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

Pair of adjustable nylon cuffs 3379

 This is a matched pair of turks head knot cuffs made out of a single piece of 1/8" braided nylon cord.

 The weave design is 13x9x2 double diamond which creates a nicely proportioned size. They measure about 7 1/2" (191 mm) inside circumference in the relaxed  size shown here. The loose weave will allow someone with adults size hands to flex them on over the thumb.

The ends of the cords are left loose (not bound together) so these cuffs can be slipped on an adjusted to a sung fit on your wrist. It's easy to work up the desired size by chasing the slack through the knot to the ends.

                         available here


design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

three part rope bracelets in club colors 3345

 Here's a project recently completed for a sailing club that wanted some nautical souvenirs in the club colors.

The design is a narrower two strand version of the classic three part rope bracelet.

Custom hand-dyed cotton cord was used to create the club colors of blue and gold.


Custom sizing is available from extra-small for the  younger crew to large and extra large for the fore-deck monkeys and skippers.

 Intense marine blue on one side...

Warm golden yellow on the other.

Read more about how hand dyed color is made.








design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

bright blue and green rope bracelet 3332

Amping up the blue with this aquamarine and pairing with a real green takes this popular combination to a new level. Readers of this blog have seen variations of these colors in more subtle blends of teal and lighter less saturated blues paired with softer greens.

This one is brighter, I think it's the aquamarine… a liquid RIT dye color not available in the dry packets.

 Classic 17 part double diamond weave design made out of 3 mm cord.

See this and other blended color rope bracelets here.

8 1/4" (210) inside circumference






design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

it's a family affair - matching rope bracelets for everyone

The only thing more fun than a day at the beach is having matching rope bracelets made for the crew. Here's a set custom made for a family headed out on vacation. Everyone wanted fog grey except for the youngest who requested a bright purple.

See the full lineup of available colors and make your special request here

Custom orders take a few days to produce and ship so order early! See you at the beach!
design and photographs © copyright 2014 WhatKnotShop

beaded turks head knot bracelet 2944

 A basic three part turks head knot bracelet that has been built using a center strand of ceramic 3 mm beads. These beads are more subdued in appearance than the clear or colored glass.

The beads are strung on a rugged four ply nylon thread and worked through the center of the bracelet. Check this blog posting to see how the center strand is added to complete the bracelet.

The opaque beads give a more substantial look to the bracelet and match the tan colored cotton cord.

Size for this one is "large" 8 1/2" (211 mm) partly due to the presence of the beads. They don't compress the same way that a center strand made of cord would so the overall size tends to increase.

This is a prototype that can be produced in a variety of sizes and colors. If interested please leave a comment or email.


                    available here



design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

beaded white turks head knot bracelet 2945

 Traditional three part braided turks head knot rope bracelet that has been blinged up with a center strand of 3 mm clear glass beads. The beads have an interior coating that gives them a rainbow colored effect which the camera filters out quite effectively.

Here's a blue-green design you might enjoy.

Here's a tan design you might like.

 This one came out a nice "medium" size 7 1/2" (191 mm)

The bead string is secured a each end so there is flexibility like with other rope bracelets.

The beads are all glass so this bracelet has a bit more mass.

These are prototypes look for several other variations on this design



                  available here

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

blue and green beaded turks head bracelet 2943

 An ordinary 12 x 5 x 3 turks head knot turns into something sparkly when the center strand is composed of 3 mm glass seed beads.

A two strand knot was tied using 3 mm teal blue cotton cord. The knot was left a little slack as the glass beads are non compressible and need plenty of space to pass through the weave.

 A 48" length of four ply nylon thread strung with the beads was threaded through the center and drawn up to a firm tension so there were no gaps in the bead string.

Here you can see the placement.

The bead string was secured at one end and the cotton cord was worked around to remove slack and even the tension. Then the other end of the bead string was used to stitch the loose ends together.

The results are pleasing with the blue green mix of beads and the blue cord.

These bracelets are heavier due to the glass beads

This is a size "small" to show the concept.

               available here

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

lighthouse red rope bracelet 2822

 Sometimes the simplest thing is the strongest design like for example this lighthouse red turks head knot bracelet made from 3 mm cord.

The weave design is a 12 bight double diamond pattern so the work up process produces a nice symmetrical shape without having to compensate for cord diameter. This example is a "small" size 6 3/4" (172 mm) inside diameter. Like most of these designs this one can stretch out to about  7 1/2"

read about how to measure your hand for size

 The five part weave is wider and is further emphasized by the three strands of cord  resulting in a full 1 1/2" (37 mm) width.

To find out more about knot terminology here



This cord material is a smooth braided cotton product that takes the dye evenly and retains it's soft texture when dried out.

More color choices are available in the solid color section of my Etsy shop.

Most colors can be produced in small medium and large sizes by request.




design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

two part rope bracelet 2797

 This two part weave design is made using a mold and a segment of braided cotton line. The cord is laid out loose on the mold then the second pass is looped under the first pass 13 times. This pattern is tripled and the loose ends laid parallel.

The shape is worked up to a firm fit on the mold.

 This type of knot is inherently unstable so there is an invisible web of nylon thread that holds the pattern secure. This thread is edge stitched through the plies and across the knot at the crossing points.

Here's a similar design made with glass beads at the crossing points.

This example is about 8" (205 mm) inside circumference.

Many size variations are possible with this design. It can be made on a larger mold with more crossings or smaller with fewer crossings. The diameter of the cord can be changed to adjust proportions and scale.



design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

wide double diamond herringbone weave turks head knot 2767

 Every so often I confront the box full of leftover scraps including this 28 ft piece of white nylon cord remaining from another project. This piece was just barely long enough to construct this 17 part x 25 bight herringbone weave knot.

parts x bights x strands click here for explanation

The layout started with 4 bights (first pass around the mold) set up in a double diamond pattern. The opposing bights set up an even tension when the knot is worked up so it doesn't get all lop-sided.

 The mold used is an 11" circumference tube which actually needed about 31 ft of cord so I had  to use another piece of cord as a placeholder. Later after working up the knot I was left with about 12 ft of slack so the knot you see here only really requires 16 ft. Scraps go back in the box!

The single strand or "pass" makes this bracelet able to stretch out to 8 5/8" (219 mm) and contract to about 7" (178 mm). It can slip on over a big hand then crush down to the size shown in the pictures. Works kind of like  a chinese finger trap (remember those?)

The herringbone weave is famous for the double "V" patterns so popular in fabric design. You can pick them out in the first photo on the red pool noodle background.

                    Available here

More like this in my Etsy shop, including these other wide cuff designs in the white rope bracelets section.

design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

hybrid weave turks head knot bracelet white nylon 2758

 This is a 14 bight x 15 part x 2 strand compound or hybrid weave turks head knot made with ordinary 1/8" white nylon cord.

The weave pattern is:
U2-O2-u1-o1-u1-o1-u1-o1-U2-O2+running part

U = "under"
O= "over"


The layout was done on a 10-1/2" cardboard tube using about 30 ft of cord


The edges come out with the thicker double layer of cord while the center area is thinner, roughly this shape:
  ________                               _________
(_________)_____________(__________)
(__________________________________)

Here's a similar design you might like:

Extra wide hybrid weave bracelet

This design can be easily slipped on and worked up to a 7 3/4" (195 mm) wrist size

Similar designs can be found in the Etsy online shop section white rope bracelets.





design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

chocolate and cherry cotton turks head knot bracelet 2717

Two nice colors together in a traditional plain weave turks head knot bracelet. The brown color is the stock cord from Darice made with polyester and the red is a custom dye bath made with RIT scarlet dye. The white 3 mm cord is immersed for about 2 minutes. More on the dye process here.

I buy the cord from JOANN Fabrics (always use the discount coupons)

This five part design is started with the brown cord built on a mold in a 17 bight double diamond pattern. The red cord is added once the knot is complete.

Here's a glossary of terms for these knots.

Here's how to add the center strand.

This design is a "medium" size about 7 5/8" (193 mm) inside circumference.





design and photographs © copyright 2012 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 paracord turks head knot bracelet 2470

 550 paracord is a popular material for crafters including the survival bracelet market (can't survive without a nylon bracelet? - nice!). This design is not intended to be unraveled in an emergency but it does make a stylish accessory.

This is a silver grey color cord available from u-braid-it braiding supply company. I buy from them because they offer great customer service and quick shipping.

 This bracelet is a 12 x 5 x 3 design made from a double diamond pattern. This requires the use of a mold to hold the cords in place while the knot is developed. The double diamond pattern is too complex to be tied "in-the-hand" the way some of these turks heads are done.

My bracelets are NOT pre-shrunk but are made with new cord materials. This means that you can buy a larger size and expect the bracelet to shrink on your wrist. This example is 7 1/2" (191 mm) circumference just off the mold.

Paracord will shrink approximately 10% to 12% when wet and will take a "set" once it has been immersed in water.  This is the inner filler fibers shrinking, not the outer braided sheath. Repeated wettings will result in a bit more shrinkage each time until the material has reached equilibrium.

See more of these paracord bracelets in the paracord section of my Etsy shop.


design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

decoding the knot: bights x parts x strands knot 2467

  To count the parts on a turks head knot follow one part as it crosses the face of the knot and count the number of "over" and "under" crossings. In this example you can count five crossings and add the one you are following for a total of six.

This design is a "diamond pattern" shown in the Ashley Book of Knots on p. 241, pattern #1350

Homework: why does Ashley call this a diamond pattern? Leave a comment with your answer below.

 To count the bights on a turks head knot count the number of places where the cord changes direction on the rim. In this example there are 17 bights.


This design is described as being between a "square" and a "narrow" turks head. It was made to be 7 5/8" (194 mm) inside circumference a comfortable size for a stylish nautical bracelet.

The number of strands or passes is three. The design can be described as a 17 x 6 x 3 corresponding to the number of bights x number of parts x number of strands.






design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

11x4x3 tutorial part 3

Continue around the mold placing the cord OVER/UNDER on the left side and UNDER/OVER on the right side.

When you get back to the starting point you will notice that the first standing part and the running part are parallel and follow the same over/under sequence.

This indicates that the knot is complete!

You may follow the standing part around with the cord to "double" the weave and follow around again to "triple" the weave.

Carefully remove the excess slack as you go.

This shows the knot worked up to finished shape with three passes of the cord.

This pattern can be found in the Ashley Book of Knots #1342, page 239

Here's the finished product! See some design and color variations here.


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design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop