DIY Nautical Knot Bracelets
Bring a little seafaring flair to your style with these bright, bold bracelets. Inspired by Simone’s sailor’s knot bracelet tutorial, I decided to reimagine this nautical classic. The project itself is very approachable, so even if you’re not an experienced knotter, you’ll be able to cruise through these steps.
You will need:
- Cotton, paracord or maritime cord
- Measuring tape
- Light-colored masking tape
- E-600 glue or hot glue gun
- Large spring clasp
- Embroidery floss
- Large needle
- Pen
- Paintbrush and acrylic paint
- Rhinestone chain
- Iron-on studs
- Large jump rings
Step 1: Measure and cut
First, make a measuring cord. This will help you create a bracelet that fits perfectly. Wrap the measuring tape around the bony part of your wrist, making sure the fit is snug but not tight. For a tighter fit, round the measurement to the nearest 1/2 inch. For a looser fit, add an extra inch to your measurement. Cut your cord to this measurement.
Next, set your clasp next to the piece of cut cord, and trim away the total length of the clasp. This will be your measuring cord; set it aside.
Step 2: Create your knot
Cut 2 pieces of cord measuring at least 22 inches long. Fold one piece of cord in half, and tape the cut ends together using the masking tape. Repeat with the other piece of cord.
To create a carrick knot, take one of your long, taped pieces of cord and make a loop with the masking taped end on the underside, pointing upwards. We’ll call the taped end of this loop “a” and the other end of the loop “b.”
Take the second piece of looped, taped cord and place it on top of the loop you created. The end with the tape facing upwards will be end “A.” The looped end that faces downwards will be end “B.”
Wrap “A” under “a,” and over “b” of the previous loop you created.
Next, wrap end “A” under the loop created with your other piece of cord, over end “B,” and back under the loop (photographed above).
Step 3: The perfect fit
To finish your bracelet, you need to bring the ends of the cord together. You’ll want the taped cord ends to be shorter and the looped ends to be longer. Cut both of the taped ends (“a” and “A”) to be approximately 1 to 1 ½ inches in length.
Place the measuring cord you made in Step 1 next to your bracelet as a guide, so that the knot aligns with the center of the cord. Take one of the looped ends and fold it back over itself so that it lines up with the end of your measuring cord. Take the taped end of the bracelet and place it over the folded side. Mark a line where the cords meet. Next steps ➜
DIY created by Clare McGibbon and edited by Aleksa Brown for Etsy.com