The page shows it pretty well actually... I expect that the trouble is that you are thinking too hard. I've been working with cordage of one type or another for a living for the last six years, and I still haven't quite convinced myself that "over 5 under 2" _should_ work - nevermind that it does.

Grab 8 cords and lay them out flat. Take the outside strand and bring it over 5 strands, then back under 2. Repeat from the other side. Don't try too hard and magic! - eight strand braid.

You can certainly get into more complex braids, and patterns, and tools... but this is a decent start.

Matthias

Yes, I meant to mention that all of the "over and back" variants give you what amounts to a four strand braid with the extra strands swapped in and out of the core. The big advantage is really that it can be worked flat, and quickly. Once you get into multiple strands moving at a time, you start to either need to be a genius or use a braiding table / cards /maru dai.

Matthias

Lionheart,
The braid looks harder than it is. If you can do a round four braid with three strings each, you can do this braid too, just read the text. It is one of the braids that is much harder to draw than to do.

Willeke

Now also on the site, the round braid of eight, it is a 1-up 1-down braid, but needs a core.

Willeke