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Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by electronzebra 11 years ago

First off, I want to apologize in advance if this topic has already been created. I've been surfing around peoples problem threads and couldn't find any answers, so I'm making a topic in hopes that my question can be answered. If this hasn't been asked already, hopefully I and many others can figure this out lol.

Okay so when I start a bracelet I want the outcome to look like this:

Credit of the image goes to Eric.

But when I make bracelets with an abundant amount of strings, my first couple rows end up looking like this:


Credit goes to myself.

So my question is:
How can you begin your first row of knots making a perfectly straight row instead of having the rows curl in on themselves, or make a semi-circle until after 10 or so rows when they naturally flatten out? Do I need to use a clipboard or something special?

Currently I use cardboard and I have a slit at the top and then several slits at the bottom to keep the strings in place and then I use masking tape to hold the bracelet in place as I build up the rows.

RE: Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by Kestrel 11 years ago

Try not starting off with a braid. Instead, tie an overhand knot far enough down your thread or string, that you can undo the knot and braid later. Knot your bracelet and when you've finished, go back and do the braid. If it's a wider bracelet, too, try doing 2 or even 3 braids on each end, rather than just the one?

RE: Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by xXRainbowVeins 11 years ago

What I do is take packing tape, and fold it so the tape is double sided. Then I put each string, in the right order and tape them one after the other on the tape... Then I take another piece of tape and cover the double sided part... But make sure the first row u don't tie too tightly, and after... 3 or 4 rows u can take the tape off and clip it to ur clipboard or just tie with the tape and take it off at the end...
Does that make sense ?

RE: Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by MeerkatsRule10 11 years ago

in the pic you have made, it looks you have only used one braid. try using 2, because then strings arent all bunched up. try it and see.i hope it helps.:)

RE: Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by electronzebra 11 years ago

Thanks guys. I will try using multiple braids and I'll also try the tape method. :)

RE: Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by Alicat 11 years ago

You might wanna take a look at Foz's tutorial on a straight beginning row as well.

RE: Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by Zolo 11 years ago

Hi!

I think the most reliable way is to buy a small jaw-vice. I own this one and it is really perfect. You do not make any knots when beginning the bracelet, you just put the strings into the vice and start tying and you rows are perfectly straight.

RE: Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by electronzebra 11 years ago

I took a glance at the jaw vice. How big is it? I know you said it is small, but the picture makes it look a lot larger than what it probably is.

Also, wouldn't a clipboard give the same effect?

RE: Beginning a bracelet - perfectly straight rows by etoile 11 years ago

A clipboard works, too. That's what I've been using to get straight beginning rows lately. I'll do something similar to rainbowveins and line up my strings on a piece of tape and tape them to the backside of the clipboard, leaving enough string to make a braid at the end, and then knotting up to the clip. If you don't have a clipboard you can do the same thing using a piece of tape.

And if you start off with buckles, make sure you make a big enough buckle or use multiple ones for larger bracelets.

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