A
sa
c
ic
ae
n
nt
Embellish
a jade
medallion
with
delicate
knots
by Irina Serbina
This graceful tassel
can adorn a purse,
lampshade, or
drapery tieback.
90
Bead&Button
beadandbutton.com
If youre looking for an unusual tassel, consider adding
macram embellishment to a stone medallion. The project
calls for three knots, but the leaf-shaped central design is
worked solely in clove hitch, making this a perfect piece for
beginners. Attach your finished tassel to a purse, as on
page 93, or display it on a lampshade or drapery tieback.
stepbystep
[1] Pin your medallion to
the macram board. Cut
eight 5-ft. (1.5m) pieces
of knotting cord.
[2] Attach one piece of cord
to the medallion with a larks
head knot (Basics, p. 128,
figure 1, and photo a). Attach
a second cord to a second
hole in the same manner.
Fold a third cord in half and
pin it to the board between
the first two cords.
[3] Fold the fourth cord in
half and pin it to the left of
the first cord. Bring the right
half of the cord over the
other cords (photo b). This is
the anchor cord.
[4] Working from left to
right, tie each vertical cord
around the anchor cord with
a clove-hitch knot (figure 2).
Remove the pin holding the
anchor cord (photo c).
[5] Fold the fifth cord in
half, pin it to the left of the
first cord, and bring the
right half of the cord over
the other cords. Repeat
step 4, using the new cord
as the anchor.
[6] Repeat step 5 with the
sixth cord (photo d). You now
have 12 working cord ends.
Number them from left to
right: cord 1 through cord 12.
[7] Tie cords 3 and 6 in a
square knot (figure 3) around
cords 4 and 5. Then tie
cords 7 and 10 in a square
knot around cords 8 and 9
(photo e).
[8] Bring cord 12 diagonally
to the left across the top of
the cords. Working right to
left, use cord 12 as the anchor
and tie clove-hitch knots
with cords 117 (photo f).
[9] Using cord 1 as the
anchor, work from left to
right, and make clove-hitch
knots with cords 26.
[10] Repeat step 8, using the
far right cord the new cord
12 as the anchor (photo g).
[11] Repeat step 9, using the
far left cord the new cord 1
as the anchor.
[12] Turn your board and
position the macram as
shown in photo h. Using
cord 8 as the anchor, work
from left to right, tying clovehitch knots with cords 912.
[13] Repeat step 12 three
more times. Then bring cord
12 to the left across the top
of the cords and pin it to the
board (photo i).
[14] Using cord 12 as the
anchor, work from right to
left, tying clove-hitch knots
with cords 118 (photo j).
[15] Repeat step 14 four
more times. On the fifth row,
tie clove-hitch knots with
cords 117. As you make the
last knot, pull tight to create
a symmetrical fold that
resembles the shape of a leaf
(photo k).
[16] Turn your board and
position the macram as
shown in photo l. Using
cord 5 as the anchor, work
from right to left, tying clovehitch knots with cords 41
(photo m).
[17] Repeat step 16 four
more times. After the last
knot, pin the anchor cord
Materials
macram tassel
Chinese jade medallion
(Macram Boutique,
415-449-3508,
macrameboutique.com)
4080 ft. (12.224.4m)
1.2mm knotting cord
12 in. (30cm) knotting
cord, contrasting color
quilters pins
macram board,
self-healing polyfoam
glue
Macram knots
larks head knot
clove-hitch knot
Working
L to R
Working
R to L
Figure 2
Figure 1
square knot
finishing wrap
final wrap
loop tail
Figure 4
Figure 3
beadandbutton.com
February 2006
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92
[a]
[b]
[c]
[d]
[e]
[f]
[g]
[h]
[i]
[j]
[k]
[l]
[m]
[n]
[o]
[p]
[q]
[r]
Bead&Button
beadandbutton.com
the new cord 1 to the
board and bring it to the
right across the top of the
cords (photo n).
[18] Using cord 1 as the
anchor, work from left to
right, tying clove-hitch knots
with cords 25.
[19] Repeat step 18 four
more times. On the fifth row,
tie clove-hitch knots with
cords 26. Pull the last knot
tight (photo o).
[20] Cross cords 6 and 7 as
shown in photo p. Using
cord 6 as the anchor, work
from right to left, tying clovehitch knots with cords 51.
Using cord 7 as the anchor,
work from left to right, tying
clove-hitch knots with cords
812 (photo q).
[21] Repeat steps 1619 to
make a third leaf shape
(photo r).
[22] Repeat steps 1215 to
make a fourth leaf shape.
[23] Repeat step 20.
[24] Bring cord 7 to the left
across the top of the cords,
and tie clove-hitch knots
with cords 62, skipping
the anchor cord from the
previous row new cord 1.
Bring the new cord 7 to
the right across the top of
the cords, and tie clove-hitch
knots with cords 811,
skipping the anchor cord
from the previous row
cord 12.
[25] Bring the new cord 7
to the left across the top of
the cords, and tie clovehitch knots with cords 63,
skipping the anchor cords
cords 1 and 2 (photo s).
[26] Continue alternating
sides, working from the
center out, until you only
have one knot to tie in the
center to create a diamond
shape (photo t).
[27] Cut a 12-in. (30cm)
cord of a contrasting color.
Fold the cord in half and
hold all the cords together as
shown in photo u.
[28] Wrap cord 1 around all
the cords, including the
contrasting cord (figure 4).
Cord 1 will wrap over itself
on the first wrap. Continue
wrapping cord 1 around the
other cords for six to eight
wraps, forming a tassel
(photo v).
[29] Hold the wraps in
place with your fingers, and
bring cord 1 halfway through
the contrasting cords loop
(photo w). Pull the tails of the
contrasting cord to bring
cord 1 up under the wraps
(photo x).
[30] Secure the cords by
adding glue to the center of
the wrap on both ends. Once
the glue is dry, trim cord 1 as
close to the wraps as possible
and cut the tassel to the
desired length.
[31] Repeat steps 130
on the other side of the
medallion, if desired.
[s]
[t]
[u]
[v]
[w]
[x]
Contact Irina Serbina at
irina@macrameboutique.com.
Visit macrameboutique.com
to see her macram designs
and kits.
Editors note:
The medallion can be
any shape as long as it
has a pair of holes drilled
on one or both sides for
attaching the cords.
beadandbutton.com
February 2006
93
