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Adjustable Knotted Cord Choker - Beginner Project
Show off your focal art beads with
this simply-styled, unisex choker. The knots slide apart, lengthening the
necklace and allowing you to slip it over your head.
The focal bead I have used for
this project is an antique Trade bead, the cord is PVC cord - both available
from the EJR Beads online store. But you can use any type of bead for this
project and leather and rubber cords work equally well in place of the PVC.
The knots can be easy or
difficult to master depending on how your brain is wired. My brain is wired
badly for these things. So in case you are like me, I offer here an
abundance of photos and a funky diagram to better explain it all. If you are clever
enough not to need such hand-holding, please forgive me and politely skip the photos you do
not require, leaving them on the side of your plate.
You will need approximately 1 metre
of jewellery cord to make an average size choker. To make a smaller or
larger necklace, increase or decrease the cord by 10 cm either way.
Thread the trade bead onto the cord
and slide it to the middle.
Starting at one end of the cord, bend
the end back to form a loop, leaving at least 10 cm of 'tail' to form the
first knot with.
Hold this loop secure and place the
other end of the PVC cord against it, running from the opposite
direction. Hold the loop and second cord end together securely for the
Take the tail of that first loop and wrap it over and completely around the
bundle of assembled cords.
Continue wrapping the tail around the
bundle to make another 2 complete circuits. Finish with the tail pointing
Slide the wraps up together. Push the
tail end of the cord under and up through the loop.
Pull the tail end and other cords to
consolidate the knot. You do not need the wraps around the knot completely taut - that
will interfere with its slippy-slidey-ness. With practice you will get a
feel for when the knot is secure enough without being overly tight.
Happy dance - the first knot is done!
Now hold the second cord end tightly and slide the knot back along the cord
towards the bead. This will give plenty of loose cord to form the second
Form a loop from the second cord end
as before, leaving a healthy tail of at least 10 cm or so, and hold it
against the cord of the necklace.
Repeat the steps to form the second
the tail three times around the bundle and then under and up through the
loop. Pull the knot taut to secure.
Trim off the remaining ends. Leave a
millimetre or two just so the knot doesn't
come undone. Although this seldom happens as it is generally a very well behaved knot.
Slide the knots towards the bead to
'close' the necklace and then stand back and admire!
Funky Diagram of the Knot
Don't forget - if you make one of these
chokers, or anything else using EJR Beads products, I would
love to feature a photo of it in the Customers' Gallery!
Text & Images © Emma Ralph
2005. May not be printed, distributed or reproduced electronically without
the author's written permission.