Hemp Jewelry Knot Tying Instructions

A ball of hemp string is your starting point for many types of jewelry and crafts.

Hemp can be used to make necklaces, bracelets, anklets, key chains and anything else your imagination comes up with. Hemp complements beads made from wood, bone, shell, metal or plastic. It is a casual style that can be worn by men or women. To make your own hemp jewelry, you just need to know how to tie a few simple knots.

Things You'll Need

• Hemp string
• Beads
• Safety pin or tape
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Measure the hemp string and cut desired length. For a necklace, 12 to 15 feet are required. For a bracelet or ankle bracelet, 6 to 9 feet will do.

2. Fold the piece of string in half. Grasp the loop created by the fold. Measure 1 to 2 feet down from the loop and cut across. You'll have one shorter and two longer pieces of string.

3. Fold the short piece in half and tie the two longer pieces around the loop, leaving it just large enough to fit around the bead you plan to use.

4. Secure the loop to the table with a piece of tape, or to the knee of your pants with a safety pin. This will help you pull the knots tightly enough so the necklace looks clean.

5. Lay the two long strands on the outsides of the two short strands. The shorter strands will always stay in the middle and the longer strands will be what you use to make the knots.

6. Pull the long strand on the right slightly away from the other strings with your right hand. Hold your right hand there and with your left, pull the bottom of the string across the top of the three others so it forms a triangle.

7. Wrap the right-hand string under the bottom of the other three and back through the triangle-shaped opening. Pull up firmly to the right.

8. Repeat with the left-hand string. Then alternate back and forth between right and left doing the same motion and keeping the middle strings flat.

9. Add a bead. Once you have knotted far enough down to place your first bead, slide it onto the two middle strings. Then repeat the knotting action with the right and left long strings, which will hold the bead in place.

10. Tie off the necklace or bracelet once it is long enough. You may use a bead at the very end, then tie all four strings off around the bead. This will create a fastener for your piece of jewelry.

Tips & Warnings

• Measure the length of the necklace or bracelet you plan to make, then lay out beads in the pattern you want along a table or on the floor. This way you can easily measure the distance between beads as you are knotting the hemp.

References

• Beadage: How to Make Hemp Jewlery