How to Make Macrame
Macrame is the art of tying knots to make wall hangings and household items such as plant holders, tablecloths and hanging lamps. You can also make wearable items such as belts, necklaces and bracelets. You will use larks' head, square and spiral knots to create your desired items. Each knot requires practice before making a full project.
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Things You'll Need
- Two skeins of 6mm macrame' cord in contrasting colors
- 1/4-inch diameter dowel rod
Instructions
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1
Cut 8 strands 3 yards long of each color of macrame cord you wish to use. Put both ends of the first color together so they are even. Work your way from the ends to the center, keeping the strands from twisting around one another. Take the closed-loop end in your hand. Lay the close loop end of the first color yarn over the dowel rod with the loose ends hanging down as shown in the diagram.
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2
Put the fingers of your left hand through the loop and go under the dowel rod to pull the loose threads around the back of the dowel rod and up through the loop. Pull tight. Make 16 lark's-head knots along the dowel rod for practice. Alternate the colors. Refer to the lark's-head knot video at the end of this article if you get confused.
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3
Leave the outer left strand of the first lark's head knot hanging down. Take the right-hand strand of the first lark's-head knot in your left hand. Take the left-hand strand of the second lark's-head knot in your right hand. Make an "L" with the left hand strand. Cross the right-hand strand over the left, then back up, under, and out over the left.
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4
Make an "L" with what is now the right-hand strand. Cross the left strand over the right, back up, under, and out over the right. Pull tight. The right and left strands should now look like two horseshoes linked at the head. Refer to the video "How to Tie a Square Knot," if you get confused. Tie fifteen square knots using the cords hanging from your dowel. The far right strand will not be used.
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5
Repeat Step 3 to make spiral knots. Instead of linking like horseshoes, spiral knots will turn like twisted pasta. Keep making an "L" with the left-hand thread, crossing the right-hand thread over the left, going up, under, and back out, then pulling tight. Refer to the video "How to Tie a Right-Hand Spiral Knot," if you get confused.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a Macrame board and T-pins instead of the dowel rod if you just want to work with four strands of macrame' yarn. Use a T-pin to hold an "O" ring in place on your macrame' board. Tie a lark's-head knot through the "O" ring and work from there.
