Make Festive Decorations With Macramé
Simple to learn and offering you so many project possibilities, macramé opens up a new way to craft Christmas decorations for the home.
22/11/2020
My local craft store, PNA, has recently started stocking a variety of different yarns and strings that are designed for macramé, which is great because it allows you even more scope for macramé projects. Over the past couple of years, macramé has once again achieved a huge following for this ever-popular craft. It may have faded out a bit after the eighties, but macramé is once again a popular craft if you enjoy making your home decor and accessories.
Macramé is one of those crafts that is easy to learn and offers you so many different project possibilities, so what not think about macramé as a new way to craft Christmas decorations for your home.
MACRAMÉ CHRISTMAS DECOR
We stopped by twome.co.uk for some lessons in macramé and to find out how to make these wonderful Christmas stars that can be mounted onto a wall or hung over the dining table. Made using cotton rope that you should be able to find at most hardware stores, Builders or craft and hobby shops, the Christmas stars are easy enough to make using basic macramé knots and won't take that long.
MAKE A LARGE MACRAMÉ CHRISTMAS STAR
YOU WILL NEED:
Wire star shape 45cm, bought or make your own using metal or copper wire
Approx. 50 metres of cotton cord
Masking tape
Scissors
Tape measure
Pet brush with metal teeth
GOOD TO KNOW: You can buy copper wire star shapes from hobbycraft.co.uk for shipping to South Africa. You can also buy copper wire if you prefer to make your own shapes.
HERE'S HOW:
1. Buy or make your metal star shape. Include a ring at the top of the star for hanging onto a wall or threading on a cord or chain if you want to hang over a dining table.
2. To make the large star you will need approximately [146] lengths of cotton rope, each 30cm in length. Also, cut [1] length of 250cm. Of course, this will depend on the size of your star, so be sure to have extra just in case.
3. Attach the lengths of rope onto the star with a Lark's Head Knot. Click on link to visit video instruction.
4. Take the long length of cord and secure to your worktop with masking tape - as per image below. Leave about 15cm length before the masking tape.
5. With the long length of cord you will wrap around each individual cord using a Double-Half Hitch Knot and tie off at the end when you have finished. Click on link to visit video instruction.
6. Use scissors to cut the lengths of rope to 10cm all the way around the star shape.
7. Use a wire pet's brush to brush out the cut lengths of cord, as shown below. Check how your star looks and then trim the cords if you prefer a shorter length and to give a neat edge.
GOOD TO KNOW: You can use a spray starch on the trim if you prefer it to hold its shape when hung up.
MAKE A SMALL MACRAMÉ CHRISTMAS STAR
The smaller Christmas star is easier and faster to make using only half square knots all the way around the star shape.
1. Cut [2] lengths of 150cm of the cord.
2. Wrap the star shape with half square knots from the top and all the way around, tying off the knot when you reach the end.
You can visit twome's Instagram page for a video and more macramé projects.