Creating macramé jewelry is an easy way to ease into the art of knotting, while also making something that's practical and fashionable at the same time. Macramé knotted jewelry was widely popular in the 1970s, and many people still enjoy making macramé bracelets and rings today out of the most famous type of cord: hemp.
Supplies You Will Need:
Cord (hemp or yarn work well)
Mount (foam or cork board)
Gems or beads (optional)
Pins
Getting Started
Start by gathering your supplies. Hemp is extremely cheap and can be found in most arts and crafts stores, as well as drug stores. You'll also need a mount to attach the cords to keep them in place while you work. You can find a variety of beads and gems at the craft store as well.
Once you've gathered your supplies, decide what types of jewelry you'd like to make. You can create macramé rings, macramé bracelets, macramé necklaces or macramé chokers.
Creating a Macramé Bracelet or Necklace
Place your cords onto your mount and make a half square knot with four cords. Take the cord on the far right and place it behind the two core cords, bringing it over the left hand cord. Take the left hand cord and place it through the right hand loop by going over the core cords. Pull the cord through and tighten it gently to create the half square knot. Repeat these steps to the desired length of the bracelet. If you wish to make a macramé necklace, make the cords significantly longer before you begin. A reasonable length will be measured around 19 inches.
Macramé Jewelry Tips
You can also use waxed sinew cord, which comes in white, brown and black for any piece of jewelry. Remember that if you decide to select macramé beads or gems, they need to be able to fit through your cord. A good rule of thumb when measuring the amount of cord you wish to use is to assume you'll need a cord that is 11 times the length of the desired finished product.
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