1 button black leather bracelet with handmade paper beads 2934

 This is the fifth in a series of small one button leather cord bracelets. Each has a unique detail that makes it special.

The basic design is four ply leather cord wrapped with a black waxed cotton thread. A 6 mm round wood bead and button connect with a pair of loops to form a secure easy to manage toggle.

This design features four colorful handmade paper beads threaded on the individual strands of leather cord.

 Size "small" about 7" (178 mm)

This design can be made both larger and smaller to fit children, women, and men. The number and style of the paper beads can be varied to create a textured appearance.

These are versatile bracelets that work with both formal and informal attire. The look is understated  with the black leather cord and waxed binding. The focal beads color contrasts nicely with the black framework.

Here's the collection.






                 Available here

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

1 button leather wrapped bracelet with black glass beads 2933

 This is the fourth in a series of small one button leather cord bracelets. Each has a unique detail that makes it special.

The basic design is four ply leather cord wrapped with a black waxed cotton thread. A 6 mm round wood bead and button connect with a pair of loops to form a secure easy to manage toggle.

This design features a pair of black glass crow beads placed opposite the button and loop.

 Size "small" about 7" (178 mm)

This design can be made both larger and smaller to fit children, women, and men.

All the components in this design are black: the button, the waxed cotton wrapping, and the beads.

Here are more designs you might like:
1 button bracelet with a pair of wooden beads
1 button bracelet with a polymer clay bead
1 button bracelet (plain - no beads)




           Available here.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

1 button black leather wrapped bracelet 2932

  This is the third of a series of small one button leather cord bracelets. Each has a unique detail that makes it special.

The basic design is four ply leather cord wrapped with a black waxed cotton thread. A 6 mm round wood bead and button connect with a pair of loops to form a secure easy to manage toggle.

This design features a simple unadorned four ply cord without any beads.

  Size "small" about 7" (178 mm)

This design can be made both larger and smaller to fit children, women, and men.

This simple low profile shape has no added beads the focal point is the button and loop. Designed to layer with other bracelets or wear alone for a subtle touch of boho chic.

Here's a design with 2 small wood beads

Here's a design with a handmade pewter colored polymer clay bead

Here's the same design made with brown wrapped cord.

               Available here.



design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

1 button black leather wrapped bracelet with poly clay bead 2931

This is the second in a series of small one button leather cord bracelets. Each has a unique detail that makes it special.

The basic design is four ply leather cord wrapped with a black waxed cotton thread. A 6 mm round wood bead and button connect with a pair of loops to form a secure easy to manage toggle.

This design features a handmade pewter colored poly clay bead placed opposite the button and loop.

 Size "small" about 7" (178 mm)

This design can be made both larger and smaller to fit children, women, and men.

The poly clay bead has an oversize hole to enable all four of the 2 mm leather cords to pass though. This is an example of the versatility of this design. Other custom made beads can be placed singly or in a group to add color and texture.

Here's a 1 button design with 2 small wood beads


1 button design plain (no extra beads)



              Available here

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

1 button wrapped leather cord bracelet wood beads 2930

 This is the first of a series of small one button leather cord bracelets. Each has a unique detail that makes it special.

The basic design is four ply leather cord wrapped with a black waxed cotton thread. A 6 mm round wood bead and button connect with a pair of loops to form a secure easy to manage toggle.

This design features two 3 mm wood beads placed opposite the button and loop.

 Size "small" about 7" (178 mm)

This design can be made both larger and smaller to fit children, women, and men.

Almost any type of bead detail can be added opposite the button and loop including custom made beads.

Here's a look at the group of bracelets. You can see the different details including:

four handmade paper beads
a grey poly clay bead
the basic design without any added beads

               Available here

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

wrapped leather cord button bracelet 2781

 This design is made from 2 mm round leather cord waxed cotton thread a wood bead and a plastic button.

It's a lightweight sophisticated accessory that will add a touch of boho style.

This detail shows the loops and the button closure. The bead adds a little symmetry to the closure system.

The waxed thread is wrapped around the cords securing them tightly. A loop is used to capture the loose end which is then pulled under the wrap then the ends are trimmed.

Soon to be available online.




design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

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

soft suede toggle bracelet 2648

 This design is based on the traditional Nigerian african leather bracelets. This one is made with a skin of leather and stuffed to make a big soft pillow like bracelet.

The outside is a piece of brown suede that has been stitched together with waxed cotton thread. The closure loop was reverse stitched on a sewing machine and turned inside out to conceal the seam. The ends were bound together to close the loop.

 The closure button is a cork that has been carved to make a tapered plug with a button end. The cotton binding thread holds it in place.

The stuffing is polyester quilt batting inserted through the plugged end of the bracelet and packed in place with a chop-stick.

This bracelet look oversized but is featherlight and extremely comfortable

The inside circumference is about 8" (203 mm) but this design has a very soft quality and will compress slightly.

If you are interested in this design please leave a comment.





design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

1 button toggle leather bracelet with brown whipping 2488

 This design came about when I was rummaging around in my scrap box and came across a few pieces of this versatile 2 mm leather lacing. These pieces were too short for making the adjustable chokers so what to do? The buttons were out on my workbench for another project and the holes were exactly the correct size for the lacing.

Recently I reordered waxed cord from Brettun's Village in Maine and received some new brown waxed cord in addition to my regular colors. The brown complements the black leather adding a small bit of texture and is very stable when wrapped tightly.

The design is a simple double loop with a relaxed shape. The leather lacing is bunched and wrapped tightly with the waxed cord using a simple coach whipping technique that buries the looped ends inside the wrapping by pulling on the loose ends on the opposite side, subject of a future tutorial.

This is a "large" size 8 1/2" (216 mm) but these can be made-to-order in any size you like.

Here's a detail of the waxed cord wrapping. In addition to the texture this extra bulk gives the bracelet a bit of shape and stiffness.

See these designs in the newly re-named slender leather knots section of my Etsy shop.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

herringbone weave bracelet in brown leather cord 1392

This is an "over-two, under-two" herringbone weave bracelet made with 2 mm brown leather cord. The size of this example is 7" (178 mm). Both larger and smaller sizes can be made. This is the same weave design as can be seen in many other herringbone designs made with cotton cord. The leather cord is untreated so it creaks a bit when flexed kind of like an old wicker chair when you sit on it.

            Available here
design and photographs © copyright 2011 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

black leather turks head bracelets 968 969

Classic designs made in black leather lacing. Comfortable and durable accessories.

Top photo is a five part design measuring 7 1/8" (179 mm) inside circumference and available for purchase   click here

Bottom photo is a three part design measuring 7 3/4" (197 mm) inside circumference (will stretch to about 8") and available for purchase   click here

Visit the online shops to see the entire collection of handwoven turks head knot bracelets

ArtFire <--click this link to see more designs
Etsy     <--or this one
Zibbet  <--yeah this one works too




design and photographs copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop

Black leather 3 x 14 #112

The classic three part design in black leather for durable long term wear. This is a "medium" size for a small adult hand. The leather stretches somewhat from the 7" interior circumference.

Larger and smaller sizes are available with a 2 day lead time - send wrist circumference with order.

The ends are left loose so the bracelet can be tightened up once in place on your wrist.

Order from the Etsy store and reference item #112

leather turks head sailor's bracelet

This is a 9 part x 31 bight turks head done in 2mm black leather lacing. The parts are doubled for a more substantial look.

This bracelet is 1 1/8" wide and is 2 3/4" inside diameter sized for a medium to large hand.

The leather lacing is round and may shrink if exposed to water.
Check your slip-on size click here then select your favorite color from one of these online shops:

WhatKnotShop on Etsy
WhatKnotShop on Zibbet


Design and photos copyright 2009 WhatKnotShop