heather and blue grey one button string weave cuff 4122

 This is an example of the bracelet design that is covered by this tutorial: Part 1 click here

The core is grey cotton with a round "boulder button" made of polymer clay. The string is a lightweight twisted cotton tapestry woven onto the core strands.

All materials are hand dyed in a water based system, more about this process here and also here.

 Soft and flexible this is sized for an adult wrist measuring 8" (203 mm) circumference and about 1" wide.

The rounded button slips easily through  the loops but stays put when engaged.

Polymer clay is a great material for simple elements like buttons. It's easy to handle and quick to make up new buttons if you run out unexpectedly.

Here's the flat-out view as you would see the project on the loom but without the loom of course.

A few other projects you might like:
one button string weave leather lacing cuff white
heather grey one button cuff (similar colors)
collection of string weave bracelets 

More of these are available for you to purchase in the ETSY shop in the tapestry cuffs section

design and photographs copyright 2017

Setting up the loom - String weave tapestry bracelet tutorial part 3

Part 3: Setting up the loom

Here's where the warp cords are secured to the loom in preparation for the weaving process.

Unwrap the cord assembly from the tube mold and lay it out on the table. It should look something like this.

Your ends might be longer than the example, if so simply trim them off to the same approxomate length roughly 1 1/2" or so.

Here the warp assembly is placed on a simple loom. This loom is made of wood with pegs arranged on the working edges. This is a specialty tool you can make or buy.

On the loop end the both loops are placed over one of the pegs.

On the button end a spare length of cord is used to tension the assembly by looping around the button and one of the pegs. Secure with a square knot.

You can also use a couple of stout rubber bands instead of the knotted cord. This holds tension on the warp.

Note that the tapestry needle remains in place holding the warp strands secure near the button. If you accidentally dislodge it go back and set up the length on the mold.

Here's a closeup showing the button end. The tapestry needle holds the warp strands together. The button is tensioned using the knotted cord or rubber bands.

Practice is required to get the spacing and tension correct. Yes, it's a bit more involved...





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design, photos, and descriptions copyright 2017

Setting up the warp cords for bracelet size, tapestry bracelet tutorial part 2

Part 2: Setting up the warp cords for bracelet size:

This project uses the 3 mm cotton cord as the framework (warp cords) for the bracelet. In order to predict the final size accurately circular mold made of PVC pipe is used.

Center the 36" cord and place the button. If you are using an ordinary button you may sew it in place the center of the cord. I use waxed nylon thread for all this sort of structural work, you may use carpet thread or any other heavy duty material.

For this project the clay button has been placed in the center of the loop of cord. The button is made with two holes allowing it to be placed on the cord without need for stitches.

Place the button on the mold corresponding to the finished size for the bracelet. In this example a 2" diameter pvc pipe is used to create a finished size of about 7 1/2" or about 191 mm circumference.

You may use a cardboard tube or a small jar to set the size you want. A cloth tape measure is useful to measure circumference of both wrist and mold.

Loop the two ends around the button as shown. (They go in opposite directions)

Bring the tails back in the center between the two strands.

You can hold the whole thing together with your hands after some practice.

Tuck each loose end into a reverse loop up under the button as snug as you can and use one of the tapestry needles to secure them both in place.

This may take a bit of practice.

Make the two reverse loops even as shown.

Allow the ends to lie parallel in the outside gaps as shown.

Adjust the tension so the side segments are even and snug to the mold.

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design, photos, and descriptions copyright 2017

The cool product and caveats - String weave tapestry bracelet tutorial part 1

Part 1 The cool end product and a few caveats

This series shows how to make this taprestry weave bracelet from simple materials. This is a project for intermediate to advanced crafters who are familiar with some basic techniques including hand dying cotton string, setting up a simple loom, and a technique I call "needle weaving".

For this project a series of cotton cords are wrapped with lightweight dyed string to create a colorful flexible cuff bracelet. A special custom made clay bead is used to create a simple toggle closure.

Note that this project requires some custom materials and a small loom. These items are shown later on in the tutorial photos.

The wrapping string is ordinary cotton twine you can find at a local hardware store. It's a #24 so it is quite lightweight material similar to kite string.

The colors shown are made by dying the string in a water based dye bath. This is a special technique required to prepare the materials.

Read more about the dye process here.

Other materials you will need: a few tapestry or needle point needles. These are the blunt type with a large eye.

A small pair of pliers is useful when manipulating the work.

You will also need about 36" of 3 mm cotton cord and a button. The button used in this demonstration is a custom made clay button but you may use an ordinary plastic button instead.

You will also want to have on hand some rubber bands and other basic crafting tools. This tutorial covers the high level techniques which you can adapt to your own designs.

This is part 1 of a multi-part posting, more to come in the coming weeks.

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design, photos, and descriptions copyright 2017

one button string weave leather lacing cuff white 4104

 This low profile cuff is made with 2 mm leather lacing wrapped with a white waxed thread.

The button is a custom "boulder" shape made from polymer clay. The lacing is looped through the button then doubled around the mold forming the loops.

The weft is a heavy waxed thread doubled then plain woven through the leather warp. The warp ends are simply trimmed off.

 7 1/2" (191 mm) circumferencnce
5/8" (16 mm) wide

more like this:

1 button black leather bracelet 2934

leather braided bracelet black 3612

wrapped leather cord button bracelet 2781

Want to see how these are made?
View the step-by-step tutorial click here.

More of these are available for you to purchase in the ETSY shop in the tapestry cuffs section

design and photographs copyright 2017

soft string bangle 4093

 Made without buttons this little bracelet started out as a wrapping of the warp cords on a bottle mold followed by a widely spaced wrapping process.

Additional warp cords were laid in parallel and woven in, you can see the colors showing through.

Here the additional warp cords are visible thought the weave. No need for fussy packing of the weft this is an exploration of texture and color.

And of course the shape got messed when the tension on the warp gets out of alignment but the overall effect is pleasing.

some other designs that might interest you:

experimental string weave overview

wide blue tapestry woven rope cuff 4091

grey one button cuff 4095

All cotton string from the up-cycle box plus a very light cotton twine that was paired then threaded in the weft.

More of these are available for you to purchase in the ETSY shop in the tapestry cuffs section




design and photos copyright 2017 

heather grey one button cuff 4095

A narrower four strand wrapped design made with two grey colors and an oversize button.

The edges are single cord wrapped with two cored paired in the center which creates the wider rib.

The needle-weaving is simple over-under plain weave using the interstitial space as the crossover. The wrapping string is paired. The ends of the core cords are looped back under the center rib.

 Here the four cords are visible as a pair of loops on the button.
Sized on a mold this design is 7" (178 mm) circumference.

Want to see how these are made?
View the step-by-step tutorial click here.


here are some other designs you might like:

wide blue tapestry woven rope cuff 4091

more string weaving bracelets 4096 4097 4099

experiments with string weaving overview

Warmer grey color with a cooler grey accent.


More of these are available for you to purchase in the ETSY shop in the tapestry cuffs section






design and photos copyright 2017

wide blue tapestry woven rope cuff 4091

 A wider two-button design cuff with a blend of blue cotton double strand weft wrappings.

The warp cords are 3 mm cotton and form a strong linear geometry around which the thinner weft string is woven. The weft assumes a series of figure-8 shapes as it crosses over in the spaces between the warp cords creating the ribs.

The whole thing is made on a small loom after setting the size using a circular mold.

Want to see how these are made?
View the step-by-step tutorial click here.

The termination of the weave involves following the looped warp cords around the looped ends as you can see in this image. The cords are reversed in pairs.

Buttons are secured with waxed nylon thread.

Here's an overview of design variations.

The simple color patterns are various lengths of weft cord juxtaposed.

Check the tapestry cuffs section  of WhatKnotShop on ETSY for this and a variety of similar designs.




design and photographs copyright 2017

more string weaving bracelets 4096 4097 4099

Three bracelets made by string weaving which is wrapping thinner cotton string over heavy stretched core in a fish-tale pattern.

On the left a navy and white banded pattern - the navy cords are unwound from a twisted piece of dyed cord which produces the variegated colors. (4097)

In the center a multiple color banded cuff using a combination of unwound dyed cords and dyed segments of ordinary cotton "butcher twine" commonly available in hardware stores. (4096)

On the right a bright yellow, orange, and pink banded cuff made mostly with the unwound dyed cords. (4099)

These cuffs are all secured with button and loop toggles.

They are laid out on a circular mold to establish the size. The buttons are positioned then the the whole thing is stretched on a small loom to complete the weaving process.

Segments of the colored cords are passed from side to side and packed together after each lateral pass. I'm sure there are more accurate technical terms to describe this process, weavers are invited to suggest references and terms in the comments section...


design and photographs copyright 2017