off the cuff creativity - imagination made real

See the entire collection with live links to all these studios


Rainbow Cuff
Blue Flower Bracelet by clayrox 
Oceanic Turquoise - Hand Felted Bracelet
Listen. dance. CUSTOM ORDER (sold)
Sandy Crocodile Upholstered Leather Cuff

leather cuffs,leather wrap 

Hand Knit Felted Bracelet 

Transparent Vinyl Record Cuff (sold)

Fabric Cuff Bracelet

PURE EMBROIDERY, Texstile Cuff, Fork Art 

Proginoskes

Vertical squared SOS 

Fabric Braid Bracelet Pink Green Blue Flower Farmgirl Color "D"

Hand felted fingerless gloves/cuff/wristlets

Bamboo Silk Tattoo Cover Bracelet Wrist Band Cuff 

goldenrod felt cuff

New collection on ArtFire Earth Sea Sky

This collection is curated by wildhorsefarm on ArtFire: "I wanted to include all elements of earth, sea and sky in this collection. There are so many wonderful artists and I wanted to list just a few that reflected all of the elements. Take a look at these wonderful artist shops and there are so many others that it would take you days looking at everything. I can't say enough about the artists and their beautiful ideas on their projects. They are very creative and I hope you enjoy the collection."


My favorites in this collection are Sea Opal Cabochon Bead Embroidered Bracelet Cuff, EAS and Sea Glass Wreath Beach Decor in Turquoise Beach Glass, 13in both capture elements of ocean life lived at the edges.


The item featured in this collection is the ocean & sky turks head knot bracelet which is made from two colors of hand dyed cotton cord that blend together.

black cord fabric soft bangle bracelet 1190

A simple design of black polyester cord with blue and grey accents. Size is "large" 8 5/8" (219 mm) circumference but only 5/8" (17 mm) wide. No beads in this composition. All of the design )strata( pieces are made from up-cycled scraps of cord and nylon binder thread.

If you like this you may also be interested in these designs: soft cotton bangle bracelet w beads or this one: soft bangle bracelet or this design with beads orbit beaded soft bangle 






design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

black 14 string cord bracelet 1189

Very simple design of fourteen loops of cord with a switchback pattern. The nylon thread compresses the folded loops which forms a pattern not unlike interlocking fingers. No beads just soft cord.


Made around a mold out of polyester cord. The larger loops that form the bracelet are relaxed. This is a slip-on style so no buttons or clasps.

Similar design made in white cotton cord and another black string cuff bracelet with similar detailing


For a more informal design take a look at this tangled string toggle bracelet or this tangled string toggle bracelet made with green, black, and rust cords




design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

multi colored wide cord fabric cuff bracelet 1195

A warm pallet of color including brown, orange, pink, red, black with yellow and green accents. Extra large and extra wide slip-on style cuff bracelet made with up-cycled cords. The continuous design has no seams or closure toggles.

 Four ply nylon binding thread keeps the cord structure in a semi-rigid but flexible form. Thread ends are buried. This bracelet was made on a cylindrical mold. The cords were laid out and secured with long needles. The nylon thread is passed back and forth to establish the spacing then drawn up to consolidate the final shape. The cord compresses to about 50% of the relaxed shape.

















design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhaKnotShop

desert sunset beaded 3 button cuff bracelet 1194

This project is another that has been sitting in my partially complete box waiting for a decision about the closure design. After messing around with several ideas I worked out a nice lie-flat three button solution.


The colors are bright southwest desert inspired oranges, pinks, yellow, red and purple. Embedded glass beads emulate the treasure hidden in the folds of the earth and visible only to the mind's eye and the careful observer...

 The toggle closure system is three loops of cotton cord and buttons. The center loop passes through the red loop then secures on the center button. The two outer loops fit over the smaller buttons.


The center loop and button showing the white loop passing through the red loop.

 loop over button on the left...








a row of red glass beads is visible just below the buttons.

Loop over button on the right...secure






This cuff is available for sale click here.   If you like this design you may also be interested in this one or perhaps this one.


design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

4 button fiber cuff bracelet 1191

This is a project that started then got put aside for awhile then finally was finished. The concept is to create an organic "bark" that wraps around the wrist much the way a tree protects the fragile xylem layers with a resilient coating. The materials are hand dyed cotton cord, four plastic buttons obtained at a thrift store, six irregular glass beads, and four ply nylon thread.

The buttons and loops are offset so the seams are highly irregular.There is an opening near the center formed by the pulling away of the cord bundles during the assembly process. Another "hole" is filled with the glass beads.

Open the bracelet by releasing the buttons from the loops.

Built on a 7 1/2" mold this piece is a "small" size inside but varies from 2 5/8" to 3 1/4" wide.

The colors are a mix of greens, greys, blues, with purple, black and magenta red.  The texture is firm but friendly. Most of the cords are hand dyed cotton.

Six irregular glass beads cluster like eggs in a nest.

This item is available here in the design section of my Etsy shop.








design and images © copyright 2011 by WhatKnotShop

cotton fiber cuff - custom work

Recently I received a request from a person who wanted a wider version of a design )strata( bracelet purchased previously. This project started out to replicate the colors used in the original in a wider finished size. 


Getting consistent color from my small batch dye lots is a significant challenge. I use standardized recipes for the dye baths but there are a number of other variables that control the outcome:  Length of time the  cord spends immersed in the dye bath, the rinse-out process including the temperature of the rinse water and the length of time in the rinse; and of course the absorption characteristics of the cord.

The creation of this design also involves layout of the cord and the binding process which compresses the cord together. This compression reduces the width by about 50% so a 1" wide finished bracelet starts out at about 2" on the mold.

The finished piece came out a bit narrower than I wanted but the results are I think rather pleasing. Greys, white, pink, and a yellow accent are subdued but interesting and the compression process enables the bracelet to hold it's shape.


You can see more of this type of work in the design section of the Etsy shop and a much larger selection on ArtFire and Zibbet as well. 

A few examples of the toggle closure style can be found here and here and here. 








design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Dreaming of the Desert a collection on ArtFire

Here is a warm collection of southwestern treasures assembled by Shadow Dog Designs who has "...a life long love of Nature and rocks and stones, working with semi-precious stones allows me to satisfy a strong desire to create one-of-a-kind jewelry."

The featured item is desert sunset flexible cotton bangle bracelet made with hand dyed cotton cord and a few beads, one of the design )strata( series of bracelets.

My favorite items from this collection are the Santa Fe Birdhouse by Brian Wort from California and and a dramatic print The Wave Paria Canyon by Claudia.

The landscape patterns in her print are the inspiration for the design )strata( series of fabric bracelets - can you see the similarities? More examples behind the link.

knotty by nature a collection on Etsy

Inspired by the seacoast of Maine this treasury collection by sydneyscout has a nautical feel and a diverse crafty flair.

The featured item is the white BASIC turks head knot bracelet which is a simple do-it-yourself five part bracelet kit made in smooth white cotton cord.

My favorite items from this treasury are Moonrise, 16x20 fine art maine landscape photography print by NatureMandalas and Beach Cottage Silver Seashell Gift Tray by JennasBeachRetreat

I have several baskets of rocks, shells and other object floating around the house so it's easy to see the attraction of this item. The photo captures the color and especially the texture of the rocky beach covered with what my daughter calls "egg rocks".

some little dreams a collection on Etsy

This is a very interesting collection of items curated by Demoments an artist living in Girona, Catalunya, Spain. Check out her profile and see her Etsy shop.


The featured item is green-blue turks head knot sailor bracelet which was featured awhile back in the Etsy Storque blog. 


Other cool items here include the Anaconda crochet necklace with it's clever adjustable design by zsazsazsu1963 from Belgum and the Knitted wool necklace LIVIA forest green by ylleanna who as it happens is from Italy

white twelve string cotton bracelet 1179

This rope bracelet has a very simple pattern with opposing loops of cord that are bound together. The cord reverses direction at each loop to form the relaxed shape. Materials are cotton cord and four ply nylon thread.

This design features 12 big loops and measures about 1 3/4" wide.
You might like this design that is a bit more free form using multi-colored cords click here or perhaps this one click here




design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Black and grey turks head knot cuff bracelet

A 13 part turks head knot weave featuring 3 mm midnight black and fog grey cord. Made to a customer's specified size and pattern.


This design is available in solid and mixed colors such as white and grey  and white and olive green.


If you like the black and grey please request your own size  click here.


design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Five new treasury collections on Etsy

Knot-ical a new Treasury collection on Etsy curated by tripleEdesign "I create beaded jewelry, all one-of-a-kind pieces, in a variety of bead sizes, styles, and materials. I have created necklaces for wedding parties as well; each bridesmade gets her own unique necklace to accompany the color scheme of the wedding. Most of my pieces have a charm on them, either in a whimsical swirl or an inspirational word..."

Blue Bayou... a Treasury collection on Etsy curated by OriginalMischief Hip handmades using vintage and retro fabrics... because every body deserves a little mischief! 

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald another nautical themed collection on Etsy curated by ogdenarthaus selection perfection treasury challenge- anyone can join in the fun- http://selectionperfection.blogspot.com/ an Etsy treasury marketing team

Knot it! (not it?) an abstraction of all things knot on Etsy curated by Friendly Pairings  - check this shop for all things bead!

Why Knot? (why, I'm glad you asked!) a really outstanding collection of Macrame work curated by magnumrx "Knot Just Knots Macrame Gift shop specializing in Macrame jewelry, Macrame accessories, Macrame for the holidays, and Macrame for home decor."

white & grey featured in two new collections

Arlie at UrbanRevisions features the white & grey knot bracelet in her new Treasury - a spring time beach - on Etsy Check out her shop filled with "shredded clothing, accessories and glass jewelry"

Blake at Blakeswork also features the same white & grey bracelet in her Treasury Winter Slumber -An Homage -White and Grey. Here in Minnesota we are still firmly in the grip of winter. Check out Blake's profile, very poetic! "a singer of paint and dancer of ink. Canvas and thread are my friends."