Well it turns out braiding that macrame cord is quite the challenge!! I cut 3 pieces and sewed the ends of them together (a challenge in and of itself!!) Then I hung the cord from my clothesline, braided it and tried to sew the other ends together (another challenge).
It looks ok but I'm afraid the ends are a bit lumpy for my bag. They will be hidden between the outer fabric and the lining but they are still quite lumpy.
Any simple suggestions for me? Am I missing something obvious. Thanks!!
PS. Thanks HillCountryGal for the fabric ID. I had no idea what it was!