nylon cuff bracelet aluminum bracelets grommet bracelets

 Extra wide cuff with a set of grommet bracelets.

Cuff 13 x 19 x 2 made with 1/8" nylon

grommets made from various types of cotton cord, stretch over hand and shrink when wet

                   cuff bracelet available here


                   grommet bracelets available here

 Extra wide cuff with three metal bracelets

cuff 13 x 19x 2 made with 1/8" nylon

metal bracelets 3/8" aluminum shape to fit in place

 seams of aluminum bracelets are precision ground and aligned then compressed together for a custom fit











design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop

men's wide ankle bracelet blue black beaded design strata series

 Handmade ankle bracelet Design Strata for men. This example is made from mixed fiber blue, green, white and black cords with both blue and black glass beads. Some edge wrapping with blue cotton floss finishes off this casual anklet.

This piece measures about 9 1/4" (235 mm) inside circumference which is comfortable fit.

 Anklet is secured with two loops and small plastic buttons for easy removal. Water tolerant materials can be immersed without harm.

Cords are laid out on a circular mold and edge bound together using four ply waxed nylon thread. Average width is about 2" (51 mm)

 More designs like these are available in the fiber art section of WhatKnotShop on Etsy.










design and photographs © copyright 2013 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

hand dye process - overview and process variations

All of the colored cord used in WhatKnotshop products is made using a small batch dye process. The term "hand dyed" refers to this process  Here's a discussion of what this means including definition of some of the variables that affect the outcome.

pastel palette here

Cord Materials
The cord materials come in two different basic structures:  One is a twisted cotton cord that looks and feels like a miniature piece of rope. The other is a smooth braided cotton cord with a soft fiber core that looks more like a piece of spaghetti with no surface texture. These two base materials respond to the dye in slightly different ways.

A hank of twisted cotton cord read for the dye bath.

Dye Process overview:
The dye process begins with a color recipe that is based on the dye manufacturers specifications. I use RIT dyes both dry powder packets and liquid from the bottles. The liquid RIT colors can be blended to produce a wide range of color outcomes as can be seen in the Color RIT Formula Guide. I use a standard dye bath mix proportions to prepare the single colors made with the dry dye packs.



Liquid RIT dye and recipe card.







Dye Process Details and Variations:

Cord color:
This is the original native color of the cord material. It can range from grey to white in a variety of shades. The final color outcome is influenced by the amount of grey in the cord. A low concentration dye bath combined with a grey toned cord produces attractive pastel colors. A high concentration dye bath combined with a bright white cord produces brighter more saturated colors.

Dye bath concentration:
This is the amount of dye pigment and the proportion of added water. The less pigment the lower the concentration. A high concentration dye bath is required for good saturation of color especially when using the darker colors like navy and black.







Dye bath temperature:
This is boiling (100 C/ 212 F). A dye bath is brought to a full boil before introducing the cord.

Cord density:
This is a subjective estimate of the tightness of the cord lay. High density or tightly woven cord requires more time in the bath to fully absorb the dye due to the compression of the fibers.  Low density or looser lay cord enables greater dye penetration and absorption in a shorter period of time.

Dye solution penetrates from the outside of the cord towards the center creating a gradient of color in the cord fibers.

Time in bath:
This is how long the cord is immersed in the dye bath. Generally the longer the immersion the more saturated the color due to increased penetration. High density tightly wound cord requires more time in he dye bath to overcome the slow absorption rate.



Batch of cord in the dye bath using the stovetop method







Rinse out process:
Dyed cord is pulled from the dye bath allowed to cool then rinsed out three times in warm water to remove excess dye. Additional rinse cycles are required for high saturation colors like navy blue and black. The purpose of the rinse is to remove excess pigment so it doesn't "run" or bleed out of the finished product. 

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

blue tooth dinosaur spiked rope bracelet 2909

 More from the land before time...this little cuff is bluetooth compatible but you can't pair it to another device unless it's your wrist.

The polymer clay "teeth" are securely stitched into the fabric using high strength nylon thread.

Very tribal

 This one is like several other dinosaur cuffs:

Stegosaurus spiked rope bracelet 2766

and

dinosaur spiked bracelet 2793

Size is small about 7" (178mm)

The button is reclaimed from an old worn out pair of shorts.

Look for this soon in the Fiber Art Design section of my Etsy shop.


design and photographs © copyright 2013 WhatKnotShop