How to Select Macrame Patterns
Macrame is a process by which you can make all sorts of different projects, from plant hangers to jewelry to furniture to Christmas decorations. Unlike sewing and knitting, which use needles to put projects together, macrame relies on a wide variety of knots. There are some simple knots, and some more complicated. But just learning how to put knots in rope isn't enough to make macrame. In order to make a macrame project, you need to select the right pattern.
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Instructions
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Select a Pattern for Your Macrame Project
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Decide what you want to make with macrame. Something practical? Something decorative? Something you'll hang up to look at, or something you'll use every day?
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Choose a strong, sturdy rope or cord. How sturdy and what kind will depend on the project and how much use you expect to get out of it.
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Evaluate your own skill level when it comes to macrame. If you have been doing macrame for a long time, a complicated pattern may be a fun challenge for you. But if you're just starting out, it's best to go with something simple, with instructions that are easy to understand and follow.
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Check a site like Craftsitededirectory.com to select a pattern for the project you have in mind (see Resources below).
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Ask for patterns at your local craft shop. Tell the employees what you're looking to make and what difficulty level you're looking for. They should be able to provide you with a variety of different patterns that meet your needs, as well as offer tips and suggestions for how to proceed.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't be daunted by complicated knots. Many of them are simpler than they look, and all of them become easier once you get the hang of it.
Think about what kind of rope you'll need for your project. In any project, the rope must be strong and sturdy, but how sturdy? A decorative macrame tapestry, for instance, will only be hanging on the wall and doesn't need to be particularly durable beyond that. A purse or handbag, on the other hand, will be carried around every day and must be able to be secured firmly to its handle and survive everyday wear and tear. A chair or a hammock doesn't necessarily have to be decorative (though it can be) but it does need to be able to support the weight of a person. Rope is very important when selecting a macrame pattern.
Remember, though instructions for tying and positioning knots are hard and fast rules, instructions for color and style are not. Just because pattern instructions call for all green beads, or one red cord or one white cord, it doesn't mean you have to do it that way.
