How to Make a Rasta Shakedown Bracelet
Rasta, short for the Rastafarian movement, is a polyglot style that incorporates elements of African nationalism, Jamaican nationalism and the influence of musician Bob Marley. The shakedown element adds a little more: Shakedown style is a sort of hippie bling, and it derives its name from the urban slang, "Shakedown Street," which is used to describe spontaneous street markets that spring up outside rock concert venues where such artists as the Grateful Dead play. These markets typically specialize in such hippie fare as tie-dye clothing, food and incense. Rasta bracelets focus on the colors black, yellow, green and red. The shakedown element focuses on the use of colored hemp cord.
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Things You'll Need
- 12 feet of 20-lb. test black hemp twine
- 4 yellow ceramic beads with large center holes
- 4 red ceramic beads with large center holes
- 4 green ceramic beads with large center holes
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Glue
Instructions
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1
Measure the circumference of your wrist, then write the measurement down.
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2
Cut the twine into two 6-foot lengths. Fold one cord in half. This will be your two-strand main, or filler cord, on which you will string beads. With the filler cord, make an overhand knot to form a loop just large enough for a bead to pass through. Passing a bead through this loop is how you will close the bracelet around your wrist.
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3
Center the second set of twine, the knotting cord, just beneath the overhand knot you used to form the loop in the filler cord. Make two square knots with the knotting cord, then thread a ceramic bead onto the filler cord so that it sets against the edge of the square knots.
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4
Pull each end of the knotting cord around so it secures the bead on each side, then use it to make two square knots on the other side of the bead.
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Alternate beads and two square knots. Use any consistent repeating pattern of each of the three colors of beads until the length of the bracelet, measured from the bottom of the initial loop, is equivalent to or just barely more than the circumference of your wrist.
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6
End with three more square knots, then slide one last bead onto your filler cord. Use both the filler and the knotting cords to make a tight overhand knot at the end of the last bead. Cut away the excess twine that extends beyond this overhand knot. Put a little glue on the end where you cut off the excess so that all four strands are glued together. Allow it to fully dry.
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Secure the bracelet to your wrist by slipping the last bead on the cord through the initial loop you made.
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Tips & Warnings
You can make simpler or more complex Rasta bracelets. The key is to always intertwine the colors yellow, green and red against a black background. To incorporate the shakedown element, you should always integrate hemp cord into your design.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Ethan Miller/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
