white rope GEOmetry bracelets 1639, 1640, 1641, 1642

 New work with white braided clothesline. Two soft slip on style cuffs made in a cylindrical form and one wedge shaped slip on bangle. These came out soft and flexible. The bleached cord is a creamy white color.

White cotton soft bangle 1639 now listed on Etsy.

All three made from a soft all cotton braided clothesline cord. Binding is four ply nylon thread.

About 8 1/4" (208 mm) inside circumference, the wedge bangle was made on the same mold as the cuffs but shrinks as the outer strands are stitched down to about 7 1/2" (191 mm) inside circumference.

In this group there are two wedge bangles, the larger one is made from a different material which is grey color and has a plastic core.



The large wedge bangle is available in my Zibbet marketplace.



design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

I'm sailing away collection now departing Etsy

It may be late in the season but Mary Price has the right idea with her I'm Sailing Away collection now departing Etsy. Visit her daylitestore to see her favorite collectables and these Napkin Rings made out of grass cording. Yep more knots...

So this 20 Inch turks head nautical mat made by Gus Lopez is another form of the same type of knot made with a heavier sisal rope. More nautical  knotted keychains and crafts in his shop tugboatgus2010.

This Nautical sailing bracelet is a knot with a looser form and a stainless bow shackle, your choice of red, white or blue cord made by dunleadogg. More nautical sailing hardware bracelets and dog supplies in her shop of the same name.

The featured item in this knotty collection is the white & sky blue turks head knot sailor rope bracelet made from hand dyed soft cotton cord. This is one of the blended color rope bracelets that can be seen in the blended colors section of my Etsy shop. Both larger and smaller sizes of this design are available by special order. Simply click here to send me your request.

Prince Edwards' carrack bracelet 1631

 This unusual turks head knot bracelet is made from this pattern published by Charles Hamel which was deduced from this piece of sailor's craftwork made in 1925 by  HRH Prince George Edward Alexander Edmund, Duke of Kent now held in the knot collection of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England.

Using Charles' pattern mounted on a cardboard tube I made this example out of 3/32" cotton cord.

This is available in my Zibbet marketplace.

You can see that the knot is a plain weave turks head of 7 parts and 8 bights. The carrack bends (there are 8 of them) appear in the inner part of the knot offset from each other. This example is rather loosely tied.

Here are a few more patterns by Don Wright also courtesy of Charles' web site:

Don Wright interpretation 1

Don Wright interpretation 2

Photos of Don's attempts to decipher the knot

Don's drawing of the knot grid

Photo of a knot tied from the grid

photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Winters Chill collection now settling in in Etsy

The sun is headed south and we here in the northland have rolled up the hoses and filled the bird feeders. Lindsey created this cool blue collection Winters Chill to spread the cheer. When she returns from vacation be sure to visit her shop PollenCosmetics and take advantage of the sale.

Winter light comes through this Shabby Chic Photography Print Home Decor- Fall Wedding photograph made by Bree Madden and offered in her shop Maddenphotography where there is a lot of light energizing her oceans, flowers, and other natural subjects. You can request custom size photos as well.

Light in weight is this Light Blue Braided Leather Cord Bracelet made by Denise Taylor part of a handsome collection of work you can find in her shop Taylor's Temptations.

The featured item in this collection is this light blue medium herringbone weave turks head knot sailor rope bracelet made from hand dyed cotton cord. See more of these in the solid colors section of my Etsy shop. See a wide variety of the herringbone weave bracelets in the herringbone weave bracelets section of my Zibbet shop. These versatile rope bracelets can be made in a range of sizes for kids, teen, and adults and you can place a special order by simply clicking this link.

Three button beaded clothesline cuff bracelet 1633

 This is one is a series of button cuffs that start out with a length of braided cotton clothesline material. The loops and buttons are set up on the mold then the clothesline is doubled up to create a ridge on both edges and in the center. The colored strands of cord, in this design synthetic, are added and horizontally stitched to the clothesline edges. The two halves are then joined together with the tan colored pattern beads visible next to the center ridge in the top photo. By this time the cuff has taken on a rather stiff shape.

Rows of seed beads are worked into the seams between the clothesline cords on both edges. Two rows of round wooden beads are placed on the inside edges. Finally the ends of the four ply nylon thread are buried and it's finished.

Size is 7" (178 mm) inside circumference when closed. There is about 16 hours of work in this piece.

See this and other unique fiber art creations in the design section of my Etsy shop.
design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

To Make a Girl Happy collection on Etsy

If only it were this easy... To Make A Girl Happy! Whimsy-Lover's Gift Guide a collection made by Laura Gibbs has a bunch of smile inducing stuff in it. Before you jump check out EveryDayArtDesign where Laura makes art for your everyday which is just what we need. Follow Laura on her blog or on Pinterest (nice portrait!)

One of the happy-fiber art pieces Gloria Scarf-Grey seems to be sold but there's a lot more raucous crochet  in Grace's shop  gsakowskidesigns to choose from.

Back in the day when Architects made nice drawings you would see bananastrudel's offering 1872 Large Antique Plate of Architectural Details on a job site. Now it's in a frame. The von Strudel's have a lot more stuff to see and buy in their shop.

The featured item in this gift guide is this light blue medium turks head knot sailor bracelet made from hand dyed cotton cord. See more of these in the solid colors section of the Etsy shop and for an expanded catalog check out my Zibbet shop where there are no listing fees or expiration dates enabling more choices for you peruse.

white cotton herringbone bracelet 1623

 Simple classic white cotton cord worked into a herringbone weave design. This one is a "medium" size  made with a 29 bight count. Large and small sizes available as well.

Find this on Zibbet

Designs like this in the classic whites section of the Etsy shop or the classic whites section Zibbet shop where there are no listing fees...



design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Can You See the Light? collection now shining on Etsy

There's a lot of fun stuff in this collection Can You See the Light? made by Victoria. See her cool collection of minimalist jewelry in her shop CyKlu and follow her on her blog or on Facebook.

Starting with real lights are Pleated String Lights by PigeonToeCeramics from Portland. These shapely minimalist designs will be welcomed in any home.

Another minimalist modern expression is this fabric felt necklace made by Stella Vardaki and offered in her shop stellacreations along with other original designs.

Lastly who can resist the sensuous shapes of Curvaceous Cups made by Jennifer and sold through jfishdesigns. Drink tea, warm hands, touch beauty.

The featured item in this collection is the single button blue green clothesline anklet made from cotton clothesline, hand dyed cotton cord, and floss. This is one of many unique fiber art pieces available in the design section of my Etsy shop. A more extensive collection of these is online at Zibbet (no listing fees! no expiration dates...) and for those of you in the Twin Cities a limited selection can be seen at Paper Hat art+handmade+gifts shop located at 50th and Penn Ave in south Minneapolis.

extreme beaded two button cotton cuff bracelet neoprimitive style bracelet 1629

Extreme texture and a riot of beads make this unique cuff a real statement piece. The thick braided cotton cord forms the edge ridges that provide seams for the rows of small glass beads. Assembled in two pieces the halves are joined with a thick row of heavier black and red glass beads in the center seam.

Two plastic buttons and cord loops hold this cuff securely closed.

7 3/4" (197 mm) inside circumference
2.5 oz/ 72 g

Available here on the ArtiFactSite


design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

herringbone collection on Etsy

herringbone. (period) collection by kanandi11 showcases the many colors of one of the universal patterns in the weaver's repertoire. My favorites in this group include the Gentlemen's Herringbone Handwoven Scarf made by Shielagh Tacey an artist living in Glasgow and offering her Handwoven Textiles in her shop shielagh.

The seductive color of this Kindle Fire/Kindle 3/Nook eReader Sleeve Cover (padded) -----maroon-and-cream makes it a must-have for the growing number of e-reader and i-pad owners out there. See more color and design choices offered by Monica in her echoshop.

The featured item in this collection is this wide black & white cotton herringbone weave turks head knot sailor rope bracelet made with two colors of 100% cotton cord. There are more variations on the herringbone weave design that can be seen on the blended colors section of my Etsy shop. To see an expanded catalog of herringbone weave rope bracelets visit my Zibbet shop.

OD paracord turks head knot bracelet 1612

 Small size plain weave design turks head knot rope bracelet made with olive drab colored parachute cord. This is a highly engineered synthetic cord with a braided cover and a soft multi strand interior very popular with makers of so called "survival bracelets".

In this design the knot has been worked up to a nice and firm shape on a PVC mold and the cord has been evenly tensioned to produce a very flat and somewhat stiff result. The paracord is very smooth and once worked into shape it takes a set that retains the shape of the mold.

This example is a "small" size measuring 7 1/8" (181 mm) inside circumference. The paracord has been tensioned during the work up so there is almost no stretch in this bracelet.

This item is available here. See more solid color rope bracelets in cotton and synthetic fibers in the solid colors section of my Etsy shop.


design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

No Rhyme or Reason collection on Etsy

Sometimes you need No Rhyme or Reason to go online and shop for fun stuff which incidentally you can find in abundance at Jetto which is full of Vintage Variety Goods Plus Supplies New and Old. Stop by Stephanie Andersen's place and see what I mean.

You will want to order The Knit Fox - Heather green mens hand printed t-shirt from NewDuds printing up a  storm in Burlington. Go see Tessa and Torrey's collection of printed shirts, scarves, and accessories.

Add a bit of middle-earth flair to your vehicle or laptop with this Lord of The Rings - Vinyl Decal Sticker made by thevinylwall from California. Just stay clear of corrupted wizards.

The featured item in this collection is this sunshine yellow turks head knot rope bracelet which is offered in a "medium" size but can be made in "small" and "large"sizes as well. You can see more solid color rope bracelets in the Etsy shop or you can request a custom made size by clicking this link.

two button red beaded clothesline cuff 1620

 Here's another clothesline cord design made with a lot of beads that were rattling around in the bottom of the bead bucket. On the left is a row of random glass beads tucked into the seam between the center ridge and edge. On the other is a row of dark brown wood beads (life is contrasts). On the center of the ridge is a row of glass seed beads which pick up the light.

 Size is medium-small at 7" (180 mm) inside circumference when closed. A two button and loop toggle system ensures easy and secure closure.

You can find this bracelet and other one-of-a-kind fiber and bead bracelets in the design section of my Etsy shop. A larger collection of these unique pieces can be found in the design section my Zibbet shop where there is no expiration date on listings.




design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

emoticon love collection on Etsy

The emoticon collection for those times when words fail...made by Alycia D'Avino who has a colorful Yummi Shop a.k.a. Crafttasticparties full of unique accessories and home decor including more felt balls than you will find anywhere else.

 Here's a card for the wordless: i am so in love with you . card / mini print made by christen strang and offered through her shop letterhappy where you will find art prints, cards, jewelry, vintage, & more! You can follow christen on her blog or for the Twitterati you can follow christen on Twitter

More colorful love here Love art print, XOXO, hugs and kisses: 8 x 10 made by GraphicAnthology in Portland, OR. See more custom graphic design and prints in her shop of the same name.

The featured item in this collection is one of the classics:  white turks head knot sailor rope bracelet available in the classic whites section of my Etsy shop. 

three button clothesline cuff 1597

 Here is another in a continuing series of clothesline fiber art pieces that emerge from the scrap box all covered in beads. This one is a smaller toggle closure style cuff bracelet that uses three buttons and loops to hold it securely closed. The edges are thickened with several passes of the heavier braided cotton cord and rows of small glass beads are stitched in. The two halves are joined together by a row of thicker black beads that resemble round pebbles and add a bit of heft to the piece.

The colors are primarily blues and greens with the natural off-white clothesline cord framing the edges.

Size is "small" when closed 6 5/8" (168 mm) inside circumference. A bath or shower may make this shrink a bit although it's not intended as beach wear.

You can find this clothesline cuff and other one of a kind fiber and bead bracelets in the design section of my Etsy shop. A larger collection of these unique pieces can be found in the design section my Zibbet shop where there is no expiration date on listings.

design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Skies Are Grey collection on Etsy

Skies are Grey with My Sailor Away collection assembled by Lori a jewelry maker from Billings. Visit her shop Ibjohn a.k.a. Blaine to see her collection of nostalgia inspired pieces.

While we wait for his return we can clean up using some of 3 bars Green Tea Mint Handmade Soap Shave or Bath Bar made by Justin and Heather May and sold through their shop DirtyDeedsSoaps.

 The color and pattern of this Japanese Cotton Fabric - Pin Stripes in Mint Green are really attractive and could turn into any number of finished products or you could simply display it on a stretch frame. See more from theheydayshop and get your project on.

The featured item in this collection is olive drab paracord turks head knot sailor rope bracelet small which is the traditional three part braided weave design made in a high density 550 paracord. This offering is a "small" size but these are available in larger sizes by request. Visit my Etsy shop to see more of these solid color rope bracelets.

four bead toggle cuff in white cotton 1542

 This is a very simple cuff made with braided white cotton cord and purple sparkle beads.


Nine passes of cord are bound together with four ply nylon thread on a mold. The size is "small" in this example but of course this design can be made in almost any size with your choice of colors.

The beads pop through the loops to open.

If you like this design and would like to request a custom made version or find out more please click here to contact me or leave a comment here.

design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Grey Foggy Day! collection now condensing on Etsy

Grey Foggy Day! collection made by Randee Hanson had a bunch of romantic images and objects. Check our her shop DreamJewelry17 to see handcrafted one of a kind jewelry from that space between waking and sleeping. You might also want to find her on Facebook.


Dorothy Domingo's beautiful Yarn Bowl Stoneware in Fog Glaze - Spiral Design with 2 holes is a contradictory vessel designed to hold soft yarn instead of liquids. See more of these (and get one for yourself) in her shop of the same name.


This Espresso Stoneware Mug in Fog and Cloudy Blue Gray made by Patricia Brown will hold a slug of coffee while you see more of her transparent glazed pieces in her shop LittleIdealPottery.


The featured item in this collection is this fog grey turks head knot rope bracelet one of the traditional three part braided designs made in a soft hand dyed grey cotton cord. See more of these in the solid colors   section of my Etsy shop. If the size listed is not right for you please make a request using the Etsy convo utility.

dreaming collection on Etsy

There are a number of intriguing things in this collection dreaming... curated by victoria so it's not surprising that several of these items have been sold. See vikou's shop CyKLu and follow her blog to see more of her handmade contemporary jewelry.

Maria João Ribeiro shows us that crochet can be a delicate and elegant detail with her petite silver and cotton necklace This piece builds on her strong sense of design which can be seen in her Etsy shop named Kjoo. This piece is sold but you can see more of her work on Flickr.

More cool buttons are offered by MaryAnn Carroll a fly-by-night ceramic bead artist and special education teacher. These Smile...ceramic buttons are but one example of her work. See more in her store macarroll and read her blog here.

pinkyourlimb has a really nice silver tubes grey leather wrap cuff magnetic bracelet one of a huge collection of value priced leather creations made by Jessie LOO.

The featured item in this collection is this fog grey turks head knot rope bracelet one of the traditional three part braided designs made in a soft hand dyed grey cotton cord. See more of these in the solid colors   section of my Etsy shop. If the size listed is not right for you please make a request using the Etsy convo utility.

four button clothesline ankle cuff 1596

 Got to messing around with the scrap bin and some cotton clothesline material and before you know it hand a proper tangle of loops and bits arranged on one of my bigger molds. This ankle cuff was assembled in four parts (one for each of the button loops) then tied together. The beads are placed in the seams between the button loops except for the ridge of seed beads which were applied after the whole thing was assembled.

This is large. Size is 10" (253 mm) inside circumference and 2 5/8" (68 mm) to 2 3/4" (71 mm) wide.

The four buttons hold this anklet closed and are easy to pop through the loops which are a cotton cord. (clothesline actually) hence the name.

This is a unique piece of rather substantial proportions but lightweight 2.7 oz (78 g)

Find this on Zibbet.



design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

muted collection now speaking softly on Etsy

The title of this collection may be muted but the artists deserve a louder shout-out.

I'm fond of this New York Art Print in watercolor, Empire State, architectural sketch which is offered by Suhita Shirodkar through her shop SketchAway. It has a nice loose colorful style that animates the Manhattan skyline. You can also follow her collection on Flickr.

I also was drawn to this fuzzy felted bluish grey wool bowl with shades of blue flowers offered by sharon through her shop thefuzzymonkey. She has a lot more of these felted colorful wonders with all kinds of words, hearts, and other decorations.

The featured item in this collection is this dusty teal and grey turks head knot sailor rope bracelet small which is the simple classic three part braid made with a subtle teal blue and grey cotton cord. These colors are achieved using an unbleached cotton cord in a dilute dye bath. No two batches ever seem to come out the same making these pieces real limited editions. See more of these blended colors in my Etsy shop and an expanded selection of blended colors in my Zibbet shop.

A few things found in the fog collection on Etsy

A few Things Found in the Fog collection by ShellyJarvisArtistry a small but diverse assembly made by Shelly Jarvis from Windsor VT. Check out her Etsy shop where she creates usable, functioning objects, from whimsical to classical designs.

On the whimsical side is this 10 Rainbow Felted Acorns made by greenbaboondesigns. Find more of these acorns as well as Waldorf Star Lanterns in Green Baboon Designs's Etsy shop.

Possibly more practical are these Inky Jet Black Ceramic Buttons made by buttonalia one example from a large colorful collection of handcrafted glazed ceramic buttons offered in her Etsy shop.

The featured item in this collection is this fog grey turks head knot rope bracelet in the classic three part weave design. Made from hand dyed cotton cord this rope bracelet makes a great holiday gift. See more of these in my Etsy shop.