Catholic Rosaries

FOR MAKING KNOTTED CORD ROSARIES & CHAPLETS

If you are interested in making mission rosaries or want to make rosaries to share with friends, consider the knotted cord rosary or chaplet.  This technique of prayer counting is one of the very first ever used by the early fathers of the church. A very simple, available, inexpensive, rewarding and much needed ministry.

~ SUPPLIES ~     ~ KNOTTING ~  
~ MAKING A CHAPLET OR ROSARY ~
 

Knotted cord rosaries were issued in Viet Nam to various members of our armed forces. Chaplains would give knotted khaki cord rosaries to the troops to carry into battle. We also heard that they were worn around the neck and smuggled into countries where the church was not allowed. They were safe as metal detectors would not pick them up.

TRADITION OF THE KNOTTED PRAYER CORD

The prayer cord, a much larger pair, is traditionally worn around the waist by various orders of brothers, priests and nuns. Tradition also has it that the Blessed Virgin gave Dominic this type of cord to pray on.   It is often seen as the Franciscan Crown (7 decades of 10).   The knotted prayer cord has a long history.   The first written information we found is the year 600 when Irish monks set 150 knots on a cord to count the Psalter (Psalms).  At the same time, the laity, most of whom couldn't read, would repeat 150 Pater Nosters or the Divine Office which was called ‘The Poor Man's Breviary'

 ~ CORD and TWINE SUPPLIER ~
See the FNT Military Rosary page for twine and military specifications for rosaries (yes! there are MIL-Specs)
and
Illustrated Instructions for Knotted Cord Rosaries

Have Twine, Will Travel...

She was telling me her cousin, a nun, was coming to visit, and I reached into
the bag to find a finished one to give her cousin.
Well, there were no Peace chaplets ready  (they all needed to have cord
burned off); the only finished chaplet was a Therese chaplet. And as I held it
out to her to explain that this wasn't a peace chaplet like the others, she
mentioned her cousin's name.
Can you guess what it was?
Of course, it was Therese!!!
[a reminder that God is watching when we least expect it!]"

~ KNOTTING INSTRUCTIONS ~

These knotted rosaries and chaplets are made up of one single, wrapped knot which is repeated for each bead, using different sizes for different prayer beads. It is also used to make the cross. Take a length of cord and try several before beginning. We describe the chaplet first.

FIRST - MAKE A TEST KNOT.
1.Hold the last 6 inches of 36 in cord in your left hand, allowing the cord to follow the length of the index finger. This will give you the 'host' cord.   
2.Wrap longer end of cord (away from you) around index finger and 'host' cord several times, moving the loops back towards the hand to cover the 'host' cord.   
3.Slip loops off of finger onto 'host' cord.    
4.Slowly pull long end of cord all the way through the loops, make sure loops remain lined up.
5.Position and tighten the knot.

"We became acquainted with knotted prayer cords when our son Peter's wife, Lenice, made a ‘peace chaplet' for each member of the family while in Medjugore in 1987. She said they were given cord and instructions while riding on the pilgrim bus."

"Recently, Wayne Weible explained this particular count of 7 sets of 3 (Glory Be, Our Father and Hail Mary) is an old tradition with the Yugoslavian grandmothers."

Read through instructions before starting:

KNOTTED CORD PEACE CHAPLET OR ROSARY 
INSTRUCTIONS

PEACE CHAPLETS 5 DECADE ROSARIES

MEASURE OFF CORD  PEACE CHAPLET -             3 1/2 yards #36 cord  5 DECADE ROSARY  -             5 1/2  yards #36 cord  1. BURN CORD OFF OF TUBE (Burning seals end. It frays badly so don't cut. Tying a knot restricts the movement of cord through loops when the knots are being made.)  2. FOLD CORD IN HALF - START IN CENTER  Fold cord in half and begin in the center. a. FIRST KNOT - Using 3 wraps, make first knot. Repeat twice,  keeping beads close together and tight.    Leave a 1/2in space at most.  b. REPEAT - ‘a'  until your count is compete.  Check distances  and tightness. c. RETURN TO CENTER  -  leave a 1/2 inch space. Begin next  set of 3 (or 10) knots. Repeat until count  is completed keeping an eye on how the cord is being used up  as on rosary so adjustments on decades  may be made  if necessary.  3. FORMING LOOP d. TO CONNECT - Align both end beads together in your  hand. Leave 1/2 in space. e. KNOT TOGETHER -  by looping both cords over your  finger twice. Pull two cords through.  Position  and pull  tight to secure. (Trim shortest cord to 1/2in and  leave till last.)  4. FORMING PENDANT Working on longest cord. continue making knots according to need. 5. FORMING CROSS Leave 1/2 in space. Make a knot using 5 wraps.  (let other cord hang for now). f. TO FORM CROSSBAR -  tie a 15in cord directly under the  knot (first part of a shoelace knot)  g. SECURE CROSSBAR -  by tying one more knot using  5 wraps directly underneath the cross bar. Pull  knot tightly against the cross bar.  Optional: Repeat knot for longer cross. This completes the vertical part of the cross. Let cord hang h. FINISHING CROSSBAR - tie a knot using 5 wraps on each  side. Pull tightly against the center.    Let loose ends of cord hang. 6. BURN OFF ENDS:  Its easier to burn off all ends at one time.  i.  TRIM ONE END -  with scissors about 1/4 in away from rosary.  j.  BURN OFF -  end and quickly flatten melted nylon ball against  knot with the blunt side of a kitchen knife.       (careful, it's hot) k. REPEAT - i-j on other ends.  l.  CLEAN ENDS - by running  flame over end - if necessary.  Reheat and flatten again if needed being  careful  not to burn rosary. 7. PRAY - PRAY - PRAY! Have rosary or chaplet blessed as soon as possible! give them away and make more!