Introduction: Custom Zodiac Sign‘s Charm
I designed a small bag charm that combines my family’s zodiac signs with traditional Chinese knots. Since I really like adding charms to my bag, I wanted to create something personal and meaningful rather than purely decorative. Each zodiac represents a family member, while the Wenchang Knot symbolizes learning and growth, and the Double Coin Knot represents prosperity and good fortune.
I also included a quick knot-tying tutorial for the Chinese knots I used. And to make it easier for everyone to figure out their own zodiac, I added a zodiac chart so you can quickly find your animal sign!
Supplies
I modeled it in Blender, and the materials required are as follows:
- two spools of shiny satin cord (red and gold)
- a tassel charm / a tassel pendant
- a small metal bead
- 3D-printed zodiac charms
Step 1:
In Week 1, I purchased the materials I needed for knotting, like satin cord and small beads. I practiced tying a few basic knots by following online tutorials, and I also watched videos to learn Blender’s Boolean Modifier, since I needed it for the 3D modeling part of the project.
Step 2:
In Week 2, I started the actual 3D modeling process. Based on my sketch, I modeled the stacked Chinese zodiac pendants in Blender and checked the shape from both the front and back. I also designed a cord pass-through hole at the top so it can be assembled as a charm later. The plan was to 3D print the mini zodiac pieces using PLA.
Step 3:
In Week 3, I began making the traditional knotting part and experimented with a red-and-gold cord design, including gold beads as accents. At the same time, I started printing the 3D model for the zodiac charm. The first print tests showed two issues: the details were still too small, and some pieces didn’t connect/merge correctly, so I planned to revise the model and improve the print settings for the next round.
Step 4:
Week 4: I painted the 3D-printed Chinese zodiac signs and assembled everything into the final charm by stringing the cords, knots, beads, and tassel together. Since the printer couldn’t reliably color-print some of the small details, I hand-painted those parts myself to make the features look cleaner and more visible.
Step 5:
I also posted a TikTok about what inspired this project—feel free to check it out!
