double loop rope bracelets made from hand twisted rope 4061

This double rope bracelet is an example of what can be made with a firm four ply segment of handmade rope. The cotton yarns are rigged on the rope machine and held under tension while twisted hundreds of times, then laid (plyed) together using the spreader tool to control the lay.

The four strands are themselves composed of a pair of yarns so the finished rope is made out of  eight cotton yarns. (Spinning a yarn may be slang for how a story is told but it also is the technical description of rope manufacturing.)

Controlling the tightness of the lay so that the finished rope has some stiffness means these little slip on bracelets hold their shape quite nicely. The thickness of the finished rope is about 4-5 mm.

The cotton yarns are compressed evenly so the finished rope is round in section. The overall segment length is about 74". This is a convenient length for my basement workshop, greater lengths are possible with more time and patience.

The finish is a traditional coach whipping detail here made with a pleasing light yellow ochre waxed thread. The loose ends are relayed around the barrel of the whipping and fed through parallel to the rope, then trimmed off.

Look for this and similar designs in the ETSY shop soon.




design and photographs copyright  2016 

handmade rope wrap bracelet with button 3924

 Handmade rope handmade "boulder" button and hand sewn whipping detail completes a wrap bracelet.

These are large loops that are easy to turn into what look like multi-strand bracelets by wrapping the cord around the wrist and dropping the button in the loop.

 Here's the compact 6 wrap form showing the tan whipping detail.

Multiple colors and thicknesses of rope are available, this one is a manufactured cotton yarn with four pairs of two yarns each (4 x 2). The yarns are looped through the button and secured by the natural twist of the rope.

Here's a look at the rope machine

See this one and many other variations available in the wrap bracelets section of the online ETSY shop.




design and photographs copyright 2016

making small segments of cordage on a bench top rope machine part 2

 Part one shows the machine setup and cordage making. Go back to part one.


This is part 2 showing how the segments are finished off.

The wind is complete and the separator is disengaged from the twisted yarns. A few additional turns on the crank brings the wind to the critical end point.

 Here the separators is removed leaving the tensioned yarns in place. A tiny drop of white glue is introduced into the center of the cordage and a few more turns are taken. This holds the four strands together after the rope is removed from the machine.

 A piece of vinyl tape is applied to compress the yarns and prevent unravelling. This can be removed in a few minutes as soon as the glue takes hold.

The traveller (at the other end) is disengaged and the cord is allowed to relax into it's natural shape.

 Once the tension is removed the end loops can be disengaged from the hooks.

The finished cordage segment is relaxed. The twisted pairs are naturally held together by the reverse twist of the group of four.

Some excess wind has been released as the cordage is removed from the machine but the material is at equilibrium and ready to be used.


See the products of this machine in some of the following posts.


design and photographs copyright 2016 George Hutchinson

making small segments of cordage on a bench top rope machine part 1

This is a small rope machine built from hardware store parts. This view shows the four strand winders on the left and the traveller on the right with yarns rigged and ready.

This demonstration shows a 4 x 2 setup. Four (4) strands of two (2) yarns each.

The machine is set up with dark cotton yarn in preparation for creating a short segment of twisted cotton cordage.

 In this closeup view the four rotating hooks engage the yarn loops. The device on the left is a gang-crank that turns each of rotating hooks once for each turn of the crank a 1:1 ratio.

Once the yarns are placed the lengths are equalized so all four pairs are at the same initial tension. The pairs are looped around all the hooks so they can be adjusted easily.

Then the gang crank is turned several hundred times with a few pauses to keep the twisted pairs separated.

During the initial twist the yarn's length is naturally reduced by the twisting action. The traveler takes up the slack with a counterweight holding tension on the yarn as it is twisted.

The yarn pairs are now tightly twisted (+300 turns) together and the rope is ready to be made.

 On the other end is the traveller which is a single hook on a rotating spindle with another crank. This is the business end where the cordage is twisted into shape.

The initial twist has been completed and we are ready to wind.

The ball shaped object on the left is a separator made from a large cork (taken from a bottle of tequila) with a pattern of guide grooves. Each of the four yarns runs in it's own groove as the traveller takes up the wind.

 Another view showing progress. As the traveller crank is turned the separator retreats down the length of the yarns and the rope is formed.

The traveller is riding in the white track (borrowed from a bi-fold door) as the counterweight holds tension on the system.

The separator is now at the end of the wind next to the four hooks. The four pairs of yarns are almost fully wound up into the cordage.

The separator is disengaged and the rope is almost complete. A piece of tape will be applied to secure the four parts and prevent unraveling.

See what cool stuff this machine can produce in the kits+supplies section of the ETSY shop.

part two -->

design and photographs copyright 2016 George Hutchinson

handmade rope necklace with eye splice and button 3400

 Using a bench top rope machine with some cotton twine and a custom made three hole button this nautical rope necklace project shows off several techniques.

The rope is made from a single piece of #18 cotton twine looped through the button six times (three doubled strands) and wound on the machine.

The button is positioned at the standing end of the rope. The doubled loops hold it securely without extra knots.

 The button is polymer clay made in a countertop toaster oven with three oversize holes to accept the doubled strands of cord.

The eye-splice is a three part overlap  terminated with a coach whipping made from waxed thread.

Inside circumference is 26" fully extended or about 7 1/2" when wrapped three times.

Finished rope is a square section about 1/4"

Made on commission this piece is an example of the handmade rope accessories available through WhatKnotShop

click here to view similar items



design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

simple handmade rope choker necklace with button 3294

 A simple three part handmade rope necklace with a button and loop toggle made from cotton yarn on a small rope machine.

Size: 16" inside circumference

Three pairs of cotton yarn were used to make a three ply cord.

 Detail shows how the three pairs of cotton yarn were placed through the eyes of the custom made button. The rope machine creates the reverse twist in the body of the cord. The cord was slightly over twisted to enable the yarn loops to release from the machine and relax to the underside of the button.

The loop is bound with a waxed cotton thread coach whipping.

Various rope lengths can be made up to about 12 ft on this tabletop machine. Length of the necklace is determined by placement of the loop.





design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

handmade rope wrap bracelet blue green 3308

 This handmade rope is twisted up from cotton floss in two colors mixed together in a four part rope.

The dark blue and lighter green were stretched in pairs on each of the four spindles with the common ends looped through the button.

After twisting the this floss rope is about 2 mm diameter

 The button is a simple disc of polymer clay.
The loop is secured with a waxed thread coach whipping.

overall length is 35 1/2" or about four loops of 8 1/2" circumference.





design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

4 wrap handmade rope bracelet with button 3297

 More hand manufactured cotton rope this time featuring a wrapped loop. The wrapping is waxed thread otherwise used for stitching leather shoes and other projects. It is a nice heavy gauge, quite strong and develops a pleasing texture when used in this way.

The rope is a 4-ply construction (hence the two hole button). (More information on the rope machine to be published later.)

 This is a thicker two hole poly clay button cut like a cookie then baked (also like a cookie) but unfortunately not edible.

As with the other pieces in this series the button is placed in the rope machine with the yarns threaded through the holes. As the rope is formed  by twisting the button becomes the termination point.

Shown here as a four wrap bracelet this piece can also be a longer length necklace. About 7 1/2" (191 mm )with four wraps or 35" (889 mm) in a single loop.

Cord color is an off-white the poly clay button is a marbled composite of white grey and tan.




design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

double loop handmade rope necklace 3311

 This handmade rope was made in an extended length on the table top rope machine. The extra length allows for a double loop with a generous dimension of 20 1/2" (520 mm)

The rope is a three ply construction in a natural color cotton twine.

 The closure us a three hole custom made poly clay button and loop. The loop doubles the cord and is bound with a waxed thread coach whipping detail.

The cord is terminated with another  coach whipping detail.

Double coil results in a 9 1/2" (241 mm) wrap bracelet, rather large for the average adult wrist...






design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

handmade rope choker necklace with button 3310

 Three ply rope manufactured on a small rope machine out of cotton twine is combined with a custom made three hole button to create this small choker style necklace.

Size is "small" about 14 1/2" (368 mm)

 Three hole button anchors the three pairs of cotton twine. The button is positioned on the inactive end of the rope machine while the yarns are wound up.

The loop is created by a simple coach whipping made with waxed cotton thread.

color is a natural cotton white, button is a "pearl white" poly clay





design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop