Introduction: Paracord Pendant
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About: I am an artist and clothing designer with a passion for helping others bring their own creative dreams to life.
This pendant is really fun and easy to make. The process is almost like weaving a small circle, but it looks far more complex than it actually is. The knot is known as a Turk's Head Mat, and it forms a five-pointed star in the middle with five loops going around the outside. I didn't invent the knot; I just thought it would make a really cool pendant. And it did!
Step 1: Cut and Glue the Ends of the Cord
Cut a piece of paracord that is about 50 inches (125 cm) long.
Put a small amount of glue on your fingertips, and twirl the cut ends of the cord back and forth to cover the first inch or so with glue. Let the ends dry before proceeding.
Gluing the ends works better than melting in this case, because the glue makes a short section of the cord stiff, and that makes it easier to weave the end in and out as you create the knot.
Put a small amount of glue on your fingertips, and twirl the cut ends of the cord back and forth to cover the first inch or so with glue. Let the ends dry before proceeding.
Gluing the ends works better than melting in this case, because the glue makes a short section of the cord stiff, and that makes it easier to weave the end in and out as you create the knot.
Step 2: Make the First Two Main Loops
Make a loop close to one end of the cord, crossing the longer end over the shorter end like the picture shows. This loop will become one of the five main loops.
Now bring the long end over the loop you just made, forming a second loop (and a shape that looks kind of like a pretzel). The left loop of the pretzel will become the second main loop.
Now bring the long end over the loop you just made, forming a second loop (and a shape that looks kind of like a pretzel). The left loop of the pretzel will become the second main loop.
Step 3: Start Weaving
Bring the long end of the cord around and weave it under the left side of the first loop you made.
Pull the cord almost all the way through, and stop when you still have a loop on the bottom. This loop becomes the third main loop.
Pull the cord almost all the way through, and stop when you still have a loop on the bottom. This loop becomes the third main loop.
Step 4: Make the Fourth Main Loop
Bring the long end down through main loop number one, coming in from the underside of the loop like shown.
Pull the long end through until you have a loop left at the top. This becomes the fourth main loop.
Pull the long end through until you have a loop left at the top. This becomes the fourth main loop.
Step 5: Weave a Little More
Weave the cord over one strand, and under the next, like shown.
Step 6: Back Where We Started
Now bring the long end around, right alongside the shorter end. It will go through what was the second main loop.
Pull the long end through until you have a small loop left on the bottom... and this loop becomes the fifth and final main loop.
Pull the long end through until you have a small loop left on the bottom... and this loop becomes the fifth and final main loop.
Step 7: A Little More Weaving
Continue to weave the long end of the cord alongside the shorter end, always staying to the inside of the shorter end. You'll notice that you seem to be weaving the cord over and under, over and under. Keep going until you're once again back at the starting point.
Step 8: Tighten Everything Up
Decide what size you'd like your finished pendant to be. If you want to, you can go around a third time, keeping to the inside of the path you just made.
Two wraps will make a pendant that is about an inch and a half across (3.8 cm), and three wraps will make a pendant that is about 2 inches across (5 cm). However, the more wraps you have, the less-stable the pendant becomes, because the outside loops are larger and aren't supported as well by the cord weaving in and out of them.
I've found that four wraps is just too many, and the outer wraps no longer want to stay where you put them. If you want a more complex look with more wraps, it works a lot better to use micro cord. Check out the next step for a micro cord variation.
Regardless of the size and number of wraps, you don't want to leave a large hole in the middle (because the pendant won't be as stable), so tighten it up when you're through by pulling all the loops in turn until you have a nice, stable pendant.
Two wraps will make a pendant that is about an inch and a half across (3.8 cm), and three wraps will make a pendant that is about 2 inches across (5 cm). However, the more wraps you have, the less-stable the pendant becomes, because the outside loops are larger and aren't supported as well by the cord weaving in and out of them.
I've found that four wraps is just too many, and the outer wraps no longer want to stay where you put them. If you want a more complex look with more wraps, it works a lot better to use micro cord. Check out the next step for a micro cord variation.
Regardless of the size and number of wraps, you don't want to leave a large hole in the middle (because the pendant won't be as stable), so tighten it up when you're through by pulling all the loops in turn until you have a nice, stable pendant.
Step 9: Micro Cord Pendant
If you want a more complex-looking pendant, you can use micro cord, which is a lot finer than 550 paracord. Micro cord is 1.18 mm across, and it makes a more delicate pendant. Here is a picture of a black pendant that has four wraps.
Step 10: Fuse the Ends
Hang the pendant around your neck and decide how long you want your neck cord to be. Make sure to leave enough room for you to get it over your head. :P Cut the extra cord off of the long end.
Flip your pendant over to the back side. You'll notice that you can't just fuse the two ends together, because you'll be missing a wrap on one of the loops. So, complete the wrap by pushing the long cord over to the left, keeping it on the inside of the previous wrap, where it should be. Carefully fuse it where it meets the short end, using a lit match. Now cut off the extra cord from the short end. Carefully melt the end of the long cord, and press the two cut ends together to fuse them permanently.
Flip your pendant over to the back side. You'll notice that you can't just fuse the two ends together, because you'll be missing a wrap on one of the loops. So, complete the wrap by pushing the long cord over to the left, keeping it on the inside of the previous wrap, where it should be. Carefully fuse it where it meets the short end, using a lit match. Now cut off the extra cord from the short end. Carefully melt the end of the long cord, and press the two cut ends together to fuse them permanently.
Step 11: Finished!
That's it! I hope you enjoyed the instructable and have a chance to make a pendant of your own!