How to make macramè fringes
Macramè is a technique based on the tying of decorative knots that produce a very romantic, arabeggish finish.
You can make macramè fringes to decorate your handmade scarves, your shawls, but even the bottom of a handbag… Once you have learned the technique with the basic knots, you can free up your imagination.
Let’s start to make our macramè fringes
Before starting tying macramè, it is very important to calculate the right length of the strand of yarn. Be careful: the length of the threads to be knotted is always five times that of the final design we want to get. We risk otherwise losing a job already started!
To make macramè fringes of about 30 cm (12 inches) long, cut a few strands of yarn, each about 150 cm (60inches) long. Fold the strands in half, one by one. With the help of a crochet hook insert them in the stitches, so as to form a loop.
Slightly pull to adjust the knot and proceed similarly for all the strands. In this way, you are preparing the threads with which we will make the macrame fringes.
We suggest you to secure the work with pins or needles (we used a double-sided tape!) onto a hardboard surface. Your project will remain stable, tense and it will be much easier for you to work.
Now, we start to tye knots. We will always work in groups of four threads, make a row at a time.
First Row
In the 1st row, we’ll make three knots, one to the right, one the the left and again one knot to the right.
To make a first knot to the right, hold the two central threads. Take the first strand and form a 4-shaped loop by placing the strand on top of the others. Then take the fourth strand and pass it over the first.
Pass the fourth thread underneath the two central threads and through the 4-shaped loop, pull gently and fix the knot.
To make a first knot, to the left, you will have to reverse the process.
So, holding the two central threads, take the fourth thread and form a D-shaped loop, placing the thread on top of the others. Then take the first thread and pass it over the fourth.
Pass the first thread underneath the two central threads and through the D-shaped loop, pull gently and fix the knot.
We’ve just created a “Flat Knot” (also known as Sqare Knot), which is a basic knot of macramè technique.
Finally, make a third knot, again to the right.
Second Row
Once finished the first row, we begin a second row, alternating knots. So, take two threads from the first knot and two threads from the second knot.
It is advisable to leave a space of a couple of centimeters (approx. 1 inch) between the first knot row and the second one.
Set aside the first two threads and repeat the same process. Make a knot to the right, then to the left and again to the right along the entire row. Set aside the last two threads.
Third Row
Repeat the first row, thus work again with the first four threads, leaving a space of a couple of centimeters (approx. 1 inch) from the previous row. Then tie a knot to the right, to the left and another knot to the right.
You can create as many rows, and form as many rhombus, as you want, or finish the macramè tying with a final row.
We’ve just created an “Alternating Flat Knots” pattern.
Final Row
To finish the macrame fringes, you have to make a final row. So make several alternating knots, to the right, to the left, to the right, as many times as you want.
Cut the leftovers yarn, leaving about 10 cm (4 inches) of yarn from the last row.
Here is the final result!
Don’t you find that these macramè fringes are romantic? We made them to decorate our new Romantic Scarf, made from Cool Wool yarn, 100% wool, in color Mauve.
But now that you have learned the basics of macramè, you can try with other projects and other yarns (for example our Fettuccine yarn). Don’t be shy, share your creations on Instagram with hashatgs #bettaknit and #ilovebettaknit!
