Frequently Asked Questions
As soon as I started sharing images of my macrame knotted jewellery I was asked many questions from those who also was interested in this craft.
Now I am collecting the answers here. I hope it will help you, and of course it will help me too. 😀 I only have to ask you to read this. 😉 🙂
What kind of cord do you use?
I use several kind of threads, I mostly love working with Linhasita. 🙂 That is the best for me. Of course there are many cords besides I haven’t tried yet.
I suggest you search the net for purchasing opportunities. Recommended keyword: “waxed polyester cord”.
This is the Linhasita waxed polyester cord for macrame 1mm – Hilo encerado 1mm (made in Brazil). Twisted cord. This is the number one cord for me, because it is strong, its color lasts long, you can even swim with a Linhasita bracelet on your wrist.
Settanyl waxed polyester cord 1mm: very similar to Linhasita, I can’t even distinguish them. The same quality, strength and a lot of beautiful colors, also twisted.
Turkish braided waxed polyester cord 1mm. Very convenient to knot with, the knots will be smooth not as grooved/striped as the Linhasita or the Settanyl cords. Braided cord and the knots will be flat.
Shoe and leather sewing cord 0.8mm. I visited a shoe and bag-making supply shop and they have this waxed polyester cord. Very waxy, but extremely strong, flat cord. Theoretically a lot of colors should be available, but in that shop the browns were the rest besides black and white.
Amann Serabraid T90 thread 0,9mm: It is also very good to knot with. This is a braided cord, but the knots won’t be as flat as with the shoe sewing or the turkish waxed cord.
As I mentioned above, you should search the online stores every now and then, because you may find some cheaper or better color option, or you can try new type of cords. This is a creative hobby and our material choices should be creative as well I think.
What kind of knotting board do you use?
My choice is a no longer used swimming board. 🙂 My children don’t use it anymore and I tried it and it works very well. I covered it with textile leather and it is perfect for knotting because the pins stay in their place and they don’t transpierce. It is portabe and I can take it with me anywhere I go in the house or in the garden. Sometimes I change the textile leather to a fresh new one.
What do you need for knotting?
- Knotting board made at home or bought in a supply store
- 0.7mm – 1mm waxed polyester cord
- Pins
- Scissors
- Lighter
- Decorative beads, cabochons, earring hooks/wires
What do you do when there is too much wax on the cord?
Sometimes there is too much wax on the cord even on the best Linhasita. I use several techniques to get rid of it:
- One of them is when preparing and cutting the cords before knotting I put them between paper towels and gently iron it in low temperature for some seconds and check often. The paper towel absorbs the melted wax. You only have to be careful not to melt the polyester cord when ironing.
- Another technique is to boil some water and put the cut cord in it, the unnecessary wax will melt from the cords. You then have to let dry the cord and it is ready to use.
- The third method is like the first one: but you first knot the necklace or anything you want and you iron it between paper towels after knotting. You have to be very careful not to melt it too much.
How long cords do you use for a bracelet?
Notice that I recommend a length of cord in each tutorial, but the real length is up to the thickness of the cord you use, the strength of the knots you make and the length of the whole bracelet or necklace you need to make. So the more you practice the better you will be in evaluating the necessary length of the cords. There is no universal formula, I often made notes of the length a project needed and at the end when I realized I used too long cords I adjusted the length in the tutorials.
I always save the leftover pieces of thread because they’re perfect for smaller projects like earrings, keychains, little decorations, or adding a pop of color to a pendant.
I hope I could help with these answers! Happy knotting!
