Comments on: How to Make a Hemp Necklace

on 6/6/2008 You can also secure the loop of the knot by pinning it on a notice board or tear up a card board box, placing it either on a table or your lap.

on 1/25/2007 alwase make sure to pull the sting really tight around beeds cuz it looks like **** when its not tight on them...

on 8/30/2006 There are two ways to make a hemp necklace-try a spiral and a straight. You can even switch both back and forth to make an awesome design. Also try incorporating beads and other items into your necklace to make it yours.

on 8/10/2006 Light a candle and let the wax melt. Dip the ends of the hemp in it for easy beading.

on 8/8/2006 You can make wonderful colored hemp for less than what you would pay for factory dyed. The dyes are a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way. Use dyes for natural fibers (reactive). Two good brands are Dylon Cold water or Permanent dye and Jacquard Procion MX.
Here is a formula that works for small batches like several yards at a time: Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of powdered dye (Careful, do not inhale the dye dust) to 2 cups of water. After dye has completely dissolved, add 1 teaspoon salt. Make a pre-soak out of 1/2 cup soda ash (sodium carbonate - cheaply sold as Powdered pH UP at the hardware store for pool care for about $10 for 1.5 pounds, which varies of course) to 4 cups of water (ratio of 1 cup of ash to 1 gallon of water). Pre soak hemp cord in a pre-soak solution for 15 minutes, then squeeze out excess, but do not rinse. Place into dye bath and stir often for the first 10 minutes and less often afterward. Let it sit in the dye bath till the desired tone of color has developed (colors appear darker when wet). Then first rinse in hot tap water till most of the dye is out, then rinse with cold water till the water runs clear. Place somewhere to dry (my favorite way is outside on a sunny day). This has worked well for me, and the cost of supplies to get started dyeing pays for itself in the end with yards and yards of wonderfully colored hemp and the experience of hand dying for the fun of it!

on 8/8/2006 You can buy a clasp at the craft section in WalMart. These clasps have metal loops. Just tie each end of the necklace/ hemp to each side of the clasp. This is a much more professional look.

on 8/8/2006 Take a dowel rod and place a nail in it. Bend the nail up, and hook the hoop to the nail.

on 8/8/2006 To take the itch away, just put conditioner on it, or while your making jewelry put lotion on your hands.

on 8/8/2006 To hold down the necklace while making it, pin it with a safety pin to a chair, couch, or carpet and you can do it while watching TV.

on 8/8/2006 If you want a fat center to your design, use rope instead of more hemp. This saves on the amount of hemp you use while accomplishing a radical look. It won't work with designs that switch cords (as in the switch knot), but it works well with the basic knots.

on 7/4/2006 Don't tie more hemp on if you run out! It makes it really hard to use. Don't tape it either, then the hemp won't bend well. Tacky glue or glue gun the ends together. That way it bends and it won't look weird with a knot.

on 7/3/2006 For the middle strands, add four inches to the length you want your necklace/bracelet/anklet to be, and double it. Fold it in half. There are your two middle strands. There's not a ton of extra to cut off at the end. For the outside strands do the preparation steps, except only make one really long strand instead of two, because you made the short one for the middle.

on 6/30/2006 If you find that it is hard after a while to put on the beads, take a normal candle and start to burn it. Take the wax and just barely put the tip in it then smooth it out. You can re-smooth it over and over again. And if the candle is scented, you have an added bonus.

on 6/30/2006 Take one piece of hemp, then measure the length you want your necklace or bracelet to be. Add two inches. Then you double the length. Then take two arm lengths (twice the size of your "wing span") for a necklace or 1 1/2 lengths for a bracelet. Then your only using two pieces.

on 3/14/2006 There is a shelf you can buy in the craft section. It's a rack that you hang on the wall. It comes with three pegs. You just take out the middle one. Wrap one side of the necklace around one side and clip it with a hair clip or office clip (for papers). Put your beads on. Then wrap the other side of your string around the other side and clip that side. It makes it so much easier. All you have to do is knot the other string. You don't have to worry about holding the middle one.