soft silver synthetic adjustable cuff 2374

Built from a legacy stash of soft 3 mm braided cord this special cuff is designed to slip on and then work up to a nice snug fit on your wrist. The material is a mixed synthetic fiber blend predominately a silver color with lime green and black threads interwoven.

Once drawn up to a comfortable size the loose ends may be tucked under and trimmed off. The result is a seamless cuff that is as durable as it is soft.

The knot design is a 9 part 13 bight plain turks head. Find an online tutorial here that shows how you can make a similar but much wider design from an ordinary piece of cotton cord.

Unlike cotton this material can be wetted and dried repeatedly without significant shrinkage making this a perfect accessory for long term wear.

See this item listed in my Etsy shop here.

For special orders or other custom work please use the conversation utility and reference this blog page.



design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

back to school blues on Etsy

I have a neighbor who just started kindergarten and she is very happy about going with the other kids every day. Some students not so much...for them Valerie created this back to school blues collection  
Check out her shop Cabin filled with cute fashion accessories, art and housewares with a wooden touch.

I'm all about knots and so is this knitted scarf necklace made by Andreia from Cascais, Portugal where she knits. Her shop name tricotaria says it all and is filled with eco accessories, necklaces, cowls, scarves, and bags.

I'm also all about the sea and this Sea Coral in Denim IV 11x14 print is an elegant addition to any frame. See more of Kerri Shipp's skillful work in her shop driftwoodinteriors all the way around the globe in Queensland!

The featured item in this blue collection is this denim blue BASIC turks head knot rope bracelet which comes to you in an adjustable form so that you may make it fit just right on your wrist. There are lots of other colors you can choose from in the DIY BASIC bracelets section of WhatKnotshop on Etsy. 

Autumn is Coming collection on Etsy

Ok this is the pottery review edition...of the collection Autumn is Coming put together by vik and ig creators of Waldorf Dolls and environmentally friendly toys available in their shop aptly named Craftelina.

These Set of 6 Stoneware Dessert Bowls in Fog Blue Gray made by Patricia Brown are quite elegant and the color is wonderful. See more of this  work from the Ideal Pottery in the shop LittleIdealPottery located in San Angeleno TX.

I was taken with these Set of 3 Stoneware Tapas Cups - Blue Gray - Appetizer Bowls - Dip Cups made by Jan from Skaneateles, New York. The form and color are very skillful. Doesn't really matter what you use them for you just want to hold these rounded forms. More nice work here in JanFairhurstPottery.

The featured item in this collection is a very simple blue grey cotton turks head knot rope bracelet made with soft hand dyed cotton cord. The endless variations of grey that come out of the dye baths make for similar but unique colors. See more of these in the solid colors section of WhatKnotShop on Etsy. 

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

casual knotted rope bracelet adjustable white cord 2291

Summer is all about casual and this new design is about as casual as a warm afternoon at the beach.
I was asked by a buyer across the pond if I could make something special based on a photo of a design he was trying to buy but that was unavailable.

What you see here is a variation on that design with the extra loop added to secure the length of cord that appears when the bracelet is adjusted to it's natural smaller size.

Here's one made in walnut taupe color cord.

The cord material is a heavy gauge twisted cotton that has been hand knotted into this adjustable rope bracelet. Pulling on the monkey fist button knot makes the bracelet smaller. The monkey fist button then tucks into the loop so there are no loose ends flapping around.

Read about the simple technique to adjust the size of this bracelet.

Waxed whippings secure the cut ends to prevent fraying.

The size shown here is an adult "medium" but of course this design is very easy to make in a variety of custom sizes and cord materials.

Find this design here in my Etsy shop.

Interested in other variations including cord color, extra whipping details, or need a larger size? Please leave a comment or send me a message.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

Ella says...

Ella says: "I like these rope bracelets because they don't fall apart. I have some other ones that come undone but not these!"

In the active on-the-go world of a busy pre teen having a quality rope bracelet is important. The last thing you need is for it to come undone while swimming or hanging out with friends.

All WhatKnotShop rope bracelets are made with high quality materials. Each is worked up to a finished shape (except for the DIY kits) ready for the beach. The loose ends are carefully stitched up to prevent fraying and unraveling. This sturdy kid approved construction means that you can have a summer full of fun with your favorite rope bracelet and never worry  about it coming apart.

Here are three new handmade rope bracelets from the summer collection:
Three part teal blue made with smooth texture hand dyed cord.
Five part grey herringbone made with soft twisted cable cord.
Wider nine part ecru herringbone made with un-dyed cotton blend cable cord.

A closeup of the nine part herringbone bracelet showing the distinctive "v" patterns created by the double overlapping weave. The herringbone weave makes an extra stretchy bracelet that can expand to fit over a larger hand but will shrink down to a comfortable snug fit.

"I really like to wear my bracelets all the time, like even when I'm going skiing and I have to pull a sweater on over them."

Find a favorite for your summer...

by the bay

Three of the classic white 100% cotton turks head knot rope bracelets made by hand in Jamestown photographed on location at the Dumplings.

Lighthouse red 100% hand dyed cotton turks head knot rope bracelet. In the background is Clingstone the house on the rock built by a relative of Joseph Wharton in 1905.

Two of the teal blue hand dyed cotton turks head knot rope bracelets made with smooth braided cotton cord.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

by the sea

 Here's a view of the lower east passage of Naragansett Bay. In the distance is Rams Head part of Aquidneck Island where the famous resort and tourist town of Newport is located. The sailboats are tacking into a moderate southerly breeze. In the foreground are some of the product inventory that I'm trying to replace for the online shops.

In order: black, white, fuchsia pink, purple, and orange.

Here's some of the all cotton three part white cotton rope bracelets that are popular with beach goers and sailing crews.

Newport RI located just across the bay is home to many day charter operations that offer visitors a chance to sail on these very picturesque boats. The weather is warm and sunny, the wind is up and the sailing is great!

Behind the scenes at WhatKnotShop - part 1

As many of my fellow crafters know the work that appears on the blog or online shop is merely the tip of the iceberg. Here's a picture of some of the prep work that goes into making rope bracelets.

Here on my dining room table the segments of colored cord have been cut to length and are grouped with the production tickets from recently sold items. Each piece of cord will have it's own card that tracks design and has a unique serial number. The next step is to actually make the bracelet.

The completed item is then stored in a bag with the numbered ticket ready for publication and sale.
This photo shows the completed bracelets (stored in serial number order). The stackable cardboard boxes are (free!) from Costco, the 3x5 cards are both labels and the key element in the inventory control  system.

As each bracelet is sold the ticket is reviewed to determine if the item will be re-made. The ticket is  then used to create the next bracelet.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

white star knot bracelet with blue and green beads 2106

 Here is another in the continuing series of star knot bracelets made with beads. This one is made with 2 mm braided nylon cord (actually sold as kite string) and two colors of plastic pony beads.

The blue beads are placed on the perimeter where there are two parallel bights. The green beads are placed at the center "spine" of the knot where the cord passes laterally though the loops.

The construction is a single pass of the cord making this a rather lightweight design.

 Previously published designs include this
black star knot bracelet with red beads which was also published on Pearl's blog back on June 4, 2012

rope bracelet with star knot meridian
(also executed in 2 mm white cord including a reference to the pattern author who designed this knot)

star knot meridian cotton rope bracelet 1739

The design needs a pattern, pins and some patience to lay out. This one required three "go-backs" to correct errors in the weave pattern.

Size is a "medium" measuring 7 3/4" (195 mm) inside circumference with plenty of flexibility.


design by Norbert Trupiano used with permission, photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop

muted colors collection on Etsy

Here's a fun collection of goodies muted colors put up by Andy an artist designer and owner of Andys House where you can find modern antique jewelry in sterling silver, brass and 14K gold fill with a variety of finishes.

Being summer and all this Beach Inspired Small Coptic Journal is an intriguing mix of color and texture made by Kristi Baker and offered as part of larger collection of handmade journals in her shop TheNibAndQuill.

Another useful item for toting around journals is this Briefcase in Dark Shadow Gray Waxed Canvas made by Jenny N as part of her handmade bags collection offered in her Etsy shop jennyndesign. The real fun begins when you click through to see the pug Hubert. Just do it!

The featured knot in this collection is the white and sky turks head knot sailor rope bracelet made from two relaxed colors in a size to fit smaller hands. The blue cord is hand dyed in small batches then worked into a nice soft slip on rope bracelet. Larger sizes of this design are available for the asking. See  a limited edition of other blended color rope bracelets here.

pink yellow blue 2105

A three part weave with three contrasting colors: fuchsia pink, sunshine yellow, navy blue

All hand dyed in small batches using 100% cotton cable cord.

design and photographs © copyright 2012 WhatKnotShop