How to make a Chinese Knot Turtle

[sarahknot]

Very sorry!  I haven’t sign in for looooong time, just too busy. I start a new page so that it is easy to find. Now it is the tutorial:-

We need to use two strings around 100 cm long and start in the centre:-



Keep repeating the above 1,2,3 until you think the neck is long enough. Then, start to make the shell:-



The belly and the shell is the same. The only different is the belly you need to add one more string, the shell you need to add two strings. After you put the legs and tail, glue them all together. In order to fix the shape, put the string inside the shell. (Just use the left-over, don’t waste it)You may contact me and order string from me.



This is the best glue:-


My husband love to put them in a box:-



Now be honest, you might find it difficult at first if you don’t have any idea of Chinese Knot. The shape is not easy to make it well. Here is the picture from a girl newly learns how to make a turtle:-


My turtles:

[Belladune]

those are to darn cute!  My son loves Turtles!  I'm going to have to figure that out!  thanks for the tutorial!

[cocorific]

You really are a peach for sharing this wonderful tutorial!!  Thank you very much.

[Avian Flight]

cute! thanks for sharing! i will make some once i get some string.

[Orrkid]

Ack!! Seriously too cute! And I just bought some silk cord, too...

Just one more motivation for getting my Christmas crafts done ASAP. Thanks for sharing your turtorial (so, so sorry...).

[LadyFiasco]

OH WOW!!!
Thank you for posting this tutorial!
 

xx

[munch]

The tutorial is over my head but those turtles are TDF!!! I love them

[twonderland]

That's so awesome. :]

[Ruby Copperhead]

OK, I couldn't wait to try this (thank you sarahknot!), and I tried. No problem with the neck, but with the shells I have a problem: How do you 'finish'? How do you regulate the tension while tightening the knot? I tried to pin the whole shell with needles to my sofa, and to relocate the needles gently until they were so close together that the knot was tighter, but I couldn't get it tight enough that way. In order to be able to control the tension, I made it a fingerweaving project. Felt very good until I tried tightening the whole structure again. There is always a point where I lose complexity. Should I just try more often until I get the knack, or have I gotten something entirely wrong? I need some advice for this stage. How can I tighten the knot?
This is how far I got:
http://www.free-blog.in/rubysblog/72241/Schildkr%F6te+aus+chinesischen+Knoten+++CHINESE+KNOT+TURTLE.html

[sarahknot]

Hi Ruby. You may make the neck and shell separately. However, the shape will be better if you tie them together.

The picture in your blog is not very clear but I think the knot is OK. I think the problem is you cannot tie the shell with 3 strings at the same time.

What I did is make the head and neck first, then you have 4 cords. Use two of them to make the belly; two for the shell. After you finish the shell knot, you may add string into it one by one. OK, try again now. 

Be patient, for the first time I use 4 hours to finish with the help of the pattern I posted.