Today I am going to show you how to make a knotted cord bracelet using waxed linen cord. This bracelet is going to have a sliding knot so that your bracelet will be an adjustable size and fit almost any size wrist.
Complete List of Supplies and Tools Needed For This DIY Knotted Bead Bracelet Project
- 30 inches 0.8mm waxed cord (one 24 inch piece, one 6 inch piece)
- 14 12mm beads
- 7 2mm spacer beads
- An awl
- Beeswax
- Ruler
- Sharp scissors
How to Make Knotted Bead Bracelet
We’re going to start with 24 inches of waxed linen cord and tie a knot as close as you can get to the end. Now before you start beading apply a little bit of beeswax to the end of the cord and then pay attention to which direction the threads are already twisted and you want to twist between your thumb and forefinger in that same direction; this is going to help prevent fraying. You are going to start by sliding on a spacer bead and then you are going to make a knot. You are also going to be using an awl, which is a pointed steel tool that’s mounted in a handle. And this is really the trick to getting your knots to land exactly where you want them to go. While the knot is nice and loose, slide in the awl towards the bottom of the knot, and pull. The knot should slide easily along the cord. This is how you get it to move wherever you want it. So we’re going to pull on the loose end of the cord until that knot gets nice and tight up against the bead and pull it really tight, and then using your thumbnail, kind of push up against the knot as you slide it off the awl. Give it one more little tug and that knot should be nice and secure right up against your bead. Now that is going to be the dangling end of the bracelet.
Next, we are going to go about 2 inches in and this time we want to make a double knot. To do that, you make a regular knot and before you tighten it up you’re going to go back up through the knot again with the end. I usually check my placement with a ruler, and that way I don’t waste any cord and I can make the ends the same length on both sides. Now you are going to string on three 12mm beads and then make a knot. Next is going to be one spacer bead, one 12 millimeter bead, and then one more spacer bead and another knot. Now you are going about 2 inches out from that last double knot, and you are going to make a single knot. Again I use the ruler to check the placement and tighten up the knot against the awl. Add the last spacer bead and then the final knot to finish up the bracelet. Snip the end about 2 to 3 millimeters from the last knot using some really sharp scissors, and then we’re ready to finish off the bracelet. Using another piece of cord about 6 inches long, you want to make a loop on one end and leave a longer end to the right. And you are going to hold both cords of the bracelet overlapping in your non-dominant hand and hold the loop between your thumb and forefinger with the other cords at the same time. Next, you are going to wrap the longer end of that cord around all of the pieces about 3 or 4 times, wrapping away from the loop. Now you are going to take that longer end and go back up through each of the loops of the coil that you just made, including the first loop and then pull both ends tight to tighten up the knot. Trim the excess cord about 2mm away from the knot on each side and be careful to only cut that extra piece of cord.
Now you have got a knotted cord bracelet that is an adjustable size with a sliding knot.