Macrame is a “textile art” that uses a variety of types of cording. The yarns and cording that you use for your Macrame projects should be strong enough to stand up to the abrasion of the knotting process and shouldn’t have a lot of elasticity or give to them. You also want to use cording that will keep its identity so that the knots can easily be seen in the finished project. The knotting pattern is an essential part of Macrame and you want each knotting section to be unique and easily seen.
Many times you’ll want to use cording that will be comfortable against your skin, such as when you’re making necklaces, bracelets, anklets, or other Macrame projects that you’re going to be wearing. For other projects, such as hangers for plants, you’ll want to choose cording for its tension and strength. Those Macrame projects that are going to be outside will need to be able to stand up to the weather so you’ll need to take that into account when choosing cording. Most Macrame projects will advise you with the type of material that is best suited for the pattern so you won’t have to play the guessing game when it comes to cording.
Jute cord is great for beginners
Cords can be either natural or man-made. Natural cords are made from plants such as:
- jute
- sisal
- manila
- flax
- hemp
- cotton
- raffia
- linen
Silk cord is often used for jewelry
Other natural cording includes silk and wool. Man-made cords are made from a variety of synthetic materials such as rayon, nylon, plastic, and polyethylene. What have you found to be your favorite type of cord for macrame projects? What have I left off the list? Please share!
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