Macrame is one of the easiest crafts to learn and can enable you to quickly produce one-of-a-kind works of art, either to display at home or to share with friends and family. One of the great things about macrame is that you don’t need special equipment to get started. A simple starting project is a macrame keychain.
What you need to make a macrame keychain
1. A high-quality, hard-wearing cotton yarn, such as that stocked by Wool Couture.
2. A measuring tape.
3. Scissors.
4. A D or O-shaped metal keychain (recycle one you already have, if necessary).
How to make a macrame keychain
1. Cut your yarn to the right lengths. You will want four lengths of 1.5 metres each and 1 of 80 cm long.
2. Using a lark’s head knot attach the four long lengths to your metal keychain.
3. Use string four as your guide and create a diagonal row of knots, using the double half hitch method.
4. Repeat step 3 three times, flipping your work each time to produce a criss-cross appearance.
5. Tie a square knot using the four central strings.
6. Use string one to create another diagonal row of half hitch knots across strings two, three and four.
7. Repeat step 6 two more times, flipping the work each time.
8. Use a double half hitch knot to create a diamond shape.
9. Repeat steps 2 to 8 so that you end up with two diamond shapes.
10. Use your 80cm length of yarn to tie a gathering knot and trim the tassels to your desired length.
If you decide that macrame isn’t for you, perhaps you would like to try crochet blanket kits instead. These kits are supplied with everything that you need to create a stunning blanket, rug or cushion cover.
Whichever yarn project you decide to tackle next, take your time with it, choose high-quality materials and immerse yourself. The enjoyment that you receive from completing a bespoke creation will last far beyond the time spent on making it.