Space Dyed Chinese Knotting Cord Experimental Bracelets Color Variation #1

 

 

 

I love these new space dyed colors. They are so much fun to play with. Here is the bracelet stack I made with "Turquoise Variation", the first colorway I experimented with.

 

 

What is Space Dyed Chinese Knotting Cord? 

 

Chinese Knotting Cord is a braided nylon cord made in China available in a variety of thickness and usually dyed in solid colors. The cord is made on large braiding machine out of nylon thread, then it is wound on skeins, dyed, rinsed, and dried, then wound on spools. For more info on all the types and sizes of Chinese Knotting Cord, go HERE. 

 

When cord or yarn are dyed with different colors along a skein, the color changes repeat around each cord turn around the skein. This type of dyeing is called Space Dyed. This can be done by hand at an artisanal scale or in a factory setting with many skeins all dyed at the same time. It is a process that is more labor intensive than dyeing solid colors. 

Space Dyed Chinese Knotting Cord shown as a Skein

 

Why are Space Dyed Colors So Much Fun? 

 

If done correctly with interesting color shifts and variations, it lends itself to so many possibilities... So here are my very first experiments with the new Space Dyed Chinese Knotting Cords I just started importing from China. 

 

> Space Dyed Chinese Knotting Cord | ~ 0.6 mm Ø | ~20 m (21.9 yd) spool

This colorway, Turquoise Variation, is available in a 20 meter spool. Let's see what can be made with a spool.

Kumihimo Bracelet 

 

 

Braided with the 7 strand method, started at the loop and ended with a Pinwheel Button. That's the 9th listing on this page.

 

 

I have been playing with a 7 stand kumihimo pattern and I plan to write a better tutorial on this method with a full step by step tutorial with photos and maybe a video and all the best ways to achieve a professional result on the first try... 

 

This braiding method is really easy. If your kumihimo disk has 4 dots, place 4 strands at the dots, then 3 in between the dots, that leave one space with no cord. Or add 4 extra dots in between the dots with a sharpie marker and place the 7 cords by the dots. There is one empty spot. 

Several ways explain the same cord movements of the braiding process:

 

1. The disk is like a clock. Place the empty slot at 1:30, and take the cord that's at 6 and insert it in the empty spot at 1:30. Then rotate the disk counterclockwise until the empty spot is at 1:30 again and repeat.

2. Count the cords from the empty spot clockwise*. 1, 2 and 3 cords, and taking the 3rd cord up to the empty spot. 

 

 3. By the numbers on the disk with a 32 slot disk. Place the 7 cords right in slots before #8, #12, #16, #20, #24, #28, #32. [Place #32 at the top. Take #16 cord to #4. Place #12 at top. Take #28 to #16. Place #24 at top. Take #8 to #28. Place #4 at top. Take #20 to #8. Place #16 at top. Take #32 to #20. Place #28 at top. Take #12 to #32. Place #8 at top. Take #24 to #12. Place #20 at top. Take #4 to #24.] Repeat []. 

 

* This can be done clockwise or counterclockwise. but you need to be consistent. For me since I am right handed, I prefer to hold the disk with my left hand and move the cord with my right hand. And I prefer to move the cord up rather than down... it;s easier, but it can be done the other way... so long as it is consistent.   

 

Left handed? 

With method 1, place your empty spot at 10:30 instead for 1:30. With method 2, count counterclockwise. With method 3, I will write it if anyone is interested...

 

 

 

Tibetan Knot Bracelet

 

 

 

I made this one with double stands and line the colors so the color shifts would happen at the same time... For the tutorial go here!

Square Knot Bracelet #1

 

 

This bracelet is made the same way as the shambhala bracelets, however with thinner cords, and with beads only at the sliding cords ends. I added a Teapot Button as a center charm. It's the first listing on this button page.

 

 

Square Knot Bracelet #2

 

 

 

This second bracelet is finished with a sliding bead clasp available here. 

 

 

Square Knot Bracelet #3

 

 

For this 3rd bracelet iI did not have a lot of cord left, so adding the beads was a perfect solution as it did not use as much cords as all square knots... The beads are 4mm Czech Fire Polished Beads. 

 

Chain Stitch Bead Crochet Sample

 

 

 

 

After making all the bracelets above, I just had enough cord left to make a sample... I will make a bracelet of necklace with one of the next color variation.