Hemp Jewelry Tips
Hemp fibers come from the marijuana plant. The active drug ingredients are taken out of the hemp completely and the fibers are all that is left. The fibers of the marijuana plant are much stronger than most fibers, which makes hemp great to use for making jewelry. Jewelry made from hemp lasts longer and is much stronger, so it is less prone to breaking or tearing. Learn different techniques for making hemp jewelry.
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Proper Twine Size
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Use hemp twine in these sizes: 20-pound test, which is about 1 millimeter thick; 45-pound test, which is about 2 millimeters thick; 80-pound test, which is about 3 millimeters thick; and 170-pound test, which is about 4 millimeters thick. The thicker the hemp twine, the more knots you need to make in your bracelet. The 20-pound test hemp twine is the most popular for jewelry.
Proper Jewelry Lengths
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For a necklace, measure the length of the twine to 18 to 20 inches and cut it. This measurement is for the 20-pound test hemp twine. Other sizes of twine yield different measurements. For a choker, cut the length of the hemp twine to 13 to 18 inches. Cut 9 to 13 inches if you are making a bracelet and 5 to 8 inches for an anklet.
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Other Materials
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When making hemp jewelry, interweave other materials, such as ribbon, specialty yarns and other types of cords, into your jewelry to make a different design. Use beads that have 2-to-3-millimeter holes in them. You can also use polymer beads with fun graphics on them, like smile faces, peace signs and other cool symbols. You can use steel washers or bolts in your hemp jewelry instead of beads for a punk-rock look.
Putting It All Together
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Add beads, steel bolts, ribbons or other materials onto your hemp twine while you are making the knots in it. When you are finished adding pieces to the twine, add a crimping hook on each end so that it can be connected when you put it on.
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References
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