incised wave pattern wide bangle bracelet 3559

Incised pattern wide bangle bracelet made from modern thermoplastic materials. The pattern of grooves and stippling is based on ancestral heritage design. The stylized wave pattern is created by the hand held tools and free form application.

The geometry
7 1/2" (191 mm)
2 3/8" (60 mm)
1 7/8" (48 mm)

1.6 oz  48 g

Available here


design and photographs © copyright 2015

Anti-clastic cuff bracelet made with hand dyed grey cotton cord 3240

 Anti-clastic cuff made with hand dyed grey cotton cord.

Mold formed fabric 7 1/8" (182 mm) edge stitched construction

Secured with a pair of black buttons




              only one available





design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

Himba style beaded anklets

 These beaded anklets are made from ordinary black plastic pony beads. The design is modeled after the traditional Himba anklets. The model is wearing a 20 strand layered anklet measuring about 7" wide.

The Himba people live in northern Namibia. Check out this photo gallery or read the National Geographic article here.

These imitation pieces are made with a single piece of multi-filament  synthetic cord to provide strength and chafe resistance. The beads are placed in rows of varying lengths between two pieces of black suede. The cord passes through the suede strip, then through a cinch bead then back through the suede. Each row has an cinch bead. You can see the cinch beads with the zig-zag pattern of cord in the photo at left.

A second piece of cord is threaded through the cinch beads shoelace-fashion then tightened up to provide a snug fit.

The ends of the cords are knotted then buried in the rows of beads.

 This photo shows a pair of 19 strand layered anklets made with metal beads, possibly recycled nuts, and leather strips. The red shoes are perfect.

One of the reasons cited as to why the Himba wear these anklets is the prevalence of snakes. These anklets apparently provide some protection from snakebites.

The plastic beads are considerably lighter than the traditional materials weighing in at a few ounces instead of several pounds. No tests have been done to determine the potential for snakebite resistance...






design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

ultra slender string grommet bracelets 2801

 Grommets are pieces of rope or line that have been unlaid then twisted back into a circular form.

Here's a tutorial that shows how traditional grommets  are made.

Here's a video showing the same process.

The design shown on the left  is made with a waxed thread whipping to bind the loose ends instead of the splicing shown in the tutorial.

 The material used is a white #60 cotton cord which is about 1/8" (3 mm) diameter.

I measure about 3 1/2 circumferences of cord then cut the piece and un-lay it. This creates three strands, each has a "corkscrew" shape due to the original construction of the cord.

As in in the tutorial above the cord is re-twisted in the circular form three times around. The ends are laid parallel and the whipping is applied.

Here you can see the white whipping cord that binds the loose ends which have been trimmed off in the photo.

A variety of sizes is available, this one is a 6" circumference. These are very sturdy and can be stretched hard to slip them over your hand. They will shrink back to original size or slightly smaller if you get them wet.

                   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

back to basics three part knot bracelet rust red 2541

 Sometimes the basic simple designs are the most fun. This is a traditional three part turks head knot bracelet very similar to many of the offerings you can find with a quick web search.

This one is made with a #24 cotton cord much lighter than the #30 which I commonly use.

The color is a nice deep rust red.

 The lighter cord means that more bights must be added to the design to achieve a desired size. This bracelet is made with 23 bights and measures only 7 5/8" (193 mm) circumference. By comparison a #30 cord would build a 7 1/2" size with only 17 bights.

More bights means a bit more built-in stretch so this one can stretch a full 1" and return to size.

Soon to be available in one of the shops...










design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

two part rope bracelet with breads 2642

 This is the simplest turks head knot you can tie, just two parts wrapped around and laid out flat instead of bunched up. This pattern is somewhat unstable as the strands are not naturally positioned as is the case with the three part braid.

The secret is hidden.

Here's a similar you might like design made without beads.

There is a piece of four ply nylon thread placed at each crossing point. This edge binding holds the strands together in a nice parallel pattern and also holds those clear glass beads you see in the space between the parts.

The rope material is a 3/16" braided cord. Notice the overlapping ends also secured with the nylon thread.

Made on an 8" mold this bracelet measures about 7 3/4" (197 mm) inside circumference.

                Available here



design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

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

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

traditional five part rope bracelet design - small size 1198

Made with a smaller diameter cord this is one of the most popular weave designs in the online venues. As you can see this bracelet is a smaller size (on advice from one of my favorite customers!) and will fit younger teens quite nicely. Color is natural white. Ends are secured by stitching just like all the items in my shops, and the size measures just 7" (178 mm) inside circumference.
Available here


Design and photographs © copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

How to make turks head knots - some interesting sites

First off the Wikipedia definition for those of you new to the hobby.

There are a number of excellent online tutorials available that show how to tie turks head knots.
Here are a few of my favorites:

The Golden Knots site "Hand-crafted Knot Jewelry: Decorative Marlingspike Seamanship rendered in precious metal" There are some good illustrated "how-to" instructions in cotton cord as well.
 5 lead x 4 bight     click here
 7 lead x 8 bight     click here
both illustrated with still photos by Loren Damewood

Jan Brett's Sailor Bracelet site is a nice simple single page illustration of how to make a classic three part rope bracelet. This would be a great project for kids on a rainy afternoon.

Alan Folsom's knotting page is another great source for instructions on tying turks heads. How to Tie a Turkshead will get you started.

Animated Knots by Grog has a great animated sequence showing how to tie the basic three part turks head also know as a "woggle" by the boy Scouts.

Stormdrane's Blog has a video that will get you started on a bigger project.

One of the many video tutorials showing how to tie a simpler 5 x 4 knot

Disclaimer: Now this short listing is not complete. I'm sure there are a number of other sites with instructions and illustrations not to mention the large number of crafters and old salts who make and sell a wide variety of things nautical. Please feel free to leave messages with additional references or comments.

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

starboard green cotton turks head cord bracelet 642

A bright starboard green hand dyed cotton cord rope bracelet.


This and many other solid color hand dyed rope bracelets can be found in the Zibbet collection click here to see more of these 


design and photographs copyright 2011 WhatKnotShop

mathematics of turks head knots

Working with the black 3 mm cord to create a 19 bight 13 part 2 strand knot on a large mold. The weave is worked to a firm finish on the tube where there are no gaps between parts.

The knot it is eased off the mold and relaxed which lets the parts open up the small diamond shaped openings in the weave.

Edge tensioning the piece produces this rather pleasing shape with the ends flared out and the center tucked in. The individual cords become straighter across the center as the knot moves toward a low energy state (all the cords as relaxed as possible)

Did you know that curves can be created using straight lines?

Who knew that math could be a "soft" science?

The loose ends wrapped around the narrow section in the center.
Art imitates nature (again) and the universe remains an orderly place.

check your slip-on size click here then select your favorite from one of these three online shops:

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

Mathematically this is described as a hyperboloid of one sheet. You can see this and other 3D models here: http://math.asu.edu/~nbrewer/Fall2007/MAT267/section10.6.html

black on black turks head knot bracelet with beads

Black cord, black beads make this well, black on black! The cord is 3 mm polyester and the beads are plastic so it is all organic but not grown in a field or made in a furnace. Yeah maybe this isn't for everyone  but there are other offerings that are made of natural cotton and glass. Look around!

Here you can see the beads placed in the weave showing on both inside and outside the bracelet.


This is on the large side of "medium" at 7 3/4" inside circumference right for a larger adult hand. Smaller and larger sizes are available by request.

check your slip-on size click here then select your favorite from one of these three online shops:

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

grey and white double diamond turks head knot bracelet

Working with the traditional twisted cotton cord and adding some subtle color creates this grey and white classic design.

The cord is tightly twisted and holds it's shape nicely.

The weave is a 17 bight double diamond pattern.

You can see the cut off ends where they are trimmed after the nylon stitching is complete. This stitching holds the loose ends secure and prevents them from coming out of the knot and unravelling.

Any of the turks head bracelets can be supplied with loose ends for those of you who would like to make your own adjustments.

All you have to do is ask!

This one is on the small side of "medium" measuring 6 7/8" inside circumference.

Once you squeeze this on it will tend to shrink and fade a little bit.

Bleach is a really bad idea for any of the hand dyed pieces on this blog or in the Etsy shop. Bleach will fade the color of the dyed cord. So will swimming pools that are full of chlorine.

check your slip-on size click here then select your favorite from one of these three online shops:

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


Design and photos copyright 2009 WhatKnotShop

turks head knot wide herringbone weave sailor bracelet in nylon 199

1 3/4" wide cuff style bracelet made from continuous piece of1/8" nylon cord. This is called a "running" turks head.

You can see the over-two, under-two pattern which suggests the name "herringbone" based on the bone structure of the Herring fish.

The finished bracelet is somewhat flexible. The cord has been drawn up into a tight weave which holds the shape of the bracelet firmly in place.

The red beads are added for color.

A long time is spent tensioning the cord to reduce the uneven edges created by the natural bias in the weave. A smooth jaw round pliers is used to carefully tension the individual strands without tearing the nylon.

Check your slip-on size click here then select your favorite design from one of these three online shops:

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhatKnotShop
ArtFire: http://www.artfire.com/users/WhatKnotShop
Zibbet: http://www.zibbet.com/WhatKnotShop
(Custom orders are welcomed!)

Design and photographs copyright 2009 WhatKnotShop

wide turks head knot bracelet 393

I like these wide weave designs as it really allows the color and pattern to show. This one is a natural white cotton with a center strand of light grey.

The "faded" colors (not really faded) look like something that got bleached.

This is a 9 x 13 x 3 double diamond weave.

See the little piece of nylon thread on the inside? That's where the end stitching is. All the bracelets are stitched so they don't get messed by partial unwrapping. All except the "adjustable" designs and these are clearly labeled in the description.

This grey color is an old dye bath that had been previously used to create a much darker batch of cotton cord. The diluted result is what is used here.

RIT dye seems to have a warm grey drift in the color.

This piece is now available in the Zibbet shop:
http://www.zibbet.com/WhatKnotShop/artwork?artworkId=30676

check your slip-on size click here then select your favorite from one of these three online shops:

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

black polypropylene turks head bracelet 378

Working with synthetics to make this 9 x 22 design
The material is a 3 mm multi-filament polypropylene with a mixed synthetic core made by Wellington. I think it is more like a 2 mm diameter as the finished piece is a nice middle of the range "medium" size coming in at 7 1/2" circumference.

No shrink and not much stretch. The material is very uniform and lays out very nicely. Texture is moderately soft. This one is left in a firm but relaxed shape.

Color is a nice black with orange flecks.
Ends are stitched and not melted so there are no scratchy or hard nubs.

Check your slip-on size click here then select  from one of the three online shops:

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

Design and photos copyright 2009 WhatKnotShop

sailor knot bracelet made with high tech spyder line

Went to a high priced marine supply store and found some premium high-strength nylon material. This stuff is made by New England Ropes right here in the USA.

It's a 2 mm diameter woven sheath over a synthetic core. Color "Mango" which is close to orange with red and blue flecks.

The color is a bit washed out in the photos.

The piece to the left is a 17 x 5 x 3 double diamond pattern worked on a 7 1/2" mold. This brings the braid to an almost 90 degree crossing for an adult "medium" slip-on size.


The nylon is very smooth so unlike cotton this piece can be worked up to a smaller diameter without too much effort. There is reduced friction between strands which makes it  easy to pull more slack from the knot.

Shrinkage would not be an issue due to the synthetic materials although there will be some absorption. There is no stretch to this either. The "spyder" line is tightly woven and the core is dense. Maybe something to try for the next web...

check your slip-on size click here then select your favorite from one of these online shops:
WhatKnotShop on Etsy
WhatKnotShop on Zibbet


Design and photos copyright 2010 WhatKnotShop