How to Make a Macrame Necklace

Macrame is an incredibly gorgeous knotting technique that can impress any person that sees it. At first glance, making your own macrame anything may seem impossible because of its complex patterns and techniques. However, this isn’t the case at all! In fact, we make DIY easier than ever.

Every person has the ability to make their own macrame accessories. Today, we’re focusing specifically on making macrame necklaces step by step. Broken down like this, the entire process seems a whole lot easier. Soon, you’ll be making your own gorgeous macrame jewelry with ease. 

Macrame Necklace Options

When it comes to choosing your materials for your macrame necklace, you have quite a few options. Everybody makes their necklaces differently, so it all depends on personal preference and what’s easiest for you to manipulate. 

Hemp

Many people choose to utilize hemp to make their macrame necklaces. Hemp isn’t the softest material, but it is one of the strongest fibers on the planet and makes for easy braiding and knotting. 

Plus, hemp is more eco-friendly than other macrame options, so if you’re someone concerned about helping the planet, utilizing hemp might be perfect for you. 

Do keep in mind, though, that hemp material tends to shed a bit more than others, so you might have to do some trimming with your scissors. 

Yarn

In the event that you’re looking for a softer, fuzzier material to work with, many choose to use yarn for their macrame (and many other projects, too). 

Yarn is much more comfortable resting on the neck than hemp is, but it is a bit more difficult to make small knots with. On the other hand, it comes in various different colors so you add a splash of vibrancy to your necklace even without bright jewels. Again, just be extra careful with this more delicate material. 

Cotton Twine

Perhaps the most popular thread of them all for macrame is that of cotton twine. Cotton twine is thin, easy to use, and doesn’t shed. 

Though it isn’t quite as soft as yarn, it’s much more malleable and great for crafting small, intricate braids. For beginners just now getting into making macrame jewelry, we would suggest sticking with cotton twine.

What You’ll Need

To make your perfect macrame necklace, all you are going to need is a high-quality pair of scissors, a cord of practically any type, fishing line, a clamp or tape, glue, and the beads or jewels you want to decorate your necklace with. 

When it comes to your cord material, most people tend to use yarn or hemp. Any material of similar thickness and durability will do the trick; just as long as it is comfortable for you to work with, you should be good to go. 

Macrame necklaces can look however you want them to. That being said, you can choose to add colorful beads, delicate jewels, or pendants. 

While this does enhance the difficulty level just a little bit, it is more than worth it to create a beautifully unique macrame necklace. Now that you know exactly what you need to make the necklace, we can actually get started.

Step-By-Step Instructions 

Step 1. 

Make sure you have all of your materials readily available in front of you. Then, take your fishing line and measure however long you want your necklace to be. To do this, hold it up around your neck and determine what feels most comfortable. Make sure you keep a little extra length on it so you can tie it together.

You can make macrame necklaces at all lengths, so cut it off wherever most appeals to you and gives you enough room to work with. 

Then, you can cut the thread that’s going to wrap around the necklace itself. This should be at least six times as long as the fishing line you cut, and you need two of them. We know, it seems like too much, but we promise that you’ll need this extra length. Then, fold the two threads in half.  

Step 2. 

Now, you are going to want to create a loop, or clasp, at the top of your necklace using your hemp or yarn material. 

To do this, use one hemp string to tie a simple knot at the top of your two other threads and the fishing line. From here, the remaining three strings should all be hanging in a line.

Then, take your clamp or tape and secure the clasp you just created to the edge of your table. By doing this, you don’t have to worry about your necklace moving or shifting as you’re trying to make your jewelry. A simple chip clip can do fine here, or just a few pieces of tape if you don’t have a clamp. 

Once it is secured, you should have two long hemp or cotton strings, both on the outside, while the fishing line and the small string are placed in between. The smaller string is a result of the knot you created at the top of the necklace.

Step 3. 

Using the threads, you’re going to start braiding. Act as though the smaller string and the fishing line are one, so you have your typical three strings. 

Braid only long enough for it to cover your bead or jewel. Once the braid is long enough, you can unclamp it and tie it into a loop. Take your bead and ensure that it fits snugly in the loop, and then reclamp.

Now, things get a little bit more complicated. 

Once again, after reclamping your threads, you should have your longer thread pieces on the outside with the short thread and finishing line in the middle. 

Take the right strings and put them directly underneath the strings in the middle. Still holding on to the right strings with one hand, grab the left strings, then, and place them underneath the right strings you used to make the loop. 

Still with the left strings, then take them atop the middle strings and through the loop you’ve created.

Once you’ve done this, pull it tight, and you should have a beautiful knotted pattern at the top of your strings. This is your typical macrame knot and it is the only type you have to use for most jewelry and other projects.

Step 4. 

Continue to make about 15 or so knots. After you’ve done about 15, take your scissors and cut off the short thread entirely. 

When doing this, make sure you do not cut the fishing line that’s intertwined with it. At this point, you’re only going to make your knots around the fishing line itself, and no longer the thick thread you’re using.

Using the fishing line, slide your beads, jewels, or other decorations on. Put as many as you’d like, though, if you’re new to making macrame, we suggest only placing one or two beads before making some more knots. To keep things even and consistent, make 15 knots in between your jewels. 

If you’re hoping to add a big pendant in the middle of your macrame necklace, that takes a bit more skill and detailed instruction. For how-to instructions on that, feel free to follow this link. 

Step 5. 

Once you’ve tied as many knots and added as many beads as you want to your necklace, it’s time to finish it up. 

Using a wood bead or something similar, thread the bead through the strings and place it right up at the end of your last knot. Then, using the added string length, tie a knot at the other end of your wood bead. 

After making a knot, you’ll likely have a lot of string left over. If this is the case, feel free to cut the strings off entirely. 

This is where your glue will come in. This step isn’t always necessary, but it helps to ensure that your macrame necklace will stay safe and intact. 

Take the glue and smother the end knot of the necklace in glue to keep it from falling off. Then, let it dry.

Once it has dried, you’ll have a clasp on one end and a bead on the other to make the attachment behind your neck. And that’s all it takes! You’ve successfully created your own, unique macrame necklace. 

Crafting Your Own Macrame Necklace

Now that you’ve made your own macrame necklace once, it will become easier each and every time you do it. 

Macrame necklaces are extremely versatile and can not only be made with various materials, but it can be made with various designs and decorations, too. 

With this, you can experiment necklace after necklace to help discover which type of macrame most appeals to you (or is the most fun to make).

If this first macrame necklace didn’t turn out how you wanted, don’t worry! It all comes down to practice. Eventually, your homemade macrame necklaces will look as beautiful as the ones you find at the farmer’s market– you just have to give it some time.