Setting up a workbench

Most of the frustration in this hobby comes from setup rather than technique.

Within reach

• Jig, clamped or weighted so it cannot move
• Hot knife or lighter, on a heatproof surface
• Needles, sized and separated
• Tape measure and a marked card for width checks
• A bin for offcuts, which become key rings

Storing cord

Spools keep cord clean and tangle free. Hanks work if they are tied in three places rather than one. Loose cord in a box becomes a single knot within a month.

Spools and rolls are listed here: spools and rolls (https://www.123paracord.co.uk/paracord-supplies-and-accessories/spools-rolls/).

Between sessions

A half finished piece left on the jig keeps its tension. A half finished piece taken off the jig and put in a drawer has to be re-tensioned, and the join usually shows.