Different Kinds of Macrame

                                  Macramé or Macrame

         -  is a form of textile-making using knotting rather than weaving or knitting. Its primary knots are the square knot and forms of "hitching": full hitch and double half hitches. It was long crafted by sailors, especially in elaborate or ornamental knotting forms, to decorate anything from knife handles to bottles to parts of ships.

Cavandoli macramé is a variety of macramé used to form geometric patterns and free-form patterns like weaving. The Cavandoli style is done mainly in a single knot, the double half-hitch knot. Reverse half hitches are sometimes used to maintain balance when working left and right halves of a balanced piece.

Common materials used in macramé include cotton twine, hemp, leather or yarn. Jewelry is often made in combination of both the knots and various beads (glass, wooden, etc.), pendants or shells. Sometimes 'found' focal points are used for necklaces, such as rings or gemstones, either wire-wrapped to allow for securing or captured in a net-like array of intertwining overhand knots. Leather or fabric belts are another accessory often created via macramé techniques. Most friendship bracelets exchanged among schoolchildren and teens are created using this method as well.

                     "Different Kinds of  Macramé"

Square Knot

•  Start with either four cords or two cords that are draped over a dowel or ring. The two center cords are used as filler in the knot. Take the left cord and curve it over the center and right cords. Take the right cord and pass it under the center cords and through the space between the center and left cords. Repeat the process, curving the new right cord over the center and left cords, then passing the left cord under the center cord and through the space between the center and right cords. Grasp both the left and right cords and pull to tighten.

Double Half Hitch

• The double half hitch is a basic macrame knot and is similar to the knot you use to tie your shoes. The key is to hold the knot-bearing cord tightly while tying the working cords to it. To make a basic double half hitch, tie two or more working cords to a dowel or ring. Lay another cord, the knot-bearing cord, on top of these strands and perpendicular to them. You may want to pin the knot-bearing cord to the left of the first working cord and hold it in your right hand. Take the left working cord and pass it over and around the knot-bearing cord, then through the loop you created. Do this a second time. Gently tighten the knot by pulling on the working cord. Repeat this process for each of the working cords.

 

Lark's Head

•  The lark's head or cow hitch knot is used to mount macrame cords to a ring or dowel or to add cords to a macrame design. Use a dowel, ring or another cord as a support. Fold the working cord in half and pass the loop under the support (the ends of the working cord should be above the support). Bring the ends over the support and under the loop. Pull on the ends to tighten.

Barrel Knot

• A basic barrel knot (also called a coil knot) can be used to finish a cord and prevent raveling or to add beads. Take at least 12 inches of cord and fold it in half. Take the end that is now on the right and pass it over the other half of the cord and through the resulting loop. Next pass this same end through the loop another two or three times. Gently pull on both ends of the cord to tighten the knot.

STEPS:

"How to Make a Lark Head"

1.     a.  Use a larks head knot to attach your cordage to a ring or horizontal bar. Often this will be used at the top edge of a purse or on the metal bars of a chair that is to be macramé

a.   b.   Make a loop of cord.

b.   c.  Over the top and back underneath. Pass the loop over top of the bar and back under the horizontal bar or ring.

c.  d.   Pull the ends through the loop. Pass the ends of the rope through the loop and pull gently to snug the knot down.

d.   e.  Finished knot. (Finished larkshead knot.)

"How to Make a Square Knot"  

a.     Cross Right over Left  

b.     Place the right hand cord over the left hand cord.  

c.     Lift the left cord over, up, and through the loop formed by the right one.  

d.     Lift the bottom cord up, over and through the loop formed by the top cord. Snug the knot.  

e.     Cross Left over Right  

f.        Place the left hand cord over the right hand cord.  

g.     Lift the bottom cord up, over and through the loop formed by the top cord.  

h.     Lift the bottom cord up, over and through the loop formed by the top cord.  

i.         Finished Square Knot

 

 

"How to Make a Cordage Butterfly"  

a.    a.  Gather long ends of cordage.

b.   b.  Loop cord around thumb.

c.     c. Beginning a foot or so from the attached end of the cord, loop the cord around your thumb.

d.     d.  Loop over pinkie. Loop the cord over your pinkie finger.

e.     e. Alternate thumb and pinkie loops

f.        f.   Criss cross your palm, looping first on the thumb and then on the pinkie.

g.     g. Tie or band the "butterfly"

h.    h.  Tie the ends around the butterfly, or use a rubber band to hold the "butter flied" cordage in place