How to Macrame a Rosary
You can make your own macrame rosary using only a few supplies. You first need to understand the basic structure of a rosary, since the “beads” or knots are used to denote where you are in your devotional prayers. Each knot is reserved for a prayer to the Virgin Mary or to God, while you’re contemplating the various Mysteries. You can recite the Rosary even as you’re making your own rosary, helping you to make the correct number of knots in your cord.
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Instructions
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Measure 5 1/2 yards of #36 cord. Don’t cut the cord. Instead, burn it off with a lighter so it doesn’t fray before you begin to work with it.
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Fold the cord in half and start making your first knot at the center. Make three wraps of the cord, using the umbrella stay to help make your knots more secure, and make your first knot, pulling it tight after you have positioned it near the center of the cord. Make ten more three-wrap knots, keeping the “beads” closely spaced. Try to leave a space of no more than one-half inch between knots. Make three sets of 10 knots or three decades, taking care to space each knot properly.
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Return to the center, leaving a one-half-inch space. Make two more sets of 10 knots.
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Line up both end knots together, leaving one-half inch of space. Knot both ends together by looping both ends over one finger twice. Pull both cords through, positioning the knot and pulling it tightly. Trim the shortest cord down to one-half inch and leave it.
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Make a knot for the Our Father (pater), then five more knots on the long end of cord. Leave one-half inch and make a knot with five wraps. Burn a 15-inch length of new cord, and tie this right under the last knot as the first part of a shoelace knot. Let one end hang loose, then tie one more knot with five wraps right under the cross bar with the other end. Pull this knot tight against the cross bar. Tie one more five-wrap knot to make the cross longer if you choose. Tighten this knot and let the rest of the cord hang.
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Pick up the cord you left hanging after tying the shoelace knot, and tie a five-wrap knot on either side of the vertical bar (for the cross bar). Let the cord hang loose and burn off all loose ends of cord.
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Tips & Warnings
To burn all ends, trim them one-fourth inch away from the completed rosary, then burn the end off, quickly flattening the melted end against a kitchen knife. Repeat this for other loose ends of cord.
If you choose, you can incorporate rosary beads on a macrame rosary.
Work carefully with the lighter flame so you don’t burn your fingers or the new rosary.
References
Resources
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