Forum - Bracelet tying - After all this time...

sampuv00

Bracelet King

3 years, 1 month ago by sampuv00

After almost two years of making bracelets and I still need help. I feel like I need some in-depth, nitty-gritty detailed help from some experts. I feel like I am at a bracelet plateau. I really have come a long way in my two years of this hobby. My bracelets really have improved and I try to remember that two years ago I would have been thrilled with the bracelets I make today. However, they're still not perfect and a little messy and I feel like I can't seem make the next step to perfectly beautiful, straight, neat bracelets. Ive watched so many videos and read so many forums and threads. It seems that all this has done is make me get all up in my head about it and make it worse. Everyone says practice and experiment but its really hard to practice something to get better if you don't know what is holding you back from getting better. So, what I would really appreciate from someone is help pull me from this funk. Help me fix my knots. How should I be pulling my strings? For example, Ive heard for forward knots pull your leading string up and left. Do you do that for both knots or do you pull the second half straight up instead of up and left? Does it really matter if you pull your working string straight down or can you pull it to the side of bit. Please anyone give me some suggestions because I've been working at this hobby for 2 years but its so hard to perfect when you don't have someone in person to show you how to be better. ❤️

halokiwi

Moderator

3 years, 1 month ago by halokiwi

In general there is not just one way of knotting. People knot in lots of different way and there are many different results that all still look nice.

It might not be what you want to hear but you have to figure out what works for you - and you can only do that by experimenting.

Is this about normals or alphas or both?

Personally I always pull the leading string to the right and up when making forward knots. I personally would not pull it to the left because that's not the direction you are knotting in - but I also have never tried it.

I generally pull the strings onto which I knot in a normal pattern straight down - but I can imagine that pulling the base strings in the opposite direction you are knotting into might also help.

I would recommend you take a pattern that is not too big or complicated and start knotting it a certain way (for example pulling your leading string in the direction you are knotting into) and then after a few rows you switch to a different way (pulling the string in the opposite direction). You can document what methods you used and once you are done you can look at the bracelet to see what you like best.

Here are a few things you can experiment with
- knot tightness
- where you pull the leading and base strings
- how you fix your bracelet down (do you fix it at the top and leave it like this during the whole knotting process or do you move the fixture down to close to where you are knotting (personally I do the second))

I think the main thing you need to figure out is not placing your knots too much to the left and the right but always central beneath the two knots that are above them

sampuv00

Bracelet King

3 years, 1 month ago by sampuv00

Thanks @halokiwi you always have a lot of great insight. Another question for you. When you do your knots, do you pull them into the same place for both knots? For example, when you pull up and right for the first half, do you do that for the second half of the knot as well? Also for knot tightness, I struggle with this still sometimes too. It is the second knot that I should worry about tightness a little more, right? Ive read that the first knot is more for placement and the second knot is for tightness and really the size of the knot, but when I try to loosen up it seems like I get holes then.

halokiwi

Moderator

3 years, 1 month ago by halokiwi

The first half determines the placement, the second half secures it in place. I think it doesn't really matter if you do the second half loose or tight to avoid holes. You just have to make sure that you properly placed the first half an that it doesn't loosen while you make the second half. Personally I make the first and the second half of my knots the exact same.

Pawsknot

Bracelet King

3 years, 1 month ago by Pawsknot

I've been making bracelets for two years now, and I can say it took me awhile before I was happy with the finished product. I've found in some cases it's the way the pattern is with it's structure etc. It's not always the knotters fault, like a candy stripe with always have a curve to it. I don't want to sound like a broken record but practice makes perfect, maybe go back to the basics.

sampuv00 Bracelet King	3 years, 1 month ago by sampuv00 After almost two years of making bracelets and I still need help. I feel like I need some in-depth, nitty-gritty detailed help from some experts. I feel like I am at a bracelet plateau. I really have come a long way in my two years of this hobby. My bracelets really have improved and I try to remember that two years ago I would have been thrilled with the bracelets I make today. However, they're still not perfect and a little messy and I feel like I can't seem make the next step to perfectly beautiful, straight, neat bracelets. Ive watched so many videos and read so many forums and threads. It seems that all this has done is make me get all up in my head about it and make it worse. Everyone says practice and experiment but its really hard to practice something to get better if you don't know what is holding you back from getting better. So, what I would really appreciate from someone is help pull me from this funk. Help me fix my knots. How should I be pulling my strings? For example, Ive heard for forward knots pull your leading string up and left. Do you do that for both knots or do you pull the second half straight up instead of up and left? Does it really matter if you pull your working string straight down or can you pull it to the side of bit. Please anyone give me some suggestions because I've been working at this hobby for 2 years but its so hard to perfect when you don't have someone in person to show you how to be better. ❤️
halokiwi Moderator	3 years, 1 month ago by halokiwi In general there is not just one way of knotting. People knot in lots of different way and there are many different results that all still look nice. It might not be what you want to hear but you have to figure out what works for you - and you can only do that by experimenting. Is this about normals or alphas or both? Personally I always pull the leading string to the right and up when making forward knots. I personally would not pull it to the left because that's not the direction you are knotting in - but I also have never tried it. I generally pull the strings onto which I knot in a normal pattern straight down - but I can imagine that pulling the base strings in the opposite direction you are knotting into might also help. I would recommend you take a pattern that is not too big or complicated and start knotting it a certain way (for example pulling your leading string in the direction you are knotting into) and then after a few rows you switch to a different way (pulling the string in the opposite direction). You can document what methods you used and once you are done you can look at the bracelet to see what you like best. Here are a few things you can experiment with - knot tightness - where you pull the leading and base strings - how you fix your bracelet down (do you fix it at the top and leave it like this during the whole knotting process or do you move the fixture down to close to where you are knotting (personally I do the second)) I think the main thing you need to figure out is not placing your knots too much to the left and the right but always central beneath the two knots that are above them
sampuv00 Bracelet King	3 years, 1 month ago by sampuv00 Thanks @halokiwi you always have a lot of great insight. Another question for you. When you do your knots, do you pull them into the same place for both knots? For example, when you pull up and right for the first half, do you do that for the second half of the knot as well? Also for knot tightness, I struggle with this still sometimes too. It is the second knot that I should worry about tightness a little more, right? Ive read that the first knot is more for placement and the second knot is for tightness and really the size of the knot, but when I try to loosen up it seems like I get holes then.
halokiwi Moderator	3 years, 1 month ago by halokiwi The first half determines the placement, the second half secures it in place. I think it doesn't really matter if you do the second half loose or tight to avoid holes. You just have to make sure that you properly placed the first half an that it doesn't loosen while you make the second half. Personally I make the first and the second half of my knots the exact same.
Pawsknot Bracelet King	3 years, 1 month ago by Pawsknot I've been making bracelets for two years now, and I can say it took me awhile before I was happy with the finished product. I've found in some cases it's the way the pattern is with it's structure etc. It's not always the knotters fault, like a candy stripe with always have a curve to it. I don't want to sound like a broken record but practice makes perfect, maybe go back to the basics.

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