Macrame Supplies & Tips

Macrame, from an Arabic word meaning "fringe", is an ancient craft of knotting in geometric patterns using simple basic knots to create a multitude of patterns. It began from the early practice of knotting fringe to a solid fabric in a continuation of knotted patterns, entire pieces of knotted fabrics were created that were perfect for altar cloths, church vestments, and doilies.

Its first known use was recorded by Arabs in the 13th cent. Later in the 14th and 15th centuries, it is documented that it was done in France, Italy, and Spain. It was then quite popular in the nineteenth century among British and North American sailors who spent long hours aboard ships tying square knots and hitch knots. They sold or bartered their knotty objects when they came ashore.

While the craze for knotted items waned in subsequent years, it is now enjoying a renewed and widespread popularity as a technique for making wall hangings, articles of clothing, bedspreads, tablecloths, draperies, plant hangers, jewelry and other furnishings.

The handcrafted items in this website are made from nylon, satin, cotton, or hemp cord in a wide assortment of colors and are embellished with beads or pendants of glass, cloisonné, polymer clay, gemstones, acrylic beads, and gold or silver findings. Some are wire wrapped with 14kt gold-filled wire, sterling silver wire, or anti-tarnish argentium silver.

Macrame Supplies

First of all, the main item you will need for macrame jewelry is the cord used for knotting designs. There are all kinds of cords available today. One of the most popular is hemp, which is actually rope or twine made from a hemp plant. It is super strong and durable. It is now available in a wide range of colors as well as the old familiar “neutrals”.

Another popular macrame cord to use with is a waxed sinew cord. Again, it’s fairly inexpensive, but normally you can only find it in natural colors such as white, brown, and black. There is also beading twin available which comes in a much larger range of colors. I use C-Lon Bead Cord 18 gauge nylon which comes in about 64 colors and is very strong. I also use satin cord in 1mm and 2mm when using beads with large holes. Once you get your cord, you need just a few more items to get started. The most important supply is the surface area you will work on. You need something that you can pin your project to while you work. I started out with a clipboard and mounted my cords on a pencil.

My personal favorite is a foam pillow which I covered with fabric. Another option is a piece of cork board. You can get these at most hardware or craft stores. I suggest that it be at least 3/8 inch thick, or thicker, and about 11 x 17 inches. You need a large enough piece so that you can comfortably set on your lap and lean against a table or desk.

To keep your project pined against your work area; you’ll need some nice strong pins. I recommend either sewing pins or those T-pins they use to keep wigs stuck on foam heads. If your cord is delicate like satin cord it would be better to use the sewing pins with the colored balls on top. They won’t leave a large hole like the T-pins can.

Next,you just need beads of your choice. You can use polymer clay, lamp work, wood, metal, just about any type of bead you want. Your only restrictions are the size of the hole. It needs to fit through your cord. Normally, most cords are about 1mm thick.

Helpful Hints

I began my jewelry making adventure by making beaded jewelry, wire wrapped pendants, and polymer clay jewelry. The rising prices of gold and silver wire, metal components, and chain made wire wrapping a little expensive. That's when I discovered the wonderful world of knotting.

I still make beaded, wire wrapped, and polymer clay jewelry but am adding more and more knotted creations to my inventory every day. I have listed below some helpful macrame tips.

1. Use hemp, or yarn, when first starting out. It is easy to tie and untie. If you make a mistake that can’t be undone it doesn’t cost much if you end up throwing it away.

2. A firm pillow or piece of foam board makes a nice work area.

3. Coat the ends of your twine with clear nail polish or with Fray Check (a product used on sewing projects to prevent fraying and is washable).

4. To add a simple toggle clasp, try adding a button or extra large flat bead on one end and an over-hand knot on the other end of your project.

5. Use twist ties or rubber bands to wind up and secure extra long cords. Unroll them as needed. This helps to keep them from getting tangled.

6. Save left over scraps to practice new knots with.

7. When learning a new knot, use different colors.

8. Use a clip board as a work surface when working on small items like earrings or bracelets.

9. If you can’t find T-pins, use corsage pins(with balls on one end) for securing work. If you don’t want to puncture cord such as leather you can place the T-pins on each side of the cord diagonally crossing over the top of the cord like an “X”.

10. Though regular yarn is okay to practice with. It is not recommend to use when creating a finished piece because it has a tendency to stretch.

11. If you are folding your twine over to make to 2 separate ones you can determine your cord length by multiplying the size of your finished piece by 8. So, if you want to make a 7-inch bracelet, you’ll need about 56 inches. If your project is complicated and has a lot of knots you may want to multiply by 10 just to make sure you have enough cord. If you are using single cords, not doubled, multiply by 4 or 5.

12. When doing knots such as square and half knots, the center cords don’t need to be as long as the outer cords. Make the center cords the length of your finished project plus 3 or 4 more inches and the outside cords 4 times the length of finished project.

13. For a more satiny look, try using ribbon, rattail, or mouse-tail as cording.

14. Before starting a project that uses beads, double check that the cords (often 2 cords at a time) fit through the bead holes and verify you have enough beads to complete your project.