Macramé and Fancy Stone set

Macramé and Fancy Stone set

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So many people have been learning basic macramé knots to make Shamballa-style bracelets, so I’m sure this wide cuff bracelet and matching collar are well within their capabilities. Made using a basic flat knot, the new Swarovski Elements Mini-beads are added onto the outer cords to create a beautiful edging. The holes in these new beads are big enough to take a 1mm cord easily. Once the macramé sections are made wire a selection of Fancy stones together to make a sparkly centre piece and then ‘sew’ the whole design together.

Cuff style bracelet

You will need:

Swarovski Elements:

4470 Square fancy stone – SIX size 12mm crystal blue shade (F 001BLSH)

4470 Square fancy stone – SIX size 12mm purple velvet (F277)

4228 XILION navette–  SIX size 15 x 7mm, montana (F207)

4228 XILION navette–  SIX size 15 x 7mm, ruby (F501)

4120 Oval fancy stone – SIX size 18 x 13mm, crystal blue shade (F 001BLSH)

4120 Oval fancy stone – SIX size 18 x 13mm, tanzanite (F539)

4228 XILION navette–  ONE size 15 x 7mm, black diamond (F215)

1088 XIRIUS chaton – SIX size 8mm (SS 39) denim blue (F266)

1088 XIRIUS chaton – SIX size 8mm (SS 39) siam (F208)

4238 Drop fancy stone – TWO size 10mm Montana (F207)

Antique silver settings to suit all the fancy stones

5051 Minibeads OVAL – SIX 6mm crystal blue shade (001BLSH)

5051 Minibeads OVAL – SIX 6mm tanzanite  (539)

5051 Minibeads OVAL – SIX 6mm montana (207)

5051 Minibeads OVAL – SIX 6mm  siam (208)

Available from www.e-beads.co.uk mini beads available shortly (early 2013)

24m of 1mm dark blue wax cotton cord

four-ring gunmetal slider clasp

Available from www.heavenlybeads.co.uk

The mini-beads can be added in a random order or following a sequence.

  1. Cut four 1.5m lengths of 1mm dark blue wax cotton cord. Fold a length of cord in half and insert the loop into a ring on the slider clasp, feed the tails through the loop and pull through. Repeat to attach all four strands.Image
  2. Pin or tape the clasp to foam or cork board. Cut four more 1.5m lengths of cord. Tie each length to one of the pairs on the slider clasp with an overhand knot. There will be four sets of four cords on one side of the slider clasp. Image
  3. You begin by working a flat macramé knot with one set of four. Leave the two middle cords straight and tie the knot with the outer two cords as follows: take the left cord under the two middle cords and over the cord on the right. Then take the right cord over the two middle cords and down through the loop made by the left cord. Pull taut.ImageImage
  4. Take the right cord under the two middle cords and over the left cord. Take the left cord over the two middle cords and down through the loop made by the right cord. Pull taut. Image
  5. *Work a flat knot (steps 3 and 4) on each group of 4 threads. For the next row push the two outer cords at each side out of the way and work on the centre 12 cords. Work a flat knot on the first four cords as before. Repeat with the next two sets of four cords. Image
  6. Bring in the cords pushed to one side and slide a mini-bead onto each outer cord. Work four flat knots across the panel using the same four cords as the first row of knots. Image
  7. Repeat from * until you have added six mini-beads on each side. Finishing with a four knot row. Apply a little jewellery glue onto each knot and leave to dry. Trim neatly. Turn the macrame round and add the same macramé panel to the other side of the clasp.Image
  8. Insert the fancy stones into their settings using snipe- or chain-nose pliers. Arrange the stones to create a rectangle that will fit across the width of the bracelet. Plan the position of the holes in the settings to make it as easy as possible to wire them together.
  9. Cut a 1.5m length of 0.315mm silver-plated wire and feed the two tails through the holes on one of the large oval stones. Take the wires down through the holes in the next stone and then add another two smaller stones on just the outer wire until the length is the same as the width of the macramé.
  10. You can add a second row of stones by taking the outer wire back up through two more stones. Use both tails to add stones and connect the rows together. The wire is thin enough to go through the setting holes two or three times.
  11. Open the slider clasp and arrange the macramé face up with a gap in the middle. Check the width required – the completed bracelet will be about 17cm long. Keep the wire work as neat as possible and once you have all the stones wired together bring both tails into the same setting, twist the tails together, trim and tuck under the lip of the setting to hide it.
  12. Position the fancy stone panel so that it is overlapping the macramé. Use a finer 0.2mm wire to ‘sew’ the macramé to the back of the fancy stone panel. Secure the ends of the wire by twisting or wrapping and make sure any sharp ends are facing to the right side so that they don’t scratch when the bracelet is worn.

Collar/bib style necklace

The collar is made in a similar way to the cuff style bracelet. You can begin in exactly the same way as the cuff bracelet so that there is a slider clasp at the back of the neck but as it is more of a challenge for the collar style necklace to lie flat it is easier to begin the macramé on pins on a board. That way the fastening can be adjusted if required.

You will need:

Swarovski Elements:

4470 Square fancy stone – TWO size 12mm crystal blue shade (F 001BLSH)

4470 Square fancy stone – THREE size 12mm purple velvet (F277)

4228 XILION navette–  THREE size 15 x 7mm, montana (F207)

4228 XILION navette–  TWO size 15 x 7mm, ruby (F501)

4228 XILION navette–  FOUR size 15 x 7mm, black diamond (F215)

4120 Oval fancy stone – TWO size 18 x 13mm, crystal blue shade (F 001BLSH)

4120 Oval fancy stone – TWO size 18 x 13mm, tanzanite (F539)

1088 XIRIUS chaton – SIX size 8mm (SS 39) denim blue (F266)

1088 XIRIUS chaton – TWO size 8mm (SS 39) siam (F208)

1088 XIRIUS chaton – TWO size 8mm (SS 39) fuchsia (000)

pear drop THREE purple and TWO montana (F207)

Antique silver settings to suit all the above fancy stones.

5051 Minibeads OVAL – TWENTY-TWO 6mm crystal blue shade (001BLSH)

5051 Minibeads OVAL – TWENTY-TWO 6mm tanzanite  (539)

5051 Minibeads OVAL – TWENTY-TWO 6mm montana (207)

5051 Minibeads OVAL – TWENTY-TWO 6mm siam (208)

Available from www.e-beads.co.uk

  1. Arrange 4 pins in a row on the cork/ foam board spaced about 1cm apart. Loop a 5.5m length of wax cotton cord around each pin and tape or secure the tails at the bottom of the board so that all the tails are the same length.
  2. Cut four more 2m lengths of wax cotton cord and attach one length to each pair with an overhand knot.Image
  3. Following the instructions from step 2 of the cuff style bracelet work the macramé, adding mini-beads at each side until you have added 2 on each side.
  4. Begin to shape the collar by keeping the flat knots quite tight on one edge of the macramé and slightly looser on the other. As you continue the mini-beads will butt together closely on the inner edge of the collar and space out slightly on the outer edge. Continue shaping the macramé by adjusting the knot size, until you have added 20 mini-beads.Image
  5. You can check the shape of the collar by positioning around a dressmaker’s dummy. Add the last three mini-beads on each side in the normal way so that the end flattens out again.
  1. Make the second side of the collar in the same way but reverse the shaping so that the macramé curves in the opposite direction. You can create a paper pattern using the first panel and work on top of it so that the two sides are exact mirror images.
  2. Insert the fancy stones into their settings using snipe- or chain-nose pliers. Arrange the stones on the template to create a panel that will fit across the width of the macrame. Plan the position of the holes in the settings to make it as easy as possible to wire them together.
  3. Wire the settings together in the same way as the bracelet (step 8-10). Arrange the panel over the loop ends of the macramé and stitch in place with fine 0.315mm silver-plated wire. Make sure the ends of the wire are facing towards the right side of the necklace so that they don’t scratch the wearer’s neck.
  4. Apply glue to the flat knots at each end of the necklace. Leave the two middle cords at the inner edge of the macramé and trim all the other cords neatly.
  5. Arrange the remaining pairs of cords so that they are side by side but the tails are facing in opposite directions. Tie a new 30cm length of wax cotton cord over all four cords. Work three or four flat knots to create a slider fastening. Dab jewellery glue on the knots making sure the slider doesn’t stick to the cords. Trim the ends once the glue is dry.

Comments

  1. Charline Taylor says:

    I would like to know if you were able to tell me where I could purchase a mirror with macrame edging. There was one in Home Decorators. It is not longer for sale. Thank you for your response.

    1. blondorothy says:

      No I don’t but you could learn and try to make it yourself!

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