Discover how to make a jump rope with parachute cord in this instructional video. The kiddo in your life, or your inner self, will be amazed by how to make a custom jump rope with paracord.
For this project you will need a jump rope maker. This includes a winder and bat, a traveler with about 25 pounds of weight, and a bench. You can by a kit of these materials that is shipped in the bench, making it convenient for storage when not in use.
Instead of using the worsted weight colored yarn to make your jump rope, you can use either SurvivorCord or WarriorCord. This will make a jump rope that is many times stronger than one made with yarn. Once you have assembled your jump rope maker according to the directions and marked out the distance for the size of jump rope you want, you are ready to start making a paracord jump rope.
You can do one color for you jump rope or three different colors, either way you will need three separate lengths of paracord. You will need about 560 yards of each color used. Place your skeins of paracord into a plastic grocery bag with the ends sticking out.
You will need your child are a helper to sit on the bench to turn the crank handle when signaled. Tie the three cords together on the traveler hook using a simple double knot. The three cords together will be referred to as a strand. Grab the bag of paracord and walk to the winder while gently guiding the cord out of the bag. You want enough tension in the cord to prevent it from sagging, but not too much.
Wrap the strands together around one of the hooks on the winder and bring the cord back to and around the travelers hook. Bring the cord back to the winder and wrap it around one of the other hooks. Take the cord back to and around the travelers hook, and then around the last hook on the winder.
Repeat this process until there are nine strands on each hook of the winder. The order in which you do this does not matter. Cut the paracord at the travelers hook with enough left to tie it off with. Tie it by making two overhand knots around the strands of paracord in front of the hook.
Halfway between the traveler and winder, insert the bat perpendicular to the three bundles of cord. Make sure that the bundles are separate from each other. Push the bat snuggly to the travelers hook and hold the bat in place for the moment. Single your child or helper to start turning the winder. Winding in either direction will work, but a continuous and steady wind will provide the best results.
The bundles will begin to get tighter and tighter and the traveler will begin to move towards the winder. The twisting bundles will twist upon each other and force the bat to move towards the winder, and the hook on the traveler will spin. Slowly allow the bat to move towards the winder, you should not have to force it to move.
Once the bat reaches the winder hooks, remove it. Hold the rope tightly with one hand and cut the bundles off with a pair of scissors and tie the end off using a double knot, leaving a few inches as a tassel. Remove the rope from the travelers end and tie it off leaving about four inches from the end. Trim with scissors leaving a tassel, and singe each cord end to prevent fraying.
That’s it! Your jump rope is now ready for endless hours of play.
