Enjoy creating decorative crafts simply by tying knots. That's all that macrame is-different types of knots in a pattern suitable for plant hangers, wall hangings, jewelry, handbags, belts and clothing. One technique of macrame involves using a dowel.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
- Metal or wood dowel
- Cord (jute or hemp works best)
- Knotting board, optional
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1
Understand that a dowel serves a functional purpose by providing a place to anchor your macrame from and keeping it even. But the dowel can also be part of the finished project as in the case of wall hangings. It's best to know what you need from the dowel before starting your project.
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2
Find a dowel that is at least a few inches longer than the width of your final project. The diameter depends on the project, but most often you'll use a thin dowel, perhaps less than an inch in diameter.
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3
Anchor your dowel, either by clamping it on a knotting board or hanging it in some area in your workspace. A simple method involves tying string at either end of the dowel and hanging it as if it were a picture. The important thing is to be able to apply the necessary tension in your macrame.
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4
Mount cords to the dowel using a lark's head knot. Fold a cord in half with the loop end going over and behind the dowel to hang under it. Grab the two ends of the cord together and place them through the loop, pulling the cords down to tighten the lark's head at the dowel.
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5
Look at whether mounting your cords with a double half hitch works better in your design. Let your first cord lay behind the dowel. Lift the end of the cord over and behind the dowel and pull down. Take the end and go up and over the dowel again. This time pull the end of the cord through the loop. Pull to tighten.
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6
Decide which method you want to use to mount your remaining cords. Use one consistent method for mounting cords. Once all your cords are mounted on the dowel, continue to tie knots based on the instructions for your macrame project.
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