PROJECT 32

PARACORD BRACELET

Weaving paracord seems to be a perennial favorite of scout-aged children. When I was a young teenager on staff at my local scout camp it was popular, and from YouTube videos I see it still is.

I have known enterprising young men and women make spending money from weaving paracord bracelets and other useful items.

Woven paracord rifle slings are very popular in the prepping and wilderness survival groups because it is a useful way to carry a significant amount of cordage. I myself have woven a handle on the bag I carry to work for just this reason.

Once the basics are mastered, all manner of variations can be created.

The Materials

Material:

•   Approximately 10 feet of paracord (or similar ⅛” diameter string) (1 foot of cord for every 1 inch of knotted length.)

•   Side release buckle

Tools:

•   Tape measure or ruler

•   Scissors

•   Lighter

Procedure:

Measure your wrist

1.     Measure your wrist by wrapping the paracord around your wrist and mark where the cord meets.

2.     The distance between marks is your wrist size. You will need a little more than 1 foot of cord per inch of wrist size (remember to leave a little extra)

3.     Find the center of the cord you will be using by holding the ends of the cord together and stretching it to make a loop.

4.     Pull the loop through one end of the buckle.

Loop cord through buckle

5.     Pull the cord ends thru the loop until it’s tightened up and attached to the buckle.

6.     Take buckle apart and pull the free ends of the rope through the other half of the buckle.

Bring the cord through both buckle ends

7.     Add one inch to your wrist measurement (to ensure a comfortable fit) and slide the free end of the buckle down the paracord until you have that distance between the two buckle ends.

7.1.   Remember that the buckle counts in the total wrist measurement, but that the prongs on the male end of the buckle don’t count as they will be inside the female half of the buckle.

8.     Now you are ready to start knotting. The knot used is called a Portuguese sinnet, a cobra stitch, or a Solomon bar.

Start weaving from the left

9.     Starting with the buckle end that is free, take the cord on the left side and place it under the two center strands.

Once tightened this is one complete knot

10.   Take the cord on the right side, move it under the end of the left side cord, slide it over the two center strands, and through the loop on the left side.

11.   Tighten the string until it is snug (but not collapsed) against the buckle.

12.   Take the right side under the two center strands, and then pull the left side cord around it, over the center two cords, and then loop around the right side cord.

13.   Tighten this and you will have a completed knot.

Alternating knots keep the braid flat

14.   Continue alternating left to right and tighten as you go.

14.1.   If you do not alternate the knot will twist. If it does so, just undo the last knots until it corrects itself.

15.   Keep the knots uniformly tightened with the same tension and size.

16.   When the knots get to the buckle end, trim the ends closely and melt the ends.

Finished bracelet

Lesson Learned:

This is a great way for a budding entrepreneur to make some pocket money. Be sure to calculate the cost of materials, time, and other costs to calculate a break even price.