Tutorial 9--Spiral Macrame Bracelet

This is a free tutorial for two-color macrame bracelet.  It is made with the Overhand Knot and Square knot, which were seen in Tutorial 4.  It will also include the Half Knot Spiral, which we will learn in this tutorial.  The Half Knot spiral is named such because it is half of the Square Knot, and, made repeatedly, results in a spiral.

I've included a few beads in the bracelet as well.  For this project, I have used cotton yarn which is about 1 mm thick.  You can use acrylic yarn, hemp, or any of the myriad types of string-like materials available.  I encourage you to experiment.

As usual, you can pin your work to a pillow or safety pin it to your pants, or tape it to a table to make it easier to work with.

Tutorial
Making a Spiral Macrame Bracelet, 7 inches (18 cm) long

Difficulty Level
Very Easy

Time Taken
15 minutes

Materials

• 50 inches (125 cm) of red cotton yarn
• 50 inches (125 cm) of white cotton yarn
• 3 Beads with holes large enough for 2 lengths of yarn to fit though (I show 6 beads in the following picture, but only used 3)
• Crochet hook for pulling yarn through the beads
• Scissors

Instructions
1)  Align one red end and one white end of the yarn, and straighten.

2)  Fold the yarn over 12 inches (30 cm) from the end.

3)  Leave a loop about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) long.  Tie an overhand knot.  This is part of the clasp.

4)  Tie 5 Square knots, using the 2 short ends as holding cords and the 2 long ends as working cords.  Thread the 2 holding cords through the bead.  I used the crochet hook to aid me in this.

5)  Now we will start tying the spiral.  Start as you would a Square Knot, by putting the left cord over the holding cords, then putting the right cord over the left cord and up through the space created by the left cord.  Note that the white cord is on top of the holding cords at this point.

6)  Tighten.  This is a Half Knot Spiral.  Note that the two working cords are on the outside of the bead.

7)  Ordinarily, to make a Square Knot, the white cord will continue to be above the holding cords; however, for a Half Knot Spiral, the white cord and the red cord take turns being above the holding cords.  In other words, to make a Half Knot Spiral, always put the left cord over the holding cords.

8)  Continue until you have 2 inches (5 cm) of Half Knot Spirals.  Thread the 2 holding cords through the second bead.

9)  Make another 2 inches (5 cm) of Half Knot Spirals.  Thread the 2 holding cords through the third bead.

10)  Make 10 Square Knots.

11)  Tie an Overhand Knot close to the final Square Knot.  If the Knot is not big enough to form a tight clasp, tie more Overhand Knots.  Trim the ends.