Strong and Mute collection on ArtFire

Strong and Mute is an ArFire member curated collection made by SKCreations a mother-daugher team offering a wide variety of handmade items including jewelry, hair accessories, and greeting cards.

On the mute (quiet) side is this Red Leather Wrap Bracelet With Silver Hook made by JabberJewels. Read this artist's bio for the back story and cute pictures of her pug Dudley (say it three times...).

On the strong side is this Elf Sheet Chainmaille Bracelet made by daisy and sold through her shop daisykreates. She's a self described chainmaille-wirewrap-beadweave-fusedglass-holic and this is her passion.

The featured its in this collection is this orange soft cuff herringbone knot bracelet extra large made from smooth braided synthetic cord. This is one of the extra wide cuffs available through WhatKnotShop on ArtFire.  This particular cuff is adjustable so you can work out the extra slack in the knot and make a sung and comfortable fit. Click the link to see the other cuffs in this collection.

White woven through our world collection on ArtFire

StephanieRonnyeknit1bead2 has assembled an elegant collection of white woven crafts from all over the world. This grandmother-grandaughter team share their passion for beading and knitting in their ArtFire Shop  where you will find delightful color combinations in beaded bracelets, necklaces and scarves.
Shangri La Craft based in Canada offers Tibetan silver, beads, and leather including this handsome Large White Weaved Cuff bracelet all made with ancient traditional techniques. See their extensive offerings in their ArtFire Shop.

Sandeeknits has created this Organic Ivory Cotton Crochet Fringe Scarf that is but one of the many colorful exciting scarf designs in her ArtFire Shop. You should also check out her Dog Sweaters. Your pooch will never look so good!

The featured item in this collection is the white herringbone rope bracelet medium one of the popular herringbone weave design series bracelets. Many more colors are shown in the solid colors section of my ArtFire Shop. If you are unsure how to select the correct size click here to read all about sizing.

The greys have it

 This micro collection is made from four different turks head rope bracelets made out of four different variation on grey.


This example is a blue-grey braided cotton cord worked in a herringbone weave design. This item available in the Etsy shop where you can find other solid color handmade rope bracelets in a variety of colors. (1325)

 This wider design is also blue-grey made in a plain weave pattern with a soft lay cotton-polyester blend cable cord. This one is available in the ArfFire shop where there is a larger collection of this medium width plain weave design and a variety of the herringbone patterns as well. (1072)

This is a blend of turquoise blue and grey soft lay 100% cotton cable cord. The center strand is a light turquoise blue, the outer two strands are light grey. This bracelet is available in the Zibbet shop where you can find other blended color rope bracelets in a variety of interesting combinations. (1077)

Here is another herringbone weave made from a very soft cotton cord with a relaxed braided cover. The variegated color reflects the cord materials which are not as tightly woven as other braided cords. Find this one on Etsy. (1327)




design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Triad collection on ArtFire

Good things come in threes according to Teri the artisan behind STEMDesigns in this ArtFire collection entitled Triad. Stem Designs offers one of kind Handmade Artisan jewelry in silver, copper and other materials.
Among the good things in this collection I like the Three wheel thrown nesting bowls for the kitchen in black with green made by ugabugabowls located in Bothell, WA. Check out her cat Buster and the other fine work in her studio.
For pure comic joy I have to go with the Three Seagulls By The Bay photograph which captures the vacant arrogance of seagulls perched on a rail. Lesley Payne  has a photography studio filled with textured compositions of high graphic impact ranging from realistic to the abstract.

The featured item in this collection is three blue & grey fiber wrapped soft bangles made with hand dyed cotton cord fibers. See more of these in the Fiber Wrapped Jewelry section of my ArtFire shop.

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.

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.

Two new collections on ArtFire and Etsy

I like these things curated by rinamiriam on ArtFire 


"I think they are all so beautiful!" 


ArtFire Studio Announcement: Hello! I'm Rina. I'm an artist living & working in Rochester, NY, USA. This shop features work available directly from my studio.

Peanut Butter Cup curated by BuyMyBalls on Etsy


"I have no idea what came over me. I was making a very beige treasury and tossed in one brown item on a whim. I walked away to feed the fat cat and when I returned, the combination of tan and brown made me want to eat a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup- SO I DID! Here's to Milton S. Hershey and the fabulous Reeses Peanut Butter Cup! Oh Yea... and all of these skilled Indie J artists."
BuyMyBalls shop announcement: Introducing... 'Buy My Balls'! 'Balls' is a funny word. Most people chuckle when they hear that word. Mature humans chuckle on the inside, the rest of us laugh out loud! The world is inundated with balls and I'm here to show you one ball (or hopefully a whole bunch of balls) you can't live without. I love working with balls and I hope you enjoy looking at my balls. I am looking forward to sending you my balls in the mail. Everyone seems to love my balls and I am sure you will fall in love with them too!

Sand Between My Toes collection by StitchyImpressions on ArtFire

Sand Between My Toes a member curated collection by StitchyImpressions on ArtFire read StitcheyImpressions Studio Announcement  here

anemone cuff slip on bracelet in soft cord 1073

Greens, blues, grays, and white with a few black and purple strands make up this newest addition to the anemone collection.  The material is bits of hand dyed cotton cord up cycled from my scrap bin laid out on a mold and bound together with nylon thread. The ends are gently frayed out to make a fun loving cuff bracelet that resembles a sea anemone hence the name.

 This one measures 8" (203 mm) inside circumference and is naturally flexible to slip on over most people's bigger hands. The nylon binding cord is strong and will not stretch.

About 1 7/8" (47 mm) wide

This piece is available on ArtFire handmade marketplace   click here

Here's a link to another pair of anemone cuffs  click here with a different mix of colors.




design and photographs © copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop

Double button cuff bracelet with beads 1067

This design uses two small grey plastic buttons secured to opposite corners of cord fabric engaging loops to form a closure system. The cord fabric is composed of hand dyed scraps of both the 3 mm plain cotton cord and the twisted cotton cable cord. I added a few colorful beads to fill the open spaces in the end loops.

Colors are browns and reds framed in a black perimeter loop with a green and purple accent here and there. The nylon thread compresses the cords to a nice tight shape. Size is "medium" 7 1/2" (193 mm) inside circumference.

If you like this design you might also like this  click here
or perhaps this one  click here


This item is available on ArtFire  click here if this one has been sold you may request a custom design just  click "contact artisan" on the ArtFire product page.


design and photographs copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop

three button fiber cuff bracelet medium 1062

 Three grey plastic buttons and loops set in a diagonal pattern form a secure toggle closure for this up cycled rope bracelet. The photo to the left shows the closed position with the loops and buttons. Size is a "medium" measuring 7 1/2"(191 mm) inside circumference.

Colors are grey, blues, and black with purple, tan and yellow cord accents worked into the weave. The cords are bound together with four ply nylon thread which creates a compression that squeezes the soft cotton and synthetic cords into a stiff curved shape. Bracelet is flexible to open and close. Texture is comfortable and will improve with long term wear.

This photo shows the buttons disengaged from the loops. Each button is securely stitched to the cord with nylon thread.

If you like this design you may be interested in this one as well  click here or perhaps this one  click here

This limited edition item is available  click here

design and photographs copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop

WhatKnotShop shopping guide part two

Design - Two shops have different stock of these unique bracelets. Some have beadwork, some have toggle closures, some are small, some are large. Each one is handmade from cord, beads, & cotton floss, held together with four ply nylon thread. All are special
Shop design on Etsy
Shop design on Zibbet

Fiber wrapped jewelry - An offshoot of the knot business that came about from a creative use of the leftover pieces of cord that are created when a knot bracelet is made. These are "up cycled" slip on bracelets and choker style necklaces made by wrapping deconstructed string and floss around core materials.
Shop for wrapped fiber jewelry on ArtFire
Shop for wrapped fiber jewelry on Zibbbet

Beaded rope bracelets - Another offshoot of the knot tying work that has recently expanded into other experimental forms. Some bracelets incorporate beads in traditional turks head knot designs like the example shown on the left while other pieces are more about the beads.
Beaded knot bracelets on ArtFire
Beaded knot bracelets on Zibbet

Extra wide cuffs - These are the most dramatic wide slip on cuff bracelets available. Each one is a carefully made knot requiring many hours of work to lay out and then work up to the finished shape. This example is ready to slip on your wrist and tighten up to a comfortable custom fit.
See extra wide cuffs on ArtFire
See extra wide cuffs on Zibbet

WhatKnotShop shopping guide part one

Classic whites - This section has the classics including the well known three part bracelet plus a wide variety of other unusual weave designs. All are made with white  cord available in both 100% cotton and synthetics. 
Shop for classic white rope bracelets on Etsy   <-ankle bracelets here too!
Shop for classic white rope bracelets on Zibbet <--unique designs here

 Basic black - Self explanatory. If you don't find the size or design you want, check the other two shops.


Shop basic black on Etsy
Shop basic black on Zibbet  <--beaded black turks head here

Solid colors - This section contains bracelets that are all made from a single color cord. Weave designs vary from the plain weave (over-under) to the herringbone weave (over two - under two). Both narrow and wide turks heads can be found here.


Shop solid color bracelets on Artfire   <--lots of herringbone weave bracelets here
Shop solid color rope bracelets on Etsy
Shop solid color bracelets on Zibbet

Mixed colors - Here's where the fun combinations live. Find cool combinations of blue & white, grey & white, and brighter oranges, yellow, reds and greens combined with contrasting whites, grays sometimes other surprising combos. The biggest collection is on the Zibbet site so if you want something special check this out.


Shop for blended color turks heads on ArtFire
Shop for blended color turks heads on Etsy 
Shop for blended color turks heads on Zibbet

more Collections on ArtFire and Etsy updated

Those of you who visit handmade craft venues ArtFire and Etsy may be aware that members of these groups create collections of items in the online shops. Often these are themed groupings of similar types of products, some are color based collections, while others are seemingly random whimsical assemblies of cool stuff. Here is a list of recent collections that have featured work in my ArtFire and Etsy shops.


Please feel free to comment on these collections and be sure to click through to the shops that may interest you to see more work.

Indie Junction in Purple and Mint curated by ZurDesigns on Etsy

light and pretty gifts for her by secretafe on  Etsy


Blue skies Curated by jewelsforhope on ArtFire

Your Kid's Teacher Called... He doesn't want another 'A+ Teacher Mug' a collection to help save male teachers from banal gifts by BuyMyBalls on  Etsy

Your Kid's Teacher Called... She doesn't want another school mascot sweater! a collection to help save female teachers from banal gifts by BuyMyBalls on  Etsy

The Blue Room a collection of IndieJunction artists by ZurDesigns on  Etsy


Tyed in Knots curated by knot master Matt at mysticknotwork on ArtFire
Handwoven Pleasures! curated by Pandulaartscreations on ArtFire
Snow White curated by MiamiMadeIt on Etsy
Grey Paradise curated by Khalliahdesign on ArtFire
Beautiful Autumn!! curated by Jannadu on ArtFire
Great Finds curated by JudysDesigns on ArtFire

HGTV Gift Guide in Shades of Blue/Green  curated by ZurDesigns an upstanding honcho of the IndieJunction team on Etsy

oh deer, everything lovely curated by UrbanRevisions on Etsy

Purple Power! curated by suzedablooze an upstanding member of the IndieJunction team on Etsy

Warm curated by voscoleccion on Etsy

Muted Twilight  curated by RavensLane on Etsy

Winter Marine curated by dmtgun3 on Etsy

Comfortable greys curated by AnnyMay  on Etsy

These are a few of my favorite things! curated by MetalStoneDesigns on Etsy

Teen Gift Guide curated by warmnfuzzies on Etsy