I love your tutorials. The cord on black looks awesome as a final result. BUT for a stitching tutorial, a lighter color bracelet would have been easier to see. You do beautiful work!
I leave all my ends loose until the entire bracelet is finished. That way, if I need extra room to get the fid through, I don't have to fight with it. When it's all stitched, I tighten everything back up, snip, and singe.