His 'n hers rope fabric cuff bracelets 3850

 A pair of matched cuff bracelets made from hand dyed cord. The button and loop toggle is easy to manage and secure. The light olive and taupe tones recall the sun washed landscapes of deserts.

An illustrated tutorial explains how to make these bracelets using a variety of materials including paper beads and a non beaded designs using other colors . A wider more dramatic wood bead cuff uses the same basic techniques as does this playful lima bead bead design.

The large bracelet is 7 1/2" (191 mm)
The small bracelet is 6 1/2" (165 mm)

You might also enjoy this wood bead bracelet or this wider design using two rows of glass beads.

Edge stitching technique uses a high strength multi-filament thread to compress the individual cords into a soft lightweight fabric.


These and other unique bracelets can be found online WhatKnotShop on ETSY




design and photographs © copyright 2016

mixed color grommets with waxed thread whipping 3573

Hand dyed cords in muted tones combined in four grommets finished with waxed thread coach whipping detail

olive and teal
sand and olive
salmon and sand
navy and olive

6 3/4" (173 mm)

Special made-to-order product available here.

These and other unique bracelets can be found online WhatKnotShop on ETSY




design and photographs © copyright 2015 WhatKnotShop

string bracelets 3538

 Thin cotton cord unwound and re-worked into grommets. Each is secured with waxed thread coach whipping.

 Double strand fog grey
sand
ecru
6 7/8" (200 mm)

made-to-order item

These and other unique bracelets can be found online WhatKnotShop on ETSY





design and photographs © copyright 2015 WhatKnotShop

even more even part turks head knot bracelets 3514

Four part rope bracelets are the next order of complexity up from the traditional three part sailor bracelets and they offer a special design opportunity. The center overlap creates a place to run a colored accent cord through the void in the weave. Because the geometry of the knot has even parts the overlap falls in the actual center not to one side or the other.

Here are some other colors in this same design.
Here is the tutorial showing how to tie four part bracelets.

 15x4x2 weave design with tangerine (a popular color!)

7 1/2" (191 mm) circumference a convenient size for many people

 Purple - mysterious just like the endless knot pattern...

Note that these are 15 bight designs. If you tie an 11 bight design as shown in the tutorial your bracelet will come out smaller. If you increase to 19 bights it will be larger.

Quiz: why does the bight count increase by 4 each time?

 Scarlet - "red is best" and popular!

Almost any color can be used to accent the basic off-white bracelet.

Navy - a traditional favorite color for anything nautical

Available here

These and other unique bracelets can be found online WhatKnotShop on ETSY


design and photographs © copyright 2015 WhatKnotShop

salmon slip knot rope bracelets 3503

 Soft braided hand dyed cotton cord in salmon is the latest color available in the popular slip knot rope bracelet. This design expands by loosening the loops to fit on over a larger hand then easily adjusts to a smaller wrist. The loop and ball knot hold the loose ends together.

The adjustment is explained here.

The material is a salmon color which is a diluted solution of marsala red. The cord takes this color in a muted almost pastel tone. The dye process is explained here. The whipping is a heavy duty dark brown waxed thread.

Multiple sizes are easily produced. Find examples in the slip knot section of the Etsy shop.




design and photographs © copyright 2015 WhatKnotShop

salmon and ecru intermediate turks head knot rope bracelet 3502

 This wider bracelet is an intermediate weave with 7 parts, 10 bights and a relaxed 8" finished circumference. The cord is a mix of hand dyed and natural ecru braided cotton. The weave design is one of series of turks head knot patterns that you can find in the Ashley Book of Knots.

 The center strand is a salmon color which is a diluted solution of marsala red. The cord takes this color in a muted almost pastel tone so it blends comfortably with the natural white. The dye process is explained here.

see more designs like this in the contrast+blend section of the Etsy shop



design and photographs © copyright 2015 WhatKnotShop

hand dyed cord pastel collection

pastel palette

diluted dye

cotton collection

special projects

more details

design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

post dyed cotton grommet bracelets aquamarine 3190

slender grommets made from heavyweight cotton cord

waxed thread coach whipping

stretchable and strong

10 minutes in the dye bath for a nice saturated color


              available here



design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

grey string grommet bracelets 3163

cotton cord
coach whipping details

grommets built from both thin and thick cord with nylon thread whipping then boiled in grey dye bath for an even consistent color

white slender grommet bracelets here

larger set: 7 3/4" & 8" (#60 cord)
smaller set: 6 5/8" 6 3/4" & 7" (#24 cord)






design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

black walnuts are in season - hand dyed cord back in stock

Summer got a late start here in Minneapolis but the hot weather  has finally arrived in late August and with it a crop of black walnuts.  There are several trees along the alley behind the house which have been shedding nuts. There is also a small grove in the corner of a park several blocks away. The squirrels are fierce competition but the harvest is underway.

Here's a look at the first batch scooped up from the ground.

These are about the size of paddle tennis balls and as you can see un-split and therefore safe to handle.


So the important thing about this is that these little green nuts make a very nice dark dye that is used to make a once-a-year special colored cord.


Read more about the process of making hand dyed cord here. 

And here is a finished hank of dyed cord ready to use.

Read more about finished rope bracelets made from this special dye here.





design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

one button rope bracelet with glass beads 2709

 A mix of blue and green seed beads adds some color to the center of this one button rope bracelet. The twisted cotton cable cords adds some diagonal texture.

The framing cords are a braided cotton product from a local big-box home improvement warehouse. The infill cords are leftover ends from the knotted bracelet projects.

The framing cords form a simple stirrup loop that engages a 4 hole plastic button obtained from a thrift shop.

Read the tutorial showing how you can make one of these rope bracelets here.

Here's a link to another design you might like.

Here's a link to a bigger more colorful design.

This is a small size only 6 1/4" (158 mm) inside circumference right for a small adult or teen.

This bracelet is available click here.


More one button designs available here.


design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

knotted adjustable rope bracelet 2575

 This knotted rope bracelet design uses several old-school marlinspike techniques to produce an adjustable rope bracelet. This design is made from a piece of cotton cord that has been hand dyed in a backyard recipe of black walnut hulls. These are the annoying green and brown shards that squirrels leave behind to stain your driveway or sidewalk with their pungent and powerful dye that leaches out during rainstorms.

Here's one made in white cord.

On one end of the cord is a 2x2x2 monkey fist knot tied without a core. A larger version of this knot is often used to make a weighted heaving line that can be thrown across a gap between ships and then used to haul a heavier piece of line across the gap.

There are a pair of sliding barrel knots on either side of the reverse loops that secure the adjustment with a high friction grip. You can draw the running part thought he knot but it requires a bit of effort so this knot will hold the line in position where you leave it.

The third technique is the brown waxed whipping that secures the loop and the loose end of the monkey fist. The whipping has a concealed loop that buries the live end under the whipping making it appear that there are no loose ends. The extra length has been trimmed off to preserve the illusion. Here's a link, scroll down to "method 2" to see how this one is made.

Find a selection of these traditional rope bracelets here.
design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

blue beaded two button bracelet 2630

 This one has nothing to do whatever with knotting per-se but appears here anyway as an exercise in beadwork. The glass beads are a random collection predominantly reds and oranges but with a few blue and green and a couple of black opaque beads too.

In the correct lighting the beads glow with color as you can see in this photo. It's a nice effect.

The cord structure is very similar to the one button fabric bracelets. The framing cords are a 1/4" braided nylon hand dyed blue with two buttons and loops. Instead of edge binding the cords as infill the beads are placed between the framing cords and threaded on the four ply nylon. You can see the exposed stitching on the outside edges.

Size is medium-small measuring 7 1/4" (183 mm) inside circumference when closed.



                 Available here


design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

three wrap rope bracelet or necklace design 2284

Received a special request to make a wrap around  style rope bracelet from a customer who liked the look of the rope grommet bracelets and wanted something more contemporary. White can be a difficult color to keep looking clean, her choice was grey a color that is very complementary.

Find a similar design here in the Etsy shop.

 The materials are a hand dyed grey cotton cord and waxed cotton thread.

The design starts with a 3x3x3 monkey fist button knot. The extra length cords are then worked into a traditional twisted rope. This process is done on a jig. The end loops are wrapped around a pin on the jig and secured with the waxed cotton whipping thread.

The loose ends are laid parallel and secured with another whipping.

This design works as a three-wrap bracelet for a smaller wrist (about 6 3/4") and can also be used as a choker style necklace. The overall length is about 19".




design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

Rusty Denim collection on Etsy

Here's another creative collection Rusty Denim made by Holly Renee Becker. Her shop is hollytamales but there's no mexican food instead she has pillows, pockets, and towels.

Here is a Denim Flowers Necklace, Pearl, Bohemian Glass Crystal, Navi and Blue Denim made by artmirey who is a architect and an artist (winning combination!) See more shabby chic, romantic, elegant, unique jewelry and accessories in her shop TheMireyBoutique.

Who doesn't need a small bag for travel? This is a Handmade Upcycled Denim Makeup Bag but it could hold almost anything made by farrago and offered with other handmade handbags and purses, tote bags, makeup bags in her shop of the same name.

The featured item in this rusty collection is this white & denim blue turks head knot sailor rope bracelet offered her in a medium size but available in small and large sizes by special order. There are more of these all cotton hand dyed rope bracelets in the blended color bracelets section of WhatKnotShop on Etsy.

grey grommet group 1833

 A group of grey grommets made with hand dyed grey #60 cotton cord and finished with white waxed linen whipping.

A grommet is a round endless ring made from rope that is about five times as along as the circumference of the finished grommet. Read more about these interesting and useful knots on WikiHow or try this netplaces knot site article by Randy Penn. The traditional grommet is made from manila or other natural fiber rope. A length is "un-layed" then woven back together in a circular form.

These cotton grommets are made from cotton cord that is intact not the "un-layed" condition. The overlapping ends are bound up using another traditional marlinspike seamanship technique known as whipping. Ropeworks offers a clear diagram for several types of whipping methods. These are made using "method 3" (scroll down to see it)

You can find grommet bracelets like these in WhatKnotShop on Etsy.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

About Night Fishing collection on Etsy

Haven't been doing this for awhile but this collection is About Night Fishing made by vintageberry. See a "Berry Mix of Vintage from her shop vintageberry.

Naturally there need to be fish in this collection and these Blue and dark blue Tube shape 20x25 mm fish Glass Lampwork Beads look just like they came out of an evening ocean. Lots more colors and shapes for the bead enthusiast in shop bkavcak from Istanbul.

If you go fishing you need palace to sit and this vintage blue canvas folding stool should make a comfortable perch on the dock and is easy to carry. Check out Beth Collier's shop lacklusterco vintage industrial decor for an unusual collection of items sure to be of interest to fisher persons everywhere.

The featured item in this night parade is this wide blue cotton turks head knot rope bracelet made from hand dyed cotton cord. The dark blue color is a classic and this wide cuff design is comfortable to wear. See more in the solid colors section of my Etsy shop or an even bigger collection in the solid color section of my Zibbet shop. (Hint: no listing fees on Zibbet!)

green rope bracelet 1681

 I end up with a lot of shorter pieces of cord when making larger more complex weave designs so every now and then just grab the scrap basket and see what's in it.

These are the simplest three part rope bracelets. Everyone knows how to make them, ok well a lot of people do and there are a number of online tutorials available for the do-it-yourselfers.

This is a nice bright green color hand dyed 3 mm soft cotton cord made into a 14 bight bracelet.

My give-away basket gets full over the winter and by the time the next block party rolls around there are a lot of these in different colors and sizes.

Find this one listed in the Etsy shop, several more in the ArtFire shop, and you can get lost in the huge selection available in my Zibbet shop.

I will combine product from these venues for reduced shipping if you contact me and ask...

design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

anti clastic beaded cuff bracelet handmade artifact fiber art bracelet 1673

 This modern primitive cuff is made with a cotton piping material and hand dyed cotton cord forming the distinctive anti-clastic shape. Rows of glass beads are embedded in the seams.

6 mm wood beads are embedded in the seam on one side. The other side has a row of red and brown wood beads.

This cuff is secured with two plastic buttons and loops. Size closed is 7 3/4" (197 mm) inside circumference.

Available here

Part of the handmade artifacts series exploring ancient form in modern materials.

design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop