Cord knotting is something I’ve been doing a lot of recently. I find it so relaxing and I love the way the finished knotted cord jewelry looks! Plus, working with cord is a wonderful way to be able to make casual bracelets and necklaces inexpensively and without needing a lot of findings and supplies.

In this video, I’ll go over some general cord knotting tips and then get into specifics for both waxed cord and pearl knotting (knotting with silk cord) at a later date.

If you are unable to see the embedded video you can watch the playlist here on YouTube:

>> Cord Knotting Tips and Tricks <<

7 Top Cord Knotting Tips and Tricks

1.) Plan Ahead.

Try to plan out your entire design before you make the first knot. This includes the length of your finished piece, how many knots you will be using, and how you will finish off the piece.

Figure all these things out before you start so you can make sure you begin with a long enough piece of cord.

2.) Determine your ‘Knot Factor’.

Each material has what I call a ‘knot factor’, meaning how much cord each knot takes up.

If you plan your design ahead as much as possible, and you know the knot factor of your cord, you are one step closer to knowing how much cord you need for each project.

How to find the knot factor of your cord: 

Easy. Measure a section of cord that is a nice even number, like 4 inches. Make one knot in the cord. Measure the cord again and subtract the second number from the first number.

EXAMPLE: With the .8mm waxed cord I like to use, starting with a 4 inch piece: After I make one knot, the cord measures 3.75 inches. {4 – 3.75 = .25}. This means that each (single) knot takes up 1/4 inch of cord. The knot factor for this cord is .25 inches.

3.) Math??

I don’t exactly love doing math – after all, I’m an artist – but I also don’t enjoy running out of cord in the middle of a project. (Super sad face)

Now that you have the knot factor, and a rough idea of how many knots you want to make, you can multiply the knot factor by the number of knots and figure out how much room you need to add on to your starting length.

You can find the formula I use here, along with some elaboration on tips 1 and 2:

Click here for more help with figuring out how much cord to start with.

The no-math way of doing it:

As I mention in the video, there is a general rule of thumb that works quite well for smaller diameter cords:

For a knotted cord bracelet: (using a single cord, not doubled over like sometimes used in pearl knotting) is to start with a piece that’s as long as your arm (from armpit to wrist). If you are working with a doubled cord, you will need to double the length, so start with a piece twice as long as your arm.

For a knotted cord necklace: twice the length of your arm for a single cord, four times the length of your arm if you are doubling the thread over.

IMPORTANT: This general rule applies to smaller cords and threads mostly, such as 1 mm cord or smaller. Also, longer necklaces would need longer cords to start out with – this rule is just a guide for the average size necklace which is around 16-18 inches long. I would highly recommend using the formula I mentioned as much as possible.

4.) Use an awl or a knotting tool

If you’ve tried knotting before but have been frustrated by trying to coax the knots into the right place, right up against the bead, then this is the best trick of them all! You know it’s basically impossible to get a knot to ‘land’ just where you need it to by simply tying a knot with your fingers and pulling it tight.

Using a a pointed object like an awl or a knotting tool is the only way I know of to get those knots to go exactly where you want them to! An awl is a simple pointed steel tool with a handle. The tapered, pointed end is the key, so you could also use a safety pin or fine tweezers to help with your knots in a pinch, though they are a little more awkward and uncomfortable to use for a knot-heavy project.

An awl is an inexpensive tool that can be used for several other purposes besides knotting (I also use mine to make holes in leather and as a mandrel for making tiny jump rings). When you tighten the knot around the awl, you can then use the awl to slide the knot along the cord into position.

See the demo of how to use an awl here.

A knotting tool is a bit more challenging to get the hang of at first, but is a great help in working quickly and is a worthy investment if you plan to do a lot of knotting. The main advantage of using a knotting tool instead of an awl is the bent tip and the thumb release which slides the knot off the tool as it tightens it into place, allowing you to work faster and put less effort into each knot.  Demonstration coming soon.

5.) Double knot and triple knots

If you need a larger or stronger knot (like at the end of your beading or up against a bead with a larger hole), tying one knot over another knot doesn’t exactly work to make one big strong knot. You just get two normal sized knots side by side, which could certainlly be a design choice but won’t stop those beads from sliding over.

To form a double knot, make one overhand knot as usual, then pass the end of the cord around and up through the knot again before pulling it tight. For a triple knot, pass the end through the original knot two more times.

See the demo for making double and triple knots here.

6.) Save the scraps

I recommend saving your scraps of cord (or at least some of them) that are 5 or 6 inches and longer. This length is perfect for making adjustable sliding knots to finish your knotted jewelry designs.  A single adjustable sliding knot is made around two ends of cord by using a separate length of cord that is about 6 inches long.

Click here to see the adjustable sliding knot tutorial

7.) Beeswax is your friend

Cords are made up of many tiny strands that are twisted together tightly to add strength and durability to the material. The ‘ply’ of the cord is how many smaller cords it is composed of. So a 3 ply cord is composed of 3 smaller strands twisted into the one main strand.

If you’re not using a beading needle, the individual strands at the end of a cord can snag on the bead as it slides through, causing the ends to fray and making it a pain to get through that next bead.

Beeswax can be used on the ends of your cords and thread to help prevent fraying as you’re beading. Simply drag the end of the cord across some beeswax and then twist the cord between your thumb and forefinger in the same direction as it is already twisted. This will tame those flyaway ends, and you should be able to twist again several more times as necessary while beading without having to apply more beeswax every time.

See the demo for using beeswax to prevent fraying here.

BONUS: You might also like my knotted cord bracelet tutorial, where you can put all these tips into action:

So that’s all for my general cord knotting tips and tricks today! I hope you found this useful and enjoyed the videos in the playlist!