Linked Loop

The pairing loop works for patterns that have an even number of strings per color but those colors aren’t balanced, meaning that, for example, all the strings of one color are to one side relative to the center of the pattern. In combination with the removal loop, discussed later in this section, this technique could also be used for patterns that have an odd number of strings.

Before you start making the pairing loop, make sure the pattern you are considering making it for is actually an unbalanced pattern and not a balanced pattern in disguise. Some patterns that are balanced will have the first row look unbalanced, with more strings per color on one side than the other. However, if you look more closely at such patterns, you might notice a row in which the pattern becomes balanced, meaning that each string on the left has a matching string of the same color on the right. Since there is no rule that you have to start making a pattern on row one, you could make a basic loop and start making your pattern from the row at which it is balanced.

For example, in the pattern shown at the top of the next column, you can see that all the colored strings are on the left and all the white strings are on the right. However, on row six the pattern becomes balanced with three colored and three white strings on the left and the same on the right. For this pattern you could do a basic loop and start knotting it from row six.

Once you have determined that the pattern you want to make a loop for is in fact unbalanced, or you don’t want to start your disguised balanced pattern at a different row, identify the strings that need to be balanced out. Some of the strings within the pattern will already have a string of the same color on the other side of the pattern as a pair to it. Since each of the colors has an even number of strings, choose a pair that needs balancing and match it with a pair from the other side. In this pattern, for example, you could pair the dark pink and light pink strings together and the light yellow and dark yellow strings together.

However, if you are doing a shaped start, like triangle ends after a loop or a teardrop loop, which are explained further in this chapter, you must be mindful of where you are starting your bracelet. I want to start this bracelet with a teardrop loop. Notice that I can still pair the light and dark strings of both pink and yellow strings together, as I could have, had I just done a straight start. However, the light and dark pink strings have switched sides. If I were to do the straight start, the dark strings would be on the left and the light strings would be on the right. With a teardrop loop, the dark strings are now on the right and the light strings are now on the left. While the technique for this type of loop is the same, regardless of where in your pattern you decide to start, it is important to keep track of which side you want your colors to appear on before you start making the loop.

1. 1.Once you have decided on your pairs, fold both strings in half and link them together at the fold, as shown in this picture.

1. 2.Repeat this step for any pair of strings that needs balancing. These linked pairs of strings can now be folded again at the link and can be placed together with the rest of the strings to create a loop. Make sure that when you are folding these new linked pairs you are placing the colors on the correct sides according to your pattern.

1. 3.Once all of your strings are in their correct positions, you can proceed with making your loop as normal. However, if all of your strings are paired, as in my case, you’ll have to make half of your loop as normal on one side, flip it, and do the other half of the loop as normal on the other side. This results in a beautiful split-colored loop.

Removal Loop

The removal loop is useful for patterns in which you have an odd number of strings per color. In combination with the pairing loop, these techniques cover almost all possible patterns, meaning you can create a loop for any pattern you want if you are willing to go to these additional lengths.

The idea of the removal loop technique is that for the color you need an odd number of strings for, you fold the string anyway, creating two strings. However, you then hide and/or cut off the extra end, leaving just one end to be used within the bracelet. Make sure the long end is on the correct side of the loop for you to make your bracelet according to your pattern.

I recommend making the extra end that you will cut off rather short as you don’t want to waste string. There are also different ways to hide this extra end. The most common way is to simply pull the extra end back while making the first few rows of the bracelet and then cut it off after. Alternatively, you could cut the end but still leave a bit and glue it to the back of your bracelet to keep it secure.

Another way is to wait until the loop has been created and then pull on the long end of the string that you want to keep until the extra end that you want hidden is lost under the loop itself.

Whichever way you choose to hide your extra end, the result leaves you with an odd number of strings per color to start knotting your bracelet.

Placement

There is never a right or wrong placement for any triangle end in any pattern. Placement is entirely subjective and depends on both the pattern itself and what you are trying to achieve with the shaped end.

I prefer to use my triangle ends to complement the design of the pattern itself. If a pattern has a triangle or diamond shape within it, I will most likely place my triangle end at that point to complement the design.

Unfortunately, not all patterns have a clear point for a triangle start. Most people gravitate toward having the point of the triangle end at the center of the pattern. However, there is no rule to say this always has to be the case. You can choose any point in the pattern to be the tip of your triangle end. Your triangle does not have to be symmetrical, and one side can be a little or even significantly longer than the other.

Your triangle end can also be inverted, in the shape of a V. This is how you can create what is known as a teardrop loop. This type of loop is explained later in this chapter. When I make teardrop loops I also try to find points within the pattern that naturally form a V shape so that I can use the shape of the loop to complement the design, but, this is not always possible.

The most common type of teardrop loop will have the tip of the loop at the center of the pattern. However, as with regular triangle ends, there is no rule to say this is a requirement, and your teardrop loop can also have one edge longer than the other. This is a matter of personal preference.

When making two triangle ends after a loop, which is my favorite way to start a bracelet, the shape of the start resembles the letter M. As with other types of triangle ends, I try to use this type of start to complement the design of the pattern, so I look for areas within it that naturally form the M shape. Oftentimes the result is that the edges of the triangle ends are uneven, with the outer edges often longer than the inner edges.

START

1. 1.Once you have decided on a placement for your triangle end, you can begin its creation. It is useful to take a screenshot of the pattern you are creating and draw a line to represent where you want your shaped start to begin.

1. 2.Take note of the strings going into your bracelet at the point where you decided to create your triangle end. The strings in a pattern are represented by lines. Identify the tip of your triangle end and separate into two groups the strings going into it based on whether they appear to the left or to the right of the tip.

1. 3.Identify the first string going into your pattern that is to the left of the tip. Grab that string from the left bundle and make a forward knot onto the entire bundle of strings that are on the left side.

1. 4.Next, identify the second string going into your pattern that is to the left of the tip. Grab that string from the left bundle and make a forward knot onto the entire bundle of strings on the left side, excluding the string that was just used to make the first knot.

1. 5.Continue doing these steps: identifying the next string needed to be brought out on the left side and doing a forward knot onto the entire bundle of strings, excluding the strings that were already knotted. When this is completed, the left side of your triangle end should look like the example to the left.

1. 6.The process for the right side is identical to the above but mirrored. Use backward knots instead of forward knots.

1. 7.Once both sides of the triangle end have been completed, you can start making your pattern. Only make the knots that are within the triangle end and ignore knots that are outside of it. The knots within are in color in my example shown here.

TRIANGLE END

1. 8.Once you have decided on a placement for your triangle end, it is important to take note of the widest point, since that is the row at which you will begin the process of creating the end. Once again, to aid you in the process of its creation, I recommend taking a screenshot of the pattern and drawing a line to represent the triangle end.

1. 9.During the knotting process of the bracelet itself, you must be mindful of the row at which you will start creating your end. Once you reach that row, it is important to only make the knots that are within the bounds of the triangle end. They are in color in my example shown here.

1. 10.Once your pattern has formed the shape of a triangle, you are ready to start bringing your strings together to a point. Start by taking the second-to-last string from the right side and make a forward knot with it onto the last string on the right.

1. 11.Next, grab the third string from the right and make a forward knot onto both strings from the previous step simultaneously.

1. 12.Next, grab the fourth string from the right and make a forward knot onto the entire bundle of strings from the previous steps. Continue doing this until you run out of strings on the right side of the triangle end.

1. 13.The left side is identical, but mirrored, meaning it requires backward knots. Repeat the same steps as on the right side but with backward knots until you run out of strings. Once you run out of strings and all of your strings are grouped together in the center, you are ready to start making your ties.

TEARDROP LOOP

1. 1.The teardrop loop is nearly identical to the regular triangle end except it is inverted. Once you have decided your placement, take a screenshot of your pattern and draw a line to represent its placement to aid visualization.

1. 2.Identify the strings going into your bracelet to the left and to the right of the tip of your teardrop and separate your strings accordingly.

1. 3.On the left side, use backward knots to knot each individual string in the same way you would for a regular triangle end. Knot one string at a time until you run out of strings for the left side of the loop.

1. 4.Repeat the process on the right side of the loop using forward knots.

1. 5.Once both sides of the loop have been created, make a forward knot between the two strings in the center of the loop to tie the two ends of the loop together.

1. 6.Your teardrop loop has been completed and you are ready to start creating the pattern. Only make knots that are below the teardrop shape and ignore knots that are above it on the pattern. In this example, the knots in color represent the knots you should make, and the knots in black and white represent knots you should ignore.

TRIANGLE ENDS AFTER A LOOP

1. 1.Triangle ends after a loop differ from regular triangle ends only because you need to create two ends instead of one for a single bracelet. Once you have selected the placement of your triangle end, the process of creating it is identical to that of a regular triangle end, so you can follow the steps from that section above.

1. 2.However, you have to be mindful of which of the two triangle ends you are creating so as to not accidentally get them confused. Once both triangle ends have been created, you can tie a knot between the two strings in the center to tie both ends together.

1. 3.At this point you are ready to start creating the pattern. Only make knots that are below the M shape and ignore knots that are above it on the pattern. In this example, the knots in color represent the knots you should make, and the knots in black and white represent the knots you should ignore.

Triangle Ends for Alpha Patterns

START

1. 1.Start by determining the width of your pattern. You can do this by counting the number of knots (or pixels) in one row. If the number is even, separate your strings into two equal bundles plus the leading string to the left of them.

1. 2.If the number is odd, separate your strings into two equal bundles plus the leading string to the left of them, and also leave one string in the center between the two bundles.

1. 3.Make a backward-forward knot with your leading string onto the left bundle of strings.

1. 4.If you have a single string between the two bundles, make a forward knot onto it with your leading string. If you do not, move on to the next step.

1. 5.Make a forward-backward knot with your leading string onto the right bundle of strings.

1. 6.The first row is now complete. Next, grab a single string out of both the left and right bundles of string and place these single strings into the center, between the bundles.

1. 7.With your leading string, make a forward-backward knot onto the remaining strings in the right bundle.

1. 8.Make backward knots onto the individual strings in the center and follow up with a backward-forward knot onto the remaining strings in the left bundle.

1. 9.Once again, grab a single string out of both the left and right bundles of string and place these single strings into the center, between the bundles. Continue making backward-forward knots onto the remaining strings in the left bundle, individual knots onto the strings in the center, and forward-backward knots onto the remaining strings in the right bundle. After you finish each row, take individual strings out of each bundle, and repeat the steps until you run out of strings to take out and you are making full, regular alpha rows. Once you reach that stage, you are ready to start creating your alpha bracelet.

END

Narrowing down your bracelet and bringing your strings to a point in an alpha is the same as doing a triangle end at the start of the bracelet, but in reverse.

1. 1.Once you decide to start creating your triangle end, begin by grouping the two leftmost strings together on the left and the two rightmost strings together on the right. Provided your leading string is on the left, make a backward-forward knot onto the two strings on the left simultaneously.

1. 2.Continue the row as normal by doing forward knots on each individual string until you reach the two strings on the right. At that point, make a forward-backward knot on both strings simultaneously.

1. 3.Next, add the closest string to the bundle on the right into that bundle and do a forward-backward knot with the leading string onto the bundle.

1. 4.Follow this step by doing backward knots onto the individual strings except for the string that is closest to the bundle on the left, which you will add to the bundle and do a backward-forward knot onto with your leading string.

1. 5.Continue repeating these steps; adding one closest string each to the left and right bundles per row and making individual knots on the strings in between until you run out of strings to add to the bundles and your strings are all brought together to a point at the tip of your triangle end. At this point you are ready to create the ties for your bracelet.

TRIANGLE ENDS AFTER A LOOP

Creating triangle ends after a loop in an alpha pattern uses the same technique as creating regular triangle ends for alphas. The difference is that you need to create two triangle ends after a loop and therefore you need two leading strings. The easiest solution to this is to use the string you used to create the loop as a leading string on both the left and the right.

The direction in which you start knotting your triangle end is important since you want one leading string to end up at the edge of the bracelet when you run out of strings. This leading string will be used as the main leading string in your pattern, and the other leading string will end up in the center of the bracelet, making it easier to hide.

To figure out the direction in which you need to start making your triangle end, first separate your strings into two bundles the same way as was described in the regular alpha triangle ends section. Once you have done this, count the strings in a single bundle. If the number is odd, then the direction of your first row will match the direction of your last row. If the number is even, the direction of the last row will be opposite to that of the first row.

Make sure to start both of your triangle ends in such a way that one leading string ends up on the edge and the other ends up in the center.

Create your triangle ends as described in the previous section on both the left and right side of the loop.

Once you are done, grab the leading string that ended up in the middle and pull it back and off to the side. You can now connect the two triangle ends by taking the leading string that is on the edge and knotting it along all the base strings. If the leading string is on the left, you will make forward knots, and if it is on the right, you will make backward knots. At this point you are ready to start creating your pattern, and after making a few rows, you can either cut the extra leading string off from the back or glue it to the back of the bracelet to keep it secure.

Occasionally when I create triangle ends after a loop, I like to start making the bracelet itself without first connecting the two triangle ends together. Only when the strings within the bracelet reach the center of the pattern and I need to make knots onto the strings that need tying together do I actually tie them together. This means that once I do finally connect the two triangle ends, I can instantly go over that connection with additional knots from other strings to help make that connection stronger and reduce the likelihood of it coming undone.