Macrame is a very fun and relaxing hobby. Once you get the hang of it you can make all sorts of accessories and begin developing your own style of jewelry.

Step 1: Gather Materials

You will need a roll of hemp cord or twine, a good pair of scissors, and a safety pin.

Step 2: Cutting Your Strands

If you are making a bracelet you should be able to wrap your main piece of cord around your wrist about 3-4 times, this will be the inner most piece of cord when making the bracelet. Your second strand just be about 3 times as long as the first, this will be the strand on the outside. The same goes for a necklace but the outer string must be about 6 or 7 times as long as the first.

Step 3: Make a Slip Knot

Find the center of your first and second strands and fold them over so the two centers are together then make a slip knot so there is a loop left at the end. Then use this loop to safety pin your strands to your pant leg or whatever you'd like, some people like to tape the end down or clip it down on a clip board, I have found that pinning it works best for me.

Step 4: Begin Your First Square Knot

Before you start make sure that your two shortest strands are in the center and the longer ones are on either side. We will call these strands A, B, C, and D. Take stand A and bring it over strand B and C then hold it there with your thumb and pointer finger. Take strand D and bring it under B and C then loop it around strand A. Do the same loop around strand D with strand A. Hold strand B and C tight while you finish the knot by pulling the other strands down and tightening the knot.

Step 5: Your Second Knot

The second knot is almost the same as the first but the roles are reversed. That just means that strand A will be the one going under strands B and C instead of over. Strand D will go over B and C and they will still wrap around each other to make the knot. This pattern continues throughout the whole bracelet but it's important to keep these patterns in the same order or your project will look a little crooked. If you are having trouble keeping your patterns straight I found it helpful to use an object like a T.V. remote or anything near by to flip over as you go through each pattern. For example, if you are on your first tie the object will be facing right side up and once you finish your tie you will turn the object upside down so you can remember that the second tie is next. Continue these steps until your jewelry has reached an appropriate length.

Step 6: Tie It Off

Once you have made your piece as long as it needs to be it's time to tie it off, I like to use a bead but it is not necessary. You can just make a series of knots that are big enough to fit through the loop at the other end of the bracelet. However, if you want your piece to be the "beads knees" all you need to do is thread the bead down one or more of the strands and tie it off on the end so its secure. Make sure that your bead can fit through the loop before you tie it on. Now your piece is complete and you can start enjoying it!!