Make "jewellery" from cords & string...
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The last word in elegance?!! | |
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Remember the 1970's?...
Probably not! But we've all seen those hairy pothangers made from knotted string in the charity shops. When my girls were begging me to buy some expensive handmade fripperies during Wimborne's famous Folk Festival, I suddenly remembered the "Sailors' Craft", which is hundreds of years old, and still fun to do today, especially if you use glittery or brightly-coloured cords for a more Second-Millenium look. The results are similar to "friendship" bracelets, but quicker to create and easier to vary to your tastes.
For these easy ankle or wrist decorations, you will need something like a skein of multicoloured 3-ply pima cotton - I used "Watercolours" by Caron, from the dreaded craft warehouse, and a metre of "thonging" or similar stout cord - glittery thread for embroidering plastic canvas is good too - and some beads that just fit on the thonging.
Work out roughly the size of the wrist or ankle you are "decorating". Cut a length of thonging at least 3 times that length and a piece of the pima cotton 2 and a half times the length of the thonging. Cut the thonging in half, thread two beads onto each half and tie the ends tightly so they don't fall off. With a bead at each end, hold the two "knotbearers" together, and place the middle of the cotton behind the threads.
Fold the right half of the thread over the "bearers". This will always stay on top now. |  |
Put the left thread over the other, pass it under the "bearers" and up through the loop formed by the right. |  |
Repeat the action the other way round - your "right" thread has become your "left". |  |
Pull both ends gently to tighten knot. |  |
You have just tied your first Straight Knot. Remember that one thread always stays on top & repeat from step 1...
Knot away until you reach the end of one or both of the threads. On one side of the bearers, tie a reef knot (left behind right & over, then right behind left & over), tighten, and neaten ends. There you have it! Don't be afraid to vary the way you make the bearers to make effective fastenings. In the picture you will see that one braclet has had the bearer left as one piece, simply knotted at the top end to tie the beaded ends in, which may be simpler for small fingers. Coloured thread over dark thonging looks great; so does dark thread over silver or gold! The star beads are great on an anklet but would be a pain round your wrist.
Visit tses Macrame Knots page for more detailed advice & pictures. It's slow to load, but has clear, bright detailed instructions + lots of projects to try.
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