Macrame Around a Ring to Make Your Own Components

Jewelry Making Quick Tip with Candie: Macrame Around a Ring

*This post has been sponsored by Beadalon*

On your jewelry making journey there are times when you can’t find the right component you need for your project. When this happens it is a great time for us to try new skills and expand our creativity and make our own components. Today I have a photo tutorial for you how to macrame around a ring.

Macrame is the art of knotting cord or string in patterns to make decorative articles. Many of you may remember macrame projects as a kid growing up. Macrame is making a comeback of sorts and it proving to be beautiful in so many different mediums, not just the hanging plant holders you may be thinking of. Join me as we take macrame into the jewelry world making a customized component to use in your next project.

Macrame Around a Ring Supplies:

• Beadalon Quick Links
• Cording
• Glue (optional)
  

When selecting your materials you should consider the project you will be using your component in. Think about the color of metal that you are using in your links as some of it may show through with movement. Along with the metal color you will need to consider the size and shape of your ring. You are not limited to what you can find in loose rings, think about taking some chain apart and using the rings for this project.

Also consider what cording you prefer to use.  Depending on what other materials you are using in your project will impact the cording that you select. For this tutorial I used hemp as my cording material. Feel free to experiment with leather (.5 to 1mm diameter) or even silk. Each cording option will give you a different look and texture to your component.

Macrame Around a Ring:

Before we begin we must anchor the cording to the ring. Tie a half hitch knot to secure your cording in place. If you feel more comfortable, you can add a dab of glue to your knot so that it doesn’t you are sure your knot is secure. Try not to get the glue on the ring so that as you work there is movement to your knots. NOTE: If you are going to use glue I suggest that you try the glue of your choice on a small piece of your cording to see how the glue dries. I suggest doing this so that you can try to avoid seeing where the glue was placed.

After your end is secured it is time to start knotting. There are many ways that you can organize your knots in macrame to create beautiful designs. In this case I want all of my knots to sit on the outside of my ring. This is easy to accomplish since I only have one cord to work with. Follow the images below to see the steps in creating your next knot.

First you will thread your chord through the ring from the bottom.

Once you have threaded the cord through the ring you will go back over the ring and under the starting piece of cord.

Next you will snug the cord to a tight knot on the ring. NOTE: The first few knots that you create should sit over the tail of the securing knot. This will add extra security in keeping the knot in place.

Continue steps 2-4 until you are completely around your ring. At the end of your work you can again use another dab of glue if you like to keep your knot secure. Another option is to leave a small tale and using a sewing needle thread it back under a few knots to tuck it in before clipping it short.

Work these wonderful macrame rings into your designs to add some texture. These would be a wonderful addition to earrings or necklaces. Even as a focal for a bracelet since they are so light.

Have fun exploring what you can do with Macrame around rings. Head over to the Candie Cooper Facebook page and post what you are working on so we can all be inspired.