The art of knotting and braiding has ancient roots. Knots were used for many utilitarian purposes, such as the most basic skill needed to tie a fish net or construct a trap to gather food. Knots are a big part of maritime history, as they were used for so many practical purposes for life on the sea. Sailors learned how to tie knots out of necessity but would also tie decorative knot patterns with the same basic knots that evolved for macramé. Even the term knots, which is still used to describe the speed of a boat, originated from the practice of sailors tying knots at regular intervals to measure distances traveled by sea. You will find knotting and braiding part of every culture and throughout history. A trip to a museum will most likely yield samples of knotting or braiding in some form or another.
The fun thing about knotting and braiding is that the same knots that were tied in ancient times are still used today. There are a few basic knots that are universally known and will allow you to make a number of combinations to complete all kinds of projects. This section contains the basic instructions to tie fundamental knots and braids along with fun projects to make using them.
I remember the first macramé projects I made in the 1970s. Our community offered craft classes in the neighborhood and I signed up to make a macramé plant hanger. I still remember going to the hardware store with my mother to buy the required “ceiling tile” on the supply list. I didn’t know what a ceiling tile was, but it turned out to be a dense foam square. This was the preferred work surface for tying macramé knots because you could push pins into it. You would line up all the cords on the board and then proceed to tie elaborate knot patterns, pinning knots to the board along the way with heavy T-pins. This kept the knots neat and organized. The plant hanger took me a long time to complete, but I was pretty proud of my creation. It was made using hot pink jute with white beads. I hung it in my room and filled it with a spider plant, a hugely popular houseplant back in the day. I went on to make a few more plant hangers and a few pieces of jewelry. I was probably about ten years old when I went through my macramé phase and didn’t tie knots for years afterward, but the skill of tying knots stuck with me. It’s like riding a bike; once you begin knotting again, it all comes back.
When I started making jewelry as an adult, I gravitated toward designs incorporating fiber and knots. Visually, I found mixed media exciting; I enjoyed knotting fibers with metal, clay, or beads. With the popularity of beading and jewelry making in recent years, stringing materials emerged that hadn’t been available in the past. This added to my desire to incorporate fiber and to bring those former macramé skills back to good use.
There are many options for stringing materials available on the market today. This variety allows for a wide range of possibilities for projects. You can find everything from jewelry-making string to heavier materials such as nylon cord. It’s easy to find the supplies to make a wearable, such as a necklace or bracelet. With heavy nylon cord, you can make a survival bracelet, pet leash, or a household item. Knotted items such as key chains or covered earbuds make great gifts. Once you learn the basic knots, you can create your own original designs. Knotting and braiding are fun for all ages and make great family activities.
—Sherri Haab
Almost any type of thread, string, or cord may be used for knotting and braiding. It all depends on the project you are making. Embroidery floss (1), nylon bead cord (2), heavy nylon parachute cord (paracord) (3), hemp (4), cotton (5), and leather (6) are just a few examples of knotting materials. Embroidery floss and nylon bead cord work very well for delicate jewelry pieces and other projects where you need fine cord to fit through small beads. Embroidery floss is available in every color imaginable and, best of all, it is inexpensive! Embroidery floss is a longtime favorite for friendship bracelets. Look for floss in craft and fabric stores. Nylon bead cord comes in a variety of colors and is available in different thicknesses. This cord is commonly used for beading and macramé and is sold in bead shops. This cord doesn’t stretch or fray easily. The ends can be finished with heat to melt the nylon, which will prevent fraying. Fine nylon bead cord will fit through small beads, making it a good choice for projects where bead hole size is an issue. All-purpose nylon cord is manufactured in several weights and weaves. One type is commonly known as paracord and was originally used to suspend parachutes. Paracord is the popular material used to make survival bracelets, which are both utilitarian and fashionable. The cord is thick and makes a nice heavy bracelet. It is available in several weights or thicknesses and in a variety of colors and patterns. Paracord was used to make the bracelet here and the Dog Leash project here. Other types of heavy nylon cord are good to use for larger projects. Nylon is easy to melt with a thread melting tool, which helps when joining colors or finishing cord ends. Look in the general supply department at craft stores for heavy nylon cord. Other knotting materials, such as cotton, leather, jute, and hemp, will give you creative design options. One of these materials might offer the particular color, thickness, or texture that is just right for the project you are working on. Use jewelry cement or white glue to seal the ends of cords that are not made from nylon and cannot be melted. Craft and fabric stores carry all kinds of cords that might inspire you with a new idea. You might not use all the materials and tools pictured here in the projects that follow, but they are handy to know about for future projects. Findings are the necessary hardware parts you will need for certain projects. Key rings, buckles, and other fasteners are examples of findings that are not only necessary for the function of the overall design, but are also there to serve as an anchor to which cords are tied. Hardware or general variety stores are good places to look for the larger items, such as key rings and spring hooks. For jewelry projects, clasps, jump rings, beads, and charms are available from beading supply and craft stores. Hardware and beads really add to knotted patterns to make them extraordinary. They add texture and color to complement the knots and provide neat finishes for cord ends. Here are a sampling that are used in these projects: Key rings: Split rings (1) and swivel-eye snap hooks (2) are great for making key rings or providing attachment points. A swivel-type hook was used in the Dog Leash project, to name one example. Rings and hooks can be used to make detachable cord designs for many applications. Chain: Weave a chain (3) or strand of rhinestones into the knot work of a bracelet to add extra sparkle and structure. Jump rings and clasps: Jump rings (4) and clasps (5) are jewelry findings that are usually carried in craft and bead shops. Jump rings provide a way to attach charms to braided designs. Lobster-claw clasps are particularly good to use in conjunction with cord designs where a strong clasp is needed. Beads: Seed beads with large holes (6) will pass through nylon bead cord. “E” beads (7) are extra-large seed beads (6 mm size). Large wooden and plastic beads (8) with large holes are longtime favorites used for macramé. These beads will fit over paracord nylon to decorate a survival bracelet, or they can be used over heavier cord to add interest to a plant hanger or wall hanging. Natural and found objects: Wooden sticks, seashells (9), and even hardware parts can be incorporated into a knotted or braided pattern to add interest and texture. Most of the tools you will need to get started are common items you might already have. Here is a list of a few basic tools and supplies that you will need: Scissors: Basic tools needed for working with thread and cord include a pair of sharp scissors for cutting. For heavy nylon cord, wire cutters are a good substitute for scissors. Clipboard: A clipboard that can be purchased from an office supply store is handy for anchoring or holding threads. This provides an easy work surface that is portable, too. Corkboard: A small cork bulletin board makes a good surface to pin cords to for complex projects. Pins: T-pins hold cord in place on the corkboard. Fine wire: Use a small piece of fine wire bent in half for stringing thread through beads. Tape: Tape helps hold core threads taut as you tie knots. Needle tool: A needle tool or an awl is useful for unpicking knots in thread when you make a mistake. Ruler: Use a ruler or measuring tape to measure your cords and threads for projects. Melting tool: A thread melting tool is a battery-operated heating tool that will melt nylon cord. Melted nylon pieces will adhere to each other to join cords or to hide stray cords. This tool will also melt and seal the frayed ends of nylon to keep it from raveling. Thread melting tools are available through bead and jewelry-making suppliers. Glue: Clear jewelry cement and white glue will dry clear over cords and threads. Use glue to seal cord ends or to keep thread from unraveling. Toothpicks: Use toothpicks to apply glue to cord or to separate strands of thread and cord. Binder Clips: Use clips from the office supplystore to help hold wound string or thread. This is especially helpful when working on a complicated project with cords that easily tangle.Materials and Tools
Beads and Findings
Tools and Supplies
To begin a knotted or braided design you will need to secure your cords in two ways. First, you will need to anchor the cords to something that will hold the cords with tension so you can tie and weave the fibers. Pin or tape cords to a corkboard or table so you can begin knotting. An office clipboard also works very well to hold cords. The clipboard makes it easy to remove the work if you need to make frequent adjustments. Second, you will need to secure your cords by physically binding them together as a means to organize them to begin a pattern. Here are a few knotting ideas for starting and securing cords: Overhand knots: To secure cords, a simple overhand knot holds everything together. This knot can be used to start and end a knotted pattern for a bracelet, for example. The overhand knot makes a nice, neat finish for cord ends. Overhand knots also keep beads from slipping off the cord. See here for instructions. Braided loop: Braid three or more threads at the center of your work consisting of long lengths of cut threads. Braid them for a short length and then form a loop with the braided section by bringing the threads together. Tie a knot to secure the base of the loop before proceeding with your knotted pattern. Lark’s head loop: This loop has a neat, professional look that works well for starting a pattern in which you will need to hang or fasten something. This is one way to start a bracelet or necklace. After completing a bracelet or necklace design, you can tie loose cord ends through the lark’s head loop to fasten.
There are several options for finishing the ends of a project, depending on the design you are creating. Some finishing techniques are needed to provide an attachment or closure, such as loose ties for a bracelet. Other finishing methods are needed to secure the end of a cord or keep threads from unraveling. Here are a few techniques: Heat: After you complete a project, you may need to seal the cut ends of cord or thread. If you are using a nylon fiber such as paracord, the nylon will melt with heat, which will keep it from raveling. You can melt loose fibers close to a knot, which will seamlessly hide any frayed ends. Glue: To finish fibers other than nylon you can use a jewelry cement or white glue to seal the ends of the cord. Dip the cut ends of the cord into the glue and then let the glue dry. This will help keep the fibers sealed so they won’t ravel. Braiding: Instead of simply leaving loose threads to finish the end of a bracelet, you can braid the threads. If you have six or more loose threads, divide them into two groups and braid each group to create two braided strands to be used as ties. Finish the braided ends with overhand knots. Tie the braided strands through a loop at the other end of the bracelet to fasten. Adjustable square knot slide: This knot is used to secure the end cords of a bracelet or necklace so that it is easy to put on and take off and to make it adjustable so that the piece will fit perfectly. After you finish a piece of jewelry, use the loose tail ends as your base to tie a slide knot over. Bring the loose thread ends toward each other and then overlap them. Use a 12-inch (30.5 cm) scrap of thread to tie the adjustable knot. This will make the bracelet adjustable. To tie the knot, tie a few square knots in a row over the core of threads. Trim off the ends of the square knot threads and the loose core threads. Glue or seal the cut ends with heat, depending on the material used. Wrapped finishing knot: A wrapped knot is a coiled knot that is used to bind two or more cords together. For example, it is used for the Plant Hanger project to wrap the cords at the top of the hanger and then used again to bind all of the cords together at the base. To make a wrapped loop: Dampen cords and threads before starting. This helps straighten and soften the fibers, making them easier to knot and braid. Wind up long cords and hold them with binder clips or rubber bands. Then unwind the cord as you need it. If cord or thread is hard to pass through a bead or becomes frayed, cut the end at an angle. It also helps to twist the cord in the direction of the twist of the fiber. If you run out of cord, tie a new piece to your cord and hide the knot under a bead. If you are using nylon, use a thread melting tool to join the cord ends. Loose ends can also be woven into existing knot work to hide them. To figure out how much cord or thread you need, measure a scrap piece of cord and tie a small section of knots. This will let you determine how much cord was used for that section. Multiply that section by the length of your project to determine how much you will need. Some knots use a lot more cord than others, and it can be tricky to gauge without tying a sample. Use a needle tool or a toothpick to undo knots. Because nylon is slippery, it is easy to unknot. A braid creates a pattern by weaving threads together rather than knotting them. You can use single threads or multiple fibers, dividing them into three sections for a thicker braid. Tie four threads together and number them 1 through 4 from left to right (blue, yellow, green, purple). This is the knot used to secure threads together before beginning a knot pattern or to finish off the ends. This knot is formed with four threads. Tie them together with an overhand knot. The half-knot will form a spiral pattern when tied over and over with a series of knots. NOTE: If you keep tying the half-knot over and over it forms a twisted pattern around the core. Flip your work over as you progress, as the twist forces you to work around to the back of the core. The square knot consists of two opposite half-knots. The first half-knot is tied by starting with the thread on the left and then a second half-knot is tied by starting on the right. Tie four threads together using two in the center to serve as the core. NOTE: You can tie a square knot without core threads as a finish knot or to secure threads. Tie in the same fashion but without the core threads. This knot uses a minimum of six threads, but you can use more to create a wider pattern. Use an even numbers of threads for a neater look. In this example, there are three colors of thread used. The threads were then doubled to give six total to work with. The colors can be arranged in different orders to change the overall appearance of the finished project. The half-hitch knot is a basic fundamental loop knot that is used often. It will form a spiral pattern when tied in a series on its own. It also serves as the foundation for other knots such as the double half-hitch knot, lark’s head knot, and the alternating half-hitch knot. NOTE: A spiral pattern will appear as you continue tying knots down the core. Flip your work over to follow the knots around as you tie. This knot is commonly referred to as the “friendship bracelet knot.” It is simply a half-hitch knot tied twice over a core thread. It can be tied from left to right or from right to left. To make a friendship bracelet, one common thread is tied over single threads. As an alternative, individual threads may be tied over a single common core. The friendship variation forms individual single knots using two threads, whereas the common core variation looks like a wrapped row of knots. The secret to this knot is all about keeping tension on the correct thread. It switches back and forth. First, one thread is held tight while the other thread loops around it. Then it switches so that the previously looped thread becomes the new core thread. Pull tight after each loop before beginning the next. The illustration depicts two loose loops to show progression, but in reality the green loop will be tight before tying the last blue loop shown. A lark’s head knot is a versatile knot, which is used in several ways. It can be used to anchor cords to a foundation to begin a project. For example it is used to attach cords to a key chain loop. It can also be used to tie a pattern. The knot consists of two mirror-image half-hitch knots tied next to each other.
Paracord gets its name from the cord that was originally used to suspend parachutes. This cord is strong and useful for many purposes. Paracord bracelets are also referred to as “survival bracelets” because the cord has a reputation for survival applications (lashing poles together, water rescue, sewing, or making a fishing line, just to name a few). These bracelets have become popular as a fashion statement. The cord is now available in a variety of colors and patterns. The bracelets are bold and bright. Wear your favorite team or school colors by knotting two bold colors together to make a bracelet! Directions
Fine nylon cord was used to cover the straps of these flip-flops to provide a soft look and feel. For a funky, casual design use a thicker nylon cord instead, which would reduce the length of cord needed. Thick cord will also save you some time if you want to whip up a pair in a hurry. Decorate the finished sandals with beads, jewels, or broken jewelry pieces to make them one of a kind! Directions
Since paracord is made of nylon, it’s the perfect material for making your own sturdy dog leash. Choose two contrasting colors to braid and then add a third color for the handle. This design features a four-strand braid where the colors spiral down the length of the leash. This is an easy project that will have you off and running with your dog in no time! DirectionsTechniques
Starting
Finishing
Knotting Tips
Three-Strand Braid
Four-Strand Braid
Overhand Knot
Half-Knot
Square Knot
Alternating Square Knot
Half-Hitch Knot
Double Half-Hitch Knot
Alternating Half-Hitch Knot
Lark’s Head Knot
projects
Survival (Paracord) Bracelet
Fancy Flip-Flops
Dog Leash
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