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Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by MarenAnne6 6 years ago

I've seen pictures of people's bracelets that are perfectly rectangular with perfect knots, like this person's perfection here: http://fenechki.diary.ru/p202816390.htm?oam#more5.

Mine are often a bit wavy at the edges, or the knots aren't all the same size.
I've read other articles of people saying that it's all practice and you have to have the correct pressure, but I just don't seem to be able to get it. Would someone be willing to make a video or explain more in depth? I really want to make great quality bracelets.

RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by kleinevos (moderator) 6 years ago

It?s really all about practice though .... You cannot learn making perfect bracelets by watching a video. Trial and error is a better teacher!
And alphas are tricky, I also admire these perfectly knotted bracelets!

RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by MarenAnne6 6 years ago

Someone mentioned tying their knots in the direction they're going. I'm right-handed and have always done the "make a 4-shape" to tie my knots, and making Backward Knots or FB Knots has always been a bit of a struggle since I predominantly use my right hand. Could that be a factor? Is there a better way to tie knots besides the "4-shape?"

RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by Stefanie7 6 years ago

No method is better than another one, you had to use what works best for you. I knot all knots with the right hand, my mom for example knots fk with the right hand and bk with the left hand, but you can't see this on the finished bracelet.
A little tip from my experience: After you pulled your knot tight you should pull the string down. That makes the knots more even. Don't knot the outmost knots too tight, that makes the border nicer. But for some pattern it is really hard to knot a nice border.


RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by kleinevos (moderator) 6 years ago

I agree, everyone has it?s own way :-) I knot all knots mainly with my right hand too.
The 4-shape is more for remembering how to make the knots as far as I know.
I always pull my knots upwards to tighten them; forward knots to the right and up, backward knots to the left and up. That helps to get them as close to the previous knots as possible.

RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by kleinevos (moderator) 6 years ago

(But it?s different for alphas!)

RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by MarenAnne6 6 years ago

Stephanie7, which string are you pulling down? The one you tied with or the one knotted onto?

RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by Stefanie7 6 years ago

The one I tied with. For pulling the knot tight I pull the string up and holding the other one down. Then I pull the string I tie with also down a bit, so that both strings are parallel. This method works best for me.

RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by DusterFan 6 years ago

The two critical things I work on and find make for a better overall look are:
1) Consistency - you need to get the tension of both strings similar all the time, especially how tight you do the knot. For example if I do half a bracelet and then come back to do the rest after a while I've found that it is super important to find out what the tension was like in the first half or otherwise the 2 halves will be out from each other.

2) Most importantly I think is finding a stable work station where you can keep your work straight, flat, and have something that assists you always having even tension. This helps also achieve the consistency and tension I mentioned above.

I can't give you specifics because there's virtually dozens of ways of achieving it and it's about finding what works for you.

RE: Making bracelets perfectly rectangular by frenchie63 6 years ago

I agree with Stefanie's tip, pulling the string down is a good way to make your bracelet look better.
Also I prefer attaching my bracelet to a chair rather than to my jeans since when the bracelet gets longer, I just push the chair away from me little by little and my arms remain in the same position, my work does not come closer to me. It helps me making the bracelet more rectangular.
And a last tip that doesn't work for alphas : I make normal patterns row by row (for example if I make a candy stripe I don't follow the stripes but the rows represented on the pattern). Generally, in normal patterns, you have what I call "indifferent knots" ie knots in which both strings have the same color so you can make either a forward or a backward knot. In this case, I follow 2 rules :
- If the knot is on the side of the bracelet, I make it go outwards : forward knot if it's on the right, backward knot if it's on the left
- If not, I do forward knots on rows that have an even number and backward knots on rows that have an odd number (based on the small figures written on the side of the pattern).
I think that alternating knots make the bracelet straighter.

Hopefully it makes sense and helps you ;)

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