Different Kinds of Macramé

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;

1. cotton twine

2. hemp

3. 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 in making Square knot:

1. Cross Right over left. Place the right hand cord over the left cord.

2.   Lift the left cord,cover up and through the loop formed by the right one.Lift the bottom cord up,over and through the looped form by the top cord.

3.Snug the knot.Cross Left over right. Place the left hand cord over the right hand cord.

4. Lift the bottom cord up,over and through the looped form by the top cord.

5. Snug the knot. 

    Finished Square knot

                      

STEPS in making Cordage butterfly:

1. Loop cord around thumb.

2. Loop cord over your pinkie finger.

3. Crisscross your palm, looping on the thumb first and then on the pinkie.

4. Continue to the end of cordage.(cordage butterfly)

5. Ties the ends around the butterfly or use a rubber band to hold the "butterflied" cordage in place.