Turks head knot bracelets and contemporary fiber bracelets

wrapped leather cord button bracelet 2781

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:54:00 +0000

This design is made from 2 mm round leather cord waxed cotton thread a wood bead and a plastic button.

It's a lightweight sophisticated accessory that will add a touch of boho style.

This detail shows the loops and the button closure. The bead adds a little symmetry to the closure system.

The waxed thread is wrapped around the cords securing them tightly. A loop is used to capture the loose end which is then pulled under the wrap then the ends are trimmed.

Soon to be available online.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

ultra slender string grommet bracelets 2801

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Grommets are pieces of rope or line that have been unlaid then twisted back into a circular form. the natural twist of the cord is used to re-create the shape of the line without any loose ends.

Here's a tutorial that shows how traditional grommets are made.

Here's a video showing the same process.

The design shown on the left is made with a waxed thread whipping to bind the loose ends instead of the splicing shown in the tutorial.

The material used is a white #60 cotton cord which is about 1/8" (3 mm) diameter.

I measure about 3 1/2 circumferences of cord then cut the piece and un-lay it. This creates three strands, each has a "corkscrew" shape due to the original construction of the cord.

As in in the tutorial above the cord is re-twisted in the circular form three times around. The ends are laid parallel and the whipping is applied.

Here you can see the white whipping cord that binds the loose ends which have been trimmed off in the photo.

A variety of sizes is available, this one is a 6" circumference. These are very sturdy and can be stretched hard to slip them over your hand. They will shrink back to original size or slightly smaller if you get them wet.

Soon to be available online (pun intended)
design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

Lima bean beaded one button cuff bracelet 2792

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Here's another variation on polymer clay beads used in the one button bracelet designs. This one features smooth ribbed beads that resemble lima beans in shape. The holes are made in the base of the bead to enable edge stitching to secure the bead in place.

Here's another design made with these custom made beads you might like.

Read the tutorial explaining how to make the one button toggle bracelet here.

The button toggle is made out of the same material as the beads: light tan scuply clay baked for 15 minutes in the oven.

You can see the back side of the lima bean beads in the center of the cord fabric.

The framing cords are a dark pearl grey. The infill cords are an olive taupe cotton both hand dyed in my basement laundry room.

This playful design is about 7" (178 mm) inside diameter.

See more of these unique creations in the fiber art section of my Etsy shop.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

dinosaur spiked bracelet 2793

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Fri, 03 May 2013 20:56:00 +0000

This sculpy project involves creating beads that resemble the protruding plates of a stegosaurus and incorporating them into a one button design. This spiky bracelet is a companion piece to the Stegosaurus spiked rope bracelet.

The color is a light tan with grey orange and yellow cords. The framing cords are off-white. The button is also made with the tan clay.

Size is a "small" 7" (178 mm) inside circumference.

The beads are made with two holes to enable a firm connection to the fabric. You can see these holes in the photo on the left.

The bracelet is constructed the same way as shown in this tutorial with the added beads.

Here's another design made with less aggressively shaped beads you might like.

See more of these playful designs in the fiber art section of my Etsy shop.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

one button rope bracelet with polymer clay beads pewter 2764

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:42:00 +0000

This one button design features handmade 10 mm round polymer clay beads placed in a field of blue green and grey cords. The oven bake clay is a "pewter" color which has a bit of a sheen to it.

Read the illustrated tutorial showing how to make these bracelets here.

The beads are secured with the edge binding thread.

A small button and loop toggle holds the bracelet closed and is easy to manage.

Size is "small" 7" (178 mm) inside circumference when closed.

Here's a similar design you might like.

Here's one made with blue glass beads.

Here's a similar design made with wood beads.

Available here

See similar designs in the fiber art section of my Etsy shop.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

Stegosaurus spiked rope bracelet 2766

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Resembling the tail spikes of the childhood favorite dinosaur these polymer clay beads look dangerous but are not very sharp.

The spikes are blunt and flexible. These also look like sea urchin spikes but of course the color is not a match.

The polymer clay comes out like a hard rubber texture after the 15 minute curing in the oven.

The longer spikes are held apart by small drum shaped beads. The edge stitching pattern secures all the spikes and beads together. Read more about how to make this type of rope bracelet in this tutorial.

This design is made for a larger wrist measuring 8 5/8" (219 mm) inside circumference.

The infill cords are grey and dark purple. The spikes are "elephant grey"the drum beads are "pewter" both materials made by Sculpey and available in craft stores and online.

The closure is an oversize black plastic button and loop.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

Illustration from "Dinosaur Time Machine"

wide double diamond herringbone weave turks head knot 2767

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:40:00 +0000

Every so often I confront the box full of leftover scraps including this 28 ft piece of white nylon cord remaining from another project. This piece was just barely long enough to construct this 17 part x 25 bight herringbone weave knot.

parts x bights x strands click here for explanation

The layout started with 4 bights (first pass around the mold) set up in a double diamond pattern. The opposing bights set up an even tension when the knot is worked up so it doesn't get all lop-sided.

The mold used is an 11" circumference tube which actually needed about 31 ft of cord so I had to use another piece of cord as a placeholder. Later after working up the knot I was left with about 12 ft of slack so the knot you see here only really requires 16 ft. Scraps go back in the box!

The single strand or "pass" makes this bracelet able to stretch out to 8 5/8" (219 mm) and contract to about 7" (178 mm). It can slip on over a big hand then crush down to the size shown in the pictures. Works kind of like a chinese finger trap (remember those?)

The herringbone weave is famous for the double "V" patterns so popular in fabric design. You can pick them out in the first photo on the red pool noodle background.

Available here

More like this in my Etsy shop, including these other wide cuff designs in the white rope bracelets section.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

nautical knot rope bracelet with blue accents 2756

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:05:00 +0000

This versatile nautical bracelet design is shown here made with a natural white cotton cord and ultramarine blue cotton floss. In this variation of the design the loop has an extra piece of cord secured by the coach-whipping. The monkey fist knot is made with the cord end tucked into the center of the ball.

This is a "small" size measuring 7" (180 mm) inside circumference when closed.

This design is adjustable opening up by sliding the cord through the barrel knots as shown here.

See the posting about adjustment here.

You might like this variation on this design.

or perhaps this one made with hand dyed taupe cord.

Or this one made with extra large barrel knots.

The monkey fist knot rides along inside the loop when the knot is drawn up to it's natural size.

A collection of these special bracelets are available online here.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

hybrid weave turks head knot bracelet white nylon 2758

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:09:00 +0000

This is a 14 bight x 15 part x 2 strand compound or hybrid weave turks head knot made with ordinary 1/8" white nylon cord.

The weave pattern is:
U2-O2-u1-o1-u1-o1-u1-o1-U2-O2+running part

U = "under"
O= "over"

The layout was done on a 10-1/2" cardboard tube using about 30 ft of cord

The edges come out with the thicker double layer of cord while the center area is thinner, roughly this shape:
________ _________
(_________)_____________(__________)
(__________________________________)

Here's a similar design you might like:

Extra wide hybrid weave bracelet

This design can be easily slipped on and worked up to a 7 3/4" (195 mm) wrist size

Similar designs can be found in the Etsy online shop section white rope bracelets.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

one button rope bracelet grey white with clear glass beads 2749

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:42:00 +0000

Whenever I use a grey and near-white cord combination the potential for color actually increases. The grey takes on a warm or cool tone as the eye compares it to the surrounding materials. The off-white braided framing cords push this grey in a "cool" direction. The clear glass beads put in a tiny bit of spectrum color which the camera filters out of these photos.

Here's the tutorial showing how to make one of these bracelets.

The other challenge is trying to white-balance the image which has a disproportionate effect on the appearance of the object. These were all photographed on a bright white field with a white balanced camera setting. After importing the the image from the camera the white background is normalized using the Graphic Converter software. Even after this you an see the background retains some residual color.

Here's a more colorful cousin of this design.

Here you can get a sense of the transparency in the embedded beads.

More on-button designs in the Etsy Shop.

Look for this on in the Walker Shop this summer, another good reason to come visit the Twin Cities.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

one button cuff with paper beads 2750

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:08:00 +0000

Paper beads made from glossy catalog pages come up with the most interesting textures and colors. During the making of the beads they are all covered with the sealant/glue that creates the hard coating so it is not easy to see the color. When dry they begin to show.

These are roughly 6 mm oval beads worked into a simple one button design.

The infill cords are ecru and dark grey setting off the eclectic color of the beads.

How-to tutorial here.

Another paper bead design you might like here.

A simple grey plastic button and loop form the closure.

This one is going in a special summer consignment at the Walker Art Center shop. If you are in Minneapolis between June and August stop by and check out this and other work by Minnesota Artists.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

double button beaded cuff bracelet 2741

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 13:32:00 +0000

This is a slightly wider design variation on the single button bracelet made using heavier framing cords and lighter infill cord. The framing cords have a single row of blue and green glass beads stitched in along the seam. Kind of a soft tribal look.

Seven part illustrated tutorial here.

The infill cord is a mix of teal and light grey which forms a pleasing anti-clastic shape with the thicker framing cords.

Size is "medium" 7 1/4" (183 mm) inside circumference when closed.

Here are some other similar designs you might like:
one button rope bracelet with glass beads 2709
one button rope bracelet with wood barrel beads 2667
one button bracelet with paper beads 2666

Two oversized wood buttons and loops make a secure closure that is easy to undo with one hand.

Look for this in the Walker Art Center shop this summer along with a limited selection of other work from Minnesota Artists. You can also visit me on the mnartists.org site where I'm slowly building up a a collection of my favorite items.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

how to adjust your knotted nautical rope bracelet

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:41:00 +0000

This tutorial shows how to adjust the size of the nautical knot rope bracelet.

These bracelets are available here.

Remove bracelet from package. Lay flat as shown.

Separate monkey fist knot from loop.

Grab cord attached to monkey fist knot.

Note: There are two cords that pass through the barrel knot that can be adjusted to equalize the size of the bracelet.

Pull cord through barrel knot.

Expand bracelet, slip on over hand.

Pull on monkey fist knot to tighten up bracelet.

Note: If the fixed loops are unequal size, expand the bracelet and pull on the other running cord to equalize the loop size.

Adjust to a comfortable fit. Replace monkey fist in loop to hold loose ends together.

These bracelets are available here.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

custom work 13 part bracelet in black nylon 2714

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

I don't see a lot of requests for these wider designs but this was a custom color request for a wide slip on style cuff. The design is similar to these:

big black paracord cuff 1747
and
Olive drab paracord turks head knot rope bracelet extra large 1540

both of which were also custom requests...

This design is made with 2 mm nylon synthetic from a stash of material that came from a KMart store (of all places...) This is made by Wellington and marketed as a "sportsman cord" which might work for a tent stay or possibly a fish stringer...

Comes in 50 ft spools so it's just right for these bigger projects that need about 30 ft of line. This design required a 9" (228 mm) slip-on size. Read about how to measure your hand and estimate your size here: Figuring the fit - how to pick a size that's right for you.

I keep a few of these wider cuffs in stock and can make one to a particular size if needed.

You can also see the illustrated tutorial that shows how these are made from a cotton cord.

If you would like a pre-cut length of cotton or synthetic cord to try your hand at this just drop me an email message or leave a comment.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

big barrel knot rope bracelet 2476

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

This one goes a little crazy with the biggest barrel knots I could make (estimating the cord length is a guessing game). One is 15 the other is 17 wraps which makes a massive knot don't you think?

The 2 x 2 x 2 monkey fist and loop are whipped with brown waxed cotton thread for a secure and handsome finish.

And yes it is possible to slide these big knots around on the line, it just takes a little push.

The material is a heavy #60 cotton line.

A similar design you might like is here.

Read about how to adjust the size of these bracelets here.

The size is a "large" measuring 8 1/2" (219 mm) when closed (shown in the photos). Expands to about 10" with some effort!

There is a collection this unique design rope bracelet Available here.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

one button rope bracelet with glass beads 2709

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 14:23:00 +0000

A mix of blue and green seed beads adds some color to the center of this one button rope bracelet. The twisted cotton cable cords adds some diagonal texture.

The framing cords are a braided cotton product from a local big-box home improvement warehouse. The infill cords are leftover ends from the knotted bracelet projects.

The framing cords form a simple stirrup loop that engages a 4 hole plastic button obtained from a thrift shop.

Read the tutorial showing how you can make one of these rope bracelets here.

Here's a link to another design you might like.

Here's a link to a bigger more colorful design.

This is a small size only 6 1/4" (158 mm) inside circumference right for a small adult or teen.

This bracelet is available click here.

More one button designs available here.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

chocolate and cherry cotton turks head knot bracelet 2717

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:18:00 +0000

Two nice colors together in a traditional plain weave turks head knot bracelet. The brown color is the stock cord from Darice made with polyester and the red is a custom dye bath made with RIT scarlet dye. The white 3 mm cord is immersed for about 2 minutes. More on the dye process here.

I buy the cord from JOANN Fabrics (always use the discount coupons)

This five part design is started with the brown cord built on a mold in a 17 bight double diamond pattern. The red cord is added once the knot is complete.

Here's a glossary of terms for these knots.

Here's how to add the center strand.

This design is a "medium" size about 7 5/8" (193 mm) inside circumference.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

double loop rope bracelet necklace blue 2696

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

This design is both a double wrap bracelet and a choker style necklace but not at the same time...

Here's the double wrap bracelet shape measuring about 7 3/4" (197 mm) inside circumference in size. The waxed whipping secures the loose ends and the double loops.

A monkey fist knot rests inside the loops to secure this bracelet without the need for hardware.

The entire piece is made from a single piece of #24 cotton cord. The color is a darker shade of teal blue.

This view shows the necklace a simple relaxed circle about 16 3/4" (416 mm)

knotted adjustable rope bracelet 2575

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:26:00 +0000

This knotted rope bracelet design uses several old-school marlinspike techniques to produce an adjustable rope bracelet. This design is made from a piece of cotton cord that has been hand dyed in a backyard recipe of black walnut hulls. These are the annoying green and brown shards that squirrels leave behind to stain your driveway or sidewalk with their pungent and powerful dye that leaches out during rainstorms.

Here's one made in white cord.

On one end of the cord is a 2x2x2 monkey fist knot tied without a core. A larger version of this knot is often used to make a weighted heaving line that can be thrown across a gap between ships and then used to haul a heavier piece of line across the gap.

There are a pair of sliding barrel knots on either side of the reverse loops that secure the adjustment with a high friction grip. You can draw the running part thought he knot but it requires a bit of effort so this knot will hold the line in position where you leave it.

The third technique is the brown waxed whipping that secures the loop and the loose end of the monkey fist. The whipping has a concealed loop that buries the live end under the whipping making it appear that there are no loose ends. The extra length has been trimmed off to preserve the illusion. Here's a link, scroll down to "method 2" to see how this one is made.

Find a selection of these traditional rope bracelets here.
design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

back to basics three part knot bracelet rust red 2541

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:07:00 +0000

Sometimes the basic simple designs are the most fun. This is a traditional three part turks head knot bracelet very similar to many of the offerings you can find with a quick web search.

This one is made with a #24 cotton cord much lighter than the #30 which I commonly use.

The color is a nice deep rust red.

The lighter cord means that more bights must be added to the design to achieve a desired size. This bracelet is made with 23 bights and measures only 7 5/8" (193 mm) circumference. By comparison a #30 cord would build a 7 1/2" size with only 17 bights.

More bights means a bit more built-in stretch so this one can stretch a full 1" and return to size.

knotted choker style necklace with glass bead 2684

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:34:00 +0000

This is a really simple and popular design for a choker style necklace. It's made with a pair of sliding barrel knots and a small cylindrical glass bead.

The cord is a 2 mm black leather lacing material that can be easily tied. The leather has a natural friction that holds the knots firmly one they have been worked up to a firm condition. Here's a tutorial explaining how to make this knot.

The knots can be made with as many wraps as you want. This is a smaller 13" necklace so the knots have four wraps. Bigger beads and larger necklaces can have 5 or more and still look proportional. Anything less than three wraps risks the knot coming apart.

Adjustment is made by sliding the knots on the standing part of the cord.

Here's a look at a selection of barrel beads that have the correct internal hole size. The glass beads must have a 2.5 mm or larger hole to accommodate the cord. I use beads from India that come in one pound buckets and must be sorted out. Many of them are the wrong size or have internal cracks that cause them to fall apart.

This necklace was a custom design but you can see similar designs here.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

one button rope bracelet with wood barrel beads 2666

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

The one-button design is as versatile as there are materials available...this one is made with 3/16" cotton braid for the framing cords, some bright white nylon braid, and two lengths of hand dyed tan cotton cord.

Tutorial "how-to" click here.

The center is a row of variegated color but regular shaped wood beads obtained at the store. See the previous post for the latest on DIY paper beads used in these bracelet designs.

The white nylon highlights the warm color of the wood. The tan cords give this a nice earthy color.

one button bracelet with paper beads 2667

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 01:40:00 +0000

Another of the very simple one button bracelet designs made with cotton cord. The variation on this one is the use of handmade paper beads in the center. You can see the distinctive layered pattern in the close up photos.

Read the tutorial showing how to make the one-button pattern here.

The paper beads are used the same way that glass or ceramic or wood beads might be used. The difference is that each bead is actually unique.

The subtle variations in color and size give this bracelet a more variegated vibe. The bead colors tend towards gray with little bits of color here and there.

Those of you familiar with the making of paper beads know that it's a wet process using strips of paper and an acrylic glue-sealant material. The beads are made, let dry, re-coated several times and finally are ready for use.

This group was made in my studio using white glue as the adhesive and later coated with acrylic.

Here's a good look at some of the texture created by the laminating process.

The beads are much lighter weight than glass but work into the weave in much the same way.

Available here

design and photographs copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

soft bangle with beads 2660

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:19:00 +0000

Soft cotton hand dyed cord scraps and a few glass beads are used to build this casual slip-on style bracelet. Unlike the one button designs this one is a "squeeze to fit" bangle measuring a generous 8 5/8" (219 mm) inside circumference.

One 12 mm lavender glass bead and five smaller red beads are tightly integrated in the fabric.

This is the latest in a series of similar designs:

green fiber bangle bracelet with beads 1448

cotton fiber bracelet red & orange with beads 468

three new )strata( designs

orbit beaded soft bangle bracelet grey design )strata( 631

orbit beaded soft bangle blue design )strata( 630

Colors are brown, rust, natural, scarlet, with a verdigris accent.

design and photographs copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

hardware cloth bracelet with beads 1478

noreply@blogger.com (George) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Conceptual bracelet made with green vinyl coated hardware cloth and red glass beads.

Slip-on bangle style design.

Garden chic, garage fashion, farady cage grunge.

Glass beads have very small holes enabling the wire to be crimped over to hold them in place.

Could be made to size with 1/2" increments.