knotted cord bead necklaces 3997

Simple essential adjustable choker style necklaces with a single bead are the perfect gift for that friend on your shopping list.

The tube knots slide on the cord allowing the necklace to open up to over 27 1/2". After placement over the head the size can be adjusted for a comfortable fit.

Minimum size is 14 1/2" (362 mm)

 Each of the beads is round 9 mm diameter polymer clay, the dark brown color is shown here.

The tube knots are secured with a tiny bit of adhesive.

Bead colors available:
dark brown
light turquoise blue
granite grey
metallic red

Available here



design and photographs copyright 2016

knotted choker style necklace with glass bead 2684

 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

Hot pink for summer

These BASIC series rope bracelets are just the thing to get your summer off to a hot start. The bracelets are made "large" but easily adjust to make perfect fit.

Hot pink is but one of many colors available. Check out the entire collection here.

Easy to follow illustrated instructions are shipped with each order and you can view the online version here.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

blue and green BASIC rope bracelets 2062

BASIC bracelets are the collection of simple five part turks head knot rope bracelets that you can actually adjust to make a custom fit right on your wrist. This special order design combines two colors of hand dyed cord in a single bracelet to create a cool blue-green mix of color.

The all cotton braided cord is soft and feels relaxed against your skin. The special dye mix has been treated to prevent color wash-out.

 The size adjustment works the same way for single colors as it does for these multi-color variations. Read about how to adjust for your perfect fit here.


These bracelets are supplied in two sizes which will fit just about everyone: The "large" size comes in 8 1/2" (216 mm) and can be worked down to about a 7" size. The "medium" size comes in 6 1/2" (165 mm) and can work down to about 5" or so.

Find the entire collection of BASIC bracelets here and remember that you can order any of the colors in either large or medium sizes at no extra charge.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

Finding your fit - a quick guide to size and selection of sailor bracelets

Here are some quick links to helpful articles discussing how to estimate rope bracelet size:

Figuring the fit - a how-to guide for estimating the correct size for a turks head bracelet. This post shows how to measure your hand and estimate the size of the bracelet that you want and also offers guidance on shrinkage factor for cotton bracelets.

Nominal sizing - offers a guide to the labels "small", "medium", and "large" that are used in the product offerings in WhatKnotShop. 

Working up a BASIC turks head knot bracelet offers a visual guide to tightening up an adjustable knot to fit snugly on your wrist.

Sailor's Lady collection on Etsy

Red White and bold this is the Sailor's Lady collection by Ema a student from Croatia. See her creative work in her shop ElwynJewelry Handmade Jewelry for Little Girls, Girls and Ladies.

Sailor lady #1 is this Sailor Color Blocked Nautical Retro Onepiece Bombshell Americana Swimsuit (S-2X) made by FablesbyBarrie shop filled with bright colors bold prints and models with no sunburn. (how do they do that?)...suncreen...

Sailor Lady #2 is this made to order Mis Sailor girl swimsuit xs-xl by Tamisha Glashen and offered in her shop meshalo. Real red white and blue fabrics part of the beach photo shoot video at Dockweiler State Beach in Hawaii (birthplace of our current President)

The featured item in this collection is this white BASIC turks head knot sailor bracelet made in soft white cotton cord. This is an adjustable rope bracelet that you can work up to your perfect fit with the illustrated instructions. Many other colors are available in the BASIC bracelets section of my Etsy shop. 

Match Made in Heaven collection made on Etsy

Here's a new collection titled Match Made in Heaven curated by Kim from Baltimore. You can shopkim (literally) and receive free wrapping during the holiday season so visit her shop to see her handmade jewelry and accessories.

On the green side of this match is this Lime Green Braided Scarf made by Arlene and offered through ArlenesBoutique. Lots more yarn creations including one design scarves for your holiday browsing.

 On the blue side are these Turquoise Nesting Bowls - Large Set made by KarinLorenc and offered in her shop of the same name. She offers colorful clay creations made on a kick-wheel. Visit her profile to find out what this is! (Hint: it involves the use of feet...)

The featured item in this heavenly collection is this blue BASIC turks head knot sailor bracelet one of a colorful series of rope bracelets you can easily adjust to make your perfect fit. See the entire collection in the BASIC section of WhatKnotShop on Etsy. 

3 button toggle cord cuff bracelet with beads 1634

 This is a 3 bead toggle cuff made with up cycled cord scraps, a collection of random beads, and a lot more time than I anticipated. This is one of those projects that was laid out on the mold and then for some reason didn't get finished for months. Seems like every time I picked it up I had to do something else so the design sat unrealized until just recently.
In this view you can see the overlapping cords that are actually on the surface. Usually all the cords are bound horizontally with the nylon thread but this design had a lot of loose ends that were laid out on top of the shell and then stitched down.

 In this view you can see the random bead collection arranged near the edge of the cuff. This adds texture and a bit more chaos to the already chaotic patterns.

This will fit an average size person measuring 7 1/2" (191 mm) when tugged down snugly. It will expand to about 8 1/4" (208 mm) with the toggle beads fully extended.

This one is extra wide 2 5/8" (68 mm) but it's mostly  cotton so it's not uncomfortable to wear...

In this view you can see the three large glass beads which toggle through the loops to hold this cuff closed.

Now listed on Zibbet.



design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

teal blue rope bracelet 1491

I always appreciate it when happy customers send me photos of WhatKnotShop products in use. Here's Nikki with one of her custom made knot bracelets.


This is an example of the hand dyed cotton cord made into a five part plain weave bracelet. All of the colors you see in the shop are made in small batches and no two batches are ever exactly the same. This is a pale teal blue which captures the essence of summer at the beach. 
Custom orders are always welcomed. Visit my Etsy shop to pick out weave designs and colors. To request a custom design like this please use the Etsy convo utility or leave a comment here.
If you would like to be featured with your favorite rope bracelet simply send me copies of your photos and any other details that you think readers might find interesting. I'll select some for publication from time to time.

triple weave herringbone cuff bracelet 1456

 This is an extra wide weave triple herringbone weave turks head knot. The leads pass over three then under three creating four distinct "V" patterns as you can see in the photograph. There are 25 parts and 24 bights making this a "square" pattern. The double layer of strands makes this about 1/4" thick at he edges and uses about 25 ft of 1/8" nylon cord.

These designs are available by special order through the Etsy, ArtFire or Zibbet online venues or email me directly at ghutch@isd.net.

This example is a relaxed 8 7/8" (225 mm) inside circumference. This weave design can easily be worked up to a smaller diameter as the nylon is quite smooth and there is only a single strand to chase through the knot.

The knot can also crush down to a smaller diameter without removing any slack.



design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnot Shop

First one, then another a matched pair of custom cuffs 1329

A customer contacted me recently looking for a particular design in a black and grey combination. Upon receiving the order he immediately ordered a second bracelet of the same design. Here you can see the the results:  a handsome pair of hands with five part turks head bracelets.


The black cord is a polyester blend while the center is a cotton cord hand dyed to a light silver grey color. Getting the fit correct involved providing one of the bracelets with loose ends. This enabled the wearer to slip on the unfinished bracelet then carefully remove the slack to get a comfortable size.


You can measure your hands using this blog post as a guide. When you know your size you can shop the online venues Etsy ArtFire or Zibbet  for the right color and weave design. You may also make a request for a special size if you don't find exactly what you are looking for.


design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Happiness is a pair of nautical chic knot bracelets

Michalle sent this self portrait photo showing two BASIC turks head knot rope bracelets. One is black the other is battleship grey. Both have been worked up to Michalle's comfortable fit size.
These BASIC rope bracelets are available in a wide range of colors including the black and grey show here as well as lighthouse red, starboard green, several colors of blue, sunshine yellow, orange, brown and classic white.
Illustrated instructions are included with each order. These adjustable bracelets are supplied in a "large" size which makes it easy to slip them over your hand. A few simple steps are all that is required to create a custom fit just right for you.
Here's a tip from Michalle: After working up the bracelet to a comfortable fit use a needle and thread to secure the loose ends. Trim the ends then turn the bracelet inside out to hide the stumps.
design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Art and utility - a new treasury collection on Etsy

Here's a new treasury listing curated by  Autumn Trillium The shop name is brahmanda Here is her shop announcement: "The word Brahmāṇḍa is Sanskrit, meaning cosmic egg, golden womb, a universe contained. I strive to bring the public distinctive & affordable apparel, jewelry, art, and other little luxuries. I'm open for trades, and if you wish to propose one or make a custom order, please convo me."

To see natural white BASIC adjustable rope bracelets click here You may also like the hand dyed colors including green (in a cable cord material) or brown  or the popular lighthouse red color made with 3 mm hand dyed cotton cord. More subdued colors include fog grey. Other colors are available by request.

square knot macrame adjustable bracelet collection

Zip toggle macrame bracelets with beads in different colors and materials. All (except one) made with 2.3 mm white nylon cord. This is a small sample of the possible bead colors that can be used to make the toggle closure.  Find this one on Etsy  click here or look at the square knot collection on Etsy

<--cream color bead pull

 All are 8 5/8" (219 mm) size "large" that can be drawn to between 6 1/2" to 7 1/2" size when the toggle loop is drawn through.




<--navy blue plastic bead pull

Find more of these adjustable macrame bracelets in the Etsy shop. Find more slip on square knot bracelets in the Zibbet shop.




<--red plastic bead pull

<--lavender plastic bead pull

champaign synthetic 1 mm cord with tiger stripe oval bead pull

<--green glass bead pull

design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

Square knot macrame rope bracelet with zip pull closure 1122

Square knot macrame bracelet with easy adjustment made from 2.3 mm white nylon cord.


Bracelet opens to a generous size to allow you to slip it on over your hand, then zips closed using the monkey fist knot pull.
<-- open measures 8 5/8" (219 mm) inside circumference

Closed with monkey fist knot pull measures 7 1/8" (181 mm) inside circumference (medium size)


Both open and closed size can be specified in a custom order at the Etsy online shop. To request a custom design like this please use the Etsy convo utility or leave a comment here.

Shown here partially open - this unique design can adjust to any size between fully open and fully closed to make a perfect fit. The nylon cord construction can be opened and closed repeatedly. The high friction pull closure ensures that this bracelet will not open unexpectedly.


See this and other macrame designs in the Square Knot Macrame section of the Etsy shop. More macrame bracelets can be found here.


Available with a monkey fist knot pull (shown here) or with a variety of colorful bead pulls.


design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

double toggle beaded cuff "tide pool" bracelet 891

This wide beaded cuff braceletis made with darker blue, green and grey cords and features a double toggle closure with a keeper loop.


This view shows the bracelet in it's smallest closed position with the large blue beads pulled through the loops. The keeper loop is visible in front.


When closed this measures about 8" (203 mm) inside circumference.

 There are beads worked into the loops that form the ends of the cuff. These are of various colors and sizes offering a "found" look to the piece.


Light purple and green-blue floss finish off this side.


This bracelet is available for sale  click here

This view shows the opened position with the keeper loop passing through the toggle loops. Periwinkle blue and bright green floss finish off the edges.




This is part of the design )strata( collection available on Zibbet      click here      to see the other items like this one in the collection.

design and photographs copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop

adjustable anemone bracelet

This is the original anemone cuff bracelet design made from up-cycled bits of colored cord. The diameter is fixed as the nylon threads that bind the cords run in a circular pattern. The bracelet is made on a mold which sets the finished internal circumference.

This item is available on Etsy click here

Extra wide with the frayed ends fanned out just like the tentacles on the real anemones found in the ocean. A mix of colored cords was used in this prototype.

This is the new design which is adjustable to fit extra small wrists of about 6" or so on up to the larger 8" size.

The same design is used except the binding thread is not continuous but creates an opening to allow size adjustment.

A uniquely designed beaded toggle enables the continuous adjustment from small to extra large.

In this view the small dark bead center bottom is placed through a loop of the black cord. The bead slides on the loop of blue cord to adjust the fit.

The two other dark beads can rest inside their own loops when the bracelet is adjusted to the small size  or they simply ride on the closure loops.

Colors are a mixture of blue, turquoise, green, and grey. All cotton cords are hand dyed and stitched with 4 ply nylon thread. Beads are made of dark glass. Cotton floss is used to detail the stress points.

Here is the bracelet opened up showing the toggle beads and the loop fully extended.





design and photographs copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop

BASIC rope bracelets fall color series

natural white   left

fog grey   center

skye blue   right


materials are 100% cotton
all except white are hand dyed in small batches

Find these in the Etsy WhatKnotShop BASIC section

chocolate brown   left

fog grey   center

dark green   right



All are supplied with loose ends to permit final adjustment to your custom fit.

Instructions included with each order and available online right here:   Instructions

natural white   left

skye blue   center

denim blue   right

fog grey   left

natural white

dark green

chocolate

denim blue

skye blue   right

design and photographs copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop

nylon turks head knot sailor bracelet 698

Wide bracelet made from 2 mm white nylon cord. The cord has no stretch as it is originally intended as kite string. I found a 1000 ft spool of it in a shop located in the Chinatown section of San Francisco. Always leave room in your bag for things you find when away from home.

Weave design is 19 x 13 x 2. The size is 8 5/8" (219 mm) inside circumference and this piece can be worked up to a smaller size. The nylon material is easily drawn through the weave to take out slack.

design and photos copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop

large slip-on turks head ankle bracelet in white nylon 675

A narrow turks head of 31 bights x 7 parts x 2 strands made from 1/8" white nylon cord. This is an adjustable fit that measures about 13" inside circumference. Based on design #1352 from the Ashley Book of Knots.

Worked up to a firm tension this would end up about 10" to 11" circumference x 1 1/8" wide


Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhatKnotShop
ArtFire: http://www.artfire.com/users/WhatKnotShop
Zibbet: http://www.zibbet.com/WhatKnotShop

Here's how these anklets look when worked up to a comfortable fit.










design and photos copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop