery floss (6 strand skeins, 8 m each)
  • Masking tape, 24 mm
  • Clear craft glue
  • Scissors
  • Comb and a pencil
  • Hair clip

Steps

  1. Choose your colours and cut twelve 2 m lengths of floss
    Pick one dark colour (black or deep blue) and two bright colours. Cut 12 lengths of cotton embroidery floss, each 2 m (about 6.5 ft), keeping all six threads of the floss together. You need 4 dark lengths and 4 of each bright colour. Measure the first one against your outstretched arms and use it as a guide for the others. Common mistake: cutting them uneven, which leaves you with ragged ends later.
  2. Fold the lengths in half, knot them and tape the loop down
    Gather all 12 lengths, fold the bundle in half, and tie an overhand knot 6 cm (2.5 in) below the fold so a loop about 3 cm wide stays open at the top. Tape the loop firmly to a table edge with masking tape, or hang it over a door handle. You now have 24 hanging strands. Straighten them with your fingers so none cross.
  3. Divide the strands into 3 groups of 8, mixing the colours
    Each group is made of 4 folded lengths, which gives 8 strands. Make two groups with 1 dark and 3 bright lengths, and one group with 2 dark and 2 bright. Run your fingers down each group so the colours lie side by side as a flat ribbon. Each group will now behave like one thick strand in the braid, so keep it flat and untwisted.
  4. Plait the three groups, pulling snug after every crossing
    Cross the left group over the middle one, then the right group over the new middle one, and keep repeating. After each crossing, pull the groups gently downward so the braid stays tight and even. Plait for 10 cm (4 in) and check that it looks flat and neat from the front. Common mistake: braiding loosely at the start and tightly later, which makes the braid wavy.
    Tip: Move the tape lower every 15 cm so you always braid with your hands at a comfortable height.
  5. Wrap a colour band around the braid every 10 cm
    At 10 cm, pull one bright strand out of a group. Wrap it tightly around the whole braid 5 times to make a band about 1 cm wide. Tuck the loose end under the wraps with the point of a pencil and pull the other end gently. Then carry on plaiting from where you stopped. The band should hold firmly and not slide when you tug it.
  6. Repeat the plait and bands until the braid is 40 cm long
    Plait another 10 cm, add a band, and repeat until you have bands at 10, 20 and 30 cm and the braid is 40 cm (16 in) long. Use a different bright colour for each band if you like. Keep checking that the groups stay flat. If one group twists into a rope, stop, flatten it and carry on. The braid should hang straight when you lift it.
  7. Tie a double knot and trim the ends to 10 cm
    At 40 cm, tie all 24 strands into a double knot, close to the last crossing, and pull it very tight. Measure 10 cm (4 in) below the knot and cut all the strand ends straight across, so the ends are even. If some strands are shorter, trim all of them to match the shortest one. This tail will become the tassel.
  8. Fray the ends with a comb and bind the tassel neck
    Hold the tail in one hand and comb the ends from the bottom upward until the floss splits into fine soft fibres. Then wrap a matching strand of floss 6 times around the tassel 2 cm below the knot, tie it twice and trim the tails short. Trim the bottom of the tassel level with sharp scissors. Common mistake: binding too loosely, so the tassel slides open.
  9. Glue the knots, let them dry and clear away
    Put a small dab of clear glue on the double knot and on the tassel neck binding. Let them dry for 20 minutes. Snip off any stray fibres and shake out the tassel. Roll up your leftover floss and tape the ends so it does not tangle. To wear it, pass the loop through a hair clip, then braid your own hair along the thread braid. Remove it before sports, because long braids can catch.

Sustainability

Medium - cotton thread is plant-based; use up leftover skeins

Safety

Minimal; scissors are sharp; long braids can catch on things, so remove it before sports