For my first instructable I am taking part in the paracord challenge. I designed something decorative and useful: the paracord beer-holder. Besides showing off your decorative craftsmanship, it is a practical way to keep your (spare) beer close and both hands free for other things in outdoor activities like picnicking, festivals, skate boarding etc.

Also you can use it to cool your beer in a pond or stream. Of course you can also use a PET water-bottle or upscale it to a wine-holder. Please vote if you like this idea!

Step 1: Step 1: Materials & Tools

What you will need:

-2x 2 meters of paracord (5 mm will do)

- buckle ore carabiner hook

-Scissors

-lighter

-bottle

Step 2: The Bottom Knot

For the purpose of clarity I used two different colored cords, of course you can use just one color!

I don't know the English name for this knot, but it is quite easy and you end up with four ends that are fixed without sliding. This will form the knot at the bottom under the bottle.

By folding your cords in two you will find the middle of the cords. follow the pictures to learn this knot.

Step 3: The Sides

To knot the sides it is useful to learn the Double Carrick bend first, although I started with a variation I named the Tripple Carrick bend. Just follow the pictures and practice until you get the hang of it.

Then start with the Tripple Carrick bend about 6 cm (or 2,5 inch) from the bottom knot. Do the same with the cord ends on the opposite side.

Do not pull the knot too tight, but flatten it. You could fix the flattened knots with a medium hot iron by pressing it between two sheets of paper.

Now take the cords of the two opposing knots and 2,5 cm (1 inch) from the first knots lay two Double Carrick bends.

Use a beer bottle for guidance and evenly spacing out your knots.

Look at the pictures to see how to follow up with two more layers of knots, keep in mind that the bottle should be removable from the top, so don't make the web too tight.

Step 4: The Handle

There are many different options to finish the top. You could use a carbiner type of hook, a loop and toggle, or, as I did, a combination of a carrying handle and buckle clip for easily looping it around a belt or branch.

The handle is actually the same technique as a paracord bracelet. You could use any knot for bracelet design.

For the basic one start with pulling the paracord through the clip and move it to the length you want it to be. Then passing one end in front of the cords and the other in the backside and through the loops you created. It's simply an overhand knot repeated in opposite directions as in a square knot (you could repeat it in the same direction, it will end up as a spiral). In my case on the front side I choose 6 cm (2,5 in) from the last knot, on the backside 18 cm ( 7 in) from the last knot.

When you're finished, braided back to 3 cm (1,5 in) from your last knot, the tools come in. With scissors (or a sharp knife) cut off the rest of your paracord and melt the tips with the lighter. Flatten the ends with the scissors while still hot, so that it won't untie itself.

Now enjoy the great outdoors with your handsfree beer!

and don't forget to vote for me