Macrame Beads
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Macrame beads come
in all shapes and sizes, and are very common, particularly
in jewelry. But many are not suitable, due to the fact they
have small openings in them. In some patterns, the holes in
the beads need to be large enough for at least two strands
to pass through. For example, if the cord is 4mm thick, the
opening would need to be 4mm - 8mm in diameter, which is a
pretty large bead.
Bead Types
I will discuss the various types of Beads in terms of suitability
for Macrame projects. Click on the images and a
larger picture will come up in a new window, so you can
see more details. |
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Beads for
Macrame are specifically designed with larger holes
to accommodate the thicker cords (4mm – 6mm). They are
usually made from wood or ceramic materials, and come in a
variety of shapes and sizes. But they are hard to find nowadays.
Thrift stores and Yard Sales are the best places to find these
beads. |
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Metal Beads
frequently have large holes suitable for most Macrame projects.
They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and I use
them frequently. You can obtain gold plated, silver plated,
and brass metal beads at any store that carries beading supplies.
Precious metal beads are, of course, more expensive. |
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Cloisonne Beads
are metal, and usually have a fancy, colorful design. They
are very popular, and well known for their quality. They have
an "Oriental" flavor and come in a variety of shapes
and sizes. The holes are usually small, but can be enlarged
somewhat. For Micro-macrame projects, they are a wonderful
choice. |
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Pendants are
similar to Charms, only larger. They are
designed with a loop that is often big enough for several
cords to pass through. And they come in a variety of shapes
and sizes. Glass and Metal pendants are the most popular.
Craft stores that carry beads are likely to have interesting
shapes and designs. |
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Glass Beads are
very attractive, and on occasion you can find them with holes
large enough for 2mm cords to pass through. You might be better
off choosing metal or wood for your Macrame beads, since glass
beads with holes large enough for thick cords are hard to
find. |
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Pandora Style Glass Beads
have become very popular. They have a silver or gold lining
inside the hole. Unfortunately, they are among the most expensive
beads. They usually have large holes, so are a great choice
to use as Macrame Beads, if you can afford them. |
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Plastic Beads
are likely to have big enough holes for 2mm to 4mm cords.
They are easy to obtain, and are inexpensive compared to other
beads. Metallized Beads are plastic, but
have a metal coating, and are often quite unique. |
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Cord Beads are
very interesting.. They are made from loops of cords wrapped
around a base, usually plastic. They have fairly large openings.
Crochet beads are also a type of cord bead,
and they are definitely unique and attractive. They are usually
wood beads covered by the crochet design. These beads are
hard to find, so if you come across any, stock up on them. |
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Gemstone Beads
are more likely to have small holes rather than medium or
large ones. They are usually more expensive than beads made
of other materials. They often come in chip, nugget, and pendant
shapes. |
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Rubber Beads
are intriguing, and made of recycled tires. Surprisingly,
they are soft, and comfortable against the skin. They would
be popular with teens and children. I haven't found many sites
that carry these interesting beads, so if you do find some,
you may want to purchase them. |
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Lampwork Beads
are also unique. These handmade beads are easy to find, often
have holes large enough for 2mm to 4mm cords, and come in
many shapes and sizes. They are sometimes referred to as Chinese
Lamp Beads. Most places that carry beads will have this type
readily available. |
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Ceramic Beads
are very sophisticated and highly detailed. Certain shapes
have larger holes than others. They come in many unique shapes
and designs, and are great for jewelry and clothing projects.
They are among my favorite types to use in projects calling
for Macrame Beads. |
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Shell and Bone Beads are more likely to
have small holes, rather than large. Since they are made from
natural materials, they come in few colors. Shell beads are
also easily damaged. I’ve tried to enlarge the holes
in them with very little success. For Micro-Macrame, they
work out great. |
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Wood Beads are very suited to Macrame,
and most have large holes. They come in several colors and
shapes. Some are carved, and quite interesting. Wood beads
are among the best Macrame Beads around. I used them often
in my Macrame projects. |
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Buttons can be used instead of Macrame
beads. Novelty buttons, in particular, are a favorite of mine.
There are so many interesting shapes available, and they are
made with a variety of materials as well. Ask your mother
or grandmother if she has a stash of them somewhere. You’ll
be amazed at what you will find in her "button box".
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| Looking for Craft Supplies for your Macrame
Projects? Visit my new online store. I carry many unique items
at reasonable prices. There is FREE SHIPPING on most of the
Craft items. |
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Bead Shapes |
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Some are more likely to have large holes than others. |
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Drop Beads are
designed with the hole running horizontally so that the bead
dangles below the cord. Charms and Pendants
are also designed this way. Some drops are teardrop
shaped, but many are not. The standard teardrop styles usually
have very small holes, but other types like the one in the
image, can easily be used with thick cord. |
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“E” Beads
are a type of seed bead, and are pretty much limited to Micro-Macrame
projects. Most cords above 2mm do not fit through them. They
come in many colors, are very inexpensive, and easy to obtain. |
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Crow Rollers
are circular, and make great Macrame Beads. They are made
from a variety of materials, and come in several sizes. I
use them regularly, as they are the best beads I've dealt
with. They show up really well, even in complex patterns.
Most have holes large enough for 2mm - 4mm cord. |
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Disk Beads have
a flattened shape, and usually have small holes. The narrow
profile has a tendency to cause these beads to get lost in
the pattern. They are only suitable for Macrame if you can
find large ones (>20mm). |
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Diamonds, also
called Bicones, are hard to find with large
holes, unless they are very large. They can be used in Micro-Macrame,
of course, but you will be hard pressed to find ones suitable
for larger cords. They are usually made of glass, metal, wood,
or plastic. |
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Rings, Donuts, and Hoops
sometimes have holes large enough for Macrame cord 2mm - 4mm.
They come in many sizes, and are a good choice if you are
using slender cord material. I've seen these shapes in glass,
ceramic, metal, plastic, and wood materials. The image shows
a Donut shaped bead with a Cloisonne design. |
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Round Beads,
particularly if made from metal or glass, frequently have
holes suitable for Macrame cords 2mm or more. Large round
beads (>20mm) have bigger holes that the thicker cords
can pass through. This shape is the most commonly found in
Craft Supply stores. |
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Tube Beads are
the best Macrame beads around. They show themselves quite
well in the overall pattern. They come in many different sizes,
and are made from a variety of materials. My personal favorites
are Tube beads made with cord or metal. I use them quite often
in a variety of Macrame projects. They are easy to find, and
not all that expensive. |
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Triangles and Cubes
are very unique. I really like them because you don’t
see them used very often. They are easy to obtain, and some
have fairly big holes. They come in many sizes, materials,
and colors. Best suited to Micro-Macrame. |
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Figure Beads
are interesting, but usually have small holes. The shapes
these beads come in are extensive. Animals, flowers, hearts,
and stars, are just a few of the many shapes available. They
are more suited to Micro-Macrame, though. The exception is
shaped Macrame Beads. These are a bit hard to find, but are
designed with large holes. |
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Beading Techniques |
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There are only two beading techniques you
need to know to work with Macrame Beads: Threading cords through
the beads, and securing them so
they don’t fall off.
Using a Wire is probably the easiest way
to attach beads. You cut a small piece, make a loop, and
feed the ends through the bead. Then you insert the cords
into the loop, and pull the ends. The entire wire as well
as the cord will go through the opening in the bead.
Beading Needles are another option. You
feed the end of the cord through the hole in the needle.
Then you pass the needle through the Macrame beads. The down side
is that it can be difficult to thread the needle.
Attaching the beads by hand is another
possibility. Sometimes it’s just easier to poke the
end of the cord through the bead hole. If you prefer to
use this technique, a magnifying glass works wonders.
Securing Macrame beads to the overall pattern is pretty simple. If there
are knots around the beads, there is no need to secure them.
The knots hold them in place. If not, then tying a Barrel
Knot above and/or below the bead should suffice.
If the bead is being used as part of a clasp, follow the
instructions below.
Technique #1: Thread the cord through
the hole in the bead. Make a tight Barrel Knot, and pass
it back through the hole. If the hole is large enough for
the knot to slip through, tie a different type of knot,
such as a Button Knot. Cut the remainder of the cord close
to the Macrame bead and apply a small amount of glue inside the
opening, if possible.
Technique #2: If the hole is too small
to accommodate two cords, cut the remainder close to the
knot. Then apply glue so it won’t come loose.
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