Finishing Techniques
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| In Finishing Techniques you will learn specific decorative knots and procedures used to produce
a neat appearance in the final steps of Macrame projects.
The techniques described are also used to prevent the ends of
cords from unraveling. I refer to them in the free patterns
in this site, and you’ll find them in most Macrame
books, as well. |
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Finishing Knots |
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Overhand
knots are often used in the last few steps
of Macrame patterns, particularly to prevent the ends from unraveling. |
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This is a Barrel
knot, which is similar to the Overhand Knot, but has a tighter hold. It's the decorative knot most commonly used for finishing off the ends of cords. Both these knots require glue to be applied, to prevent them from untying. |
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| Tip: The glue I prefer to use is
the regular household type that dries clear. I’ve
tried other types of glue, with fairly good results. I dilute
it 50/50 with water and paint it on the final knots with
a small paintbrush. You can also use clear nail polish if
you wish. |
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The Wrapped
Knot is unique in that it secures the cords without
the need to use glue. Once the knot is tightened, you can cut off the extra material.The Linen Stitch is a similar technique. I recommend you learn both of these decorative knots, since they are used often in Macrame designs. |
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Another interesting knot, the Monkey
Fist, makes a ball at the end of
a cord, and has a neatly finished appearance. This image shows how it can be used to make a key chain. |
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This is a Matthew Walker Knot, and it also produces a nicely finished look when placed at the end of a cord. |
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This is the Chinese
Button Knot. I use them regularly
as Finishing Techniques for my own Macrame projects.
I recommend
you take the time to learn ALL of these very useful finishing techniques. |
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Weaving Technique |
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One of the most frequently used
Finishing techniques is to weave the ends into the body
of the work. This only works if the design is made up of
knots lying close together. If the ends are long, or if
they are frayed or unraveling, you need to trim them. Less
than 3 inches is best. Then apply glue or nail polish to
the ends and let it dry. Next, use needle nose pliers to weave
each end between the knots that make up the bulk of the
Macrame pattern.
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Finishing with Fringe |
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To create
Fringe, you can simply leave the leftover cords dangling.
You will need to coat the ends somehow, or the strands will
unravel. Some patterns will ask you to tie Finishing Knots at the tips. |
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| Here are some important tips for successfully making appealing Fringe: |
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| 1. Always trim the cords so
the ends are even. If the pattern does not require you to
unravel the cords, you will need to apply glue or knots
to the ends.
2. Some Macrame patterns suggest that you unravel the cords
and brush the ends so they are fluffy. This works with cord
made of cotton and nylon, but not as well with silk, hemp,
satin or leather cord.
3. For Beaded Fringe, apply a small bead to each end. Then
tie an Overhand or Barrel knot. Feed the end back through
the bead. If the end sticks out beyond the bead, trim it
so it doesn’t show. Apply a small drop of glue or
nail polish inside the bead, if you wish.
For more details about using this technique in your Macrame projects,
see Making
Fringe in Learn Macrame. |
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Other Ways to Finish Projects |
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There are other options you can use to finish your projects. For example, you can tie small bows if the item is very feminine, like this Ribbon Handbag.
Adding Novelty Buttons, charms, or other embellishments are also good ways to end a special Macrame design. Usually you will need to secure these items with finishing knots. |
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This is a new, modern E-book that's available, and it contains a lot of great information about Macrame:
- Learning the Basic Knots
- Projects, patterns, and Instructions
- How to market your Macrame
- Finishing Techniques
- Finding the best supplies & material
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Free Macrame Patterns has an online store. It's called Acajou Crafts, and there are banners for it located on every page. Click on any of them, and you will be directed to the store.
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