Micro Macramé!

I'm still here! I know, it's been a while since I've blogged.  My springs and summers are pretty full at work so I don't have the time or energy to create as much as I would like.  But things are back at a steady pace so it's catch up time.

For a year or so since my friend Anita owner of Anita's Beads showed me a book by Kristine Buchanan about Micro Macramé, I've had it in my head that I have got to try that!! I used to do lots of macramé wall hangings, belts, plant hangers and the like back in the 1970s, so I'm familiar with most of the knots. So, I started playing around making some stoneware and porcelain connectors and buttons specifically for micro macramé jewelry.

Bracelets are my favorite thing to make, and the best book I could find that had a great selection of macramé bracelets was Micro Macramé Beaded Designs for Jewelry Using Crystals and Cords by Annika DeGroot.  I took some ideas from Annika's book, dug out my dear old worn copy of Macramé Creative Design in Knotting by Dona Z. Meilach, and used my own freestyle approach to incorporate my ceramic pieces.  Instead of working from one end to the other, I start working from the middle outward. This is the first piece I made using one of my stoneware seahorse scallop shell connectors, stoneware beads and matching seahorse shank button with turquoise and blue macramé cord.  I like to use semi precious stones as much as possible so my first pieces have a lot of jade, moss agate, turquoise, malachite, adventurine and amazonite.

The second piece features one of my stoneware dancing starfish connectors, stoneware rondelles and sea-swirl shank button.  This one has aqua, teal and purple cord, which went well with amethyst and purple jasper. I used to love doing the popcorn knots, so I threw a few of those in on this piece.

What I love about these is the back looks as cool as the front, so it doesn't matter which side is showing.

 

For the third piece, I used a scallop shell starfish stoneware focal, with cords of varied green and teal.

 

Finished with an emerald porcelain starfish button.

These three are available and I'll be listing them in my Clayworksnh Etsy shop at some point.

 

Since I wear a lot of black, I decided it was time to make myself a bracelet to wear.  So I chose one of my black and mother of pearl floral stoneware pieces for the focal,

 with a matching stoneware sunburst shank button for the closure. Black cord, onyx, and silver lattice beads completed the look for this piece. I made it while catching up on episodes Breaking Bad.

I love it and wear it all the time.  Right now in fact.

 

Then my daughter Kelsey's birthday was coming up so I decided to make her one as well.

For Kelsey's I used a stoneware wave focal, and a teal porcelain shank button, and some of my stoneware rondelles with turquoise and forest green cord and some teardrop faceted amazonite.

 

With this last piece I tried a different approach.  I wove the cord through the center so as to not cover up so much of the design on the focal, then started the macramé from underneath the piece.  This seemed to work well.

There's something very satisfying and meditative about doing all of these tiny little knots.  It takes a while, but the more you do it, the more efficient you become.  I know I'll definitely be doing more micro macramé pieces soon. Thanks Anita for rekindling my interest in this craft. For more photos of my finished pieces check out my gallery my Facebook page.

 

 Many of my ceramic connectors and buttons are available in my Clayworksnh Etsy shop, and I'll be listing more in the future.

 In other recent news, a pair of my earrings are featured in the Fall 2013 Jewelry Stringing earring gallery!

Desert Jewel Dangles ~ Using some of my handpainted earthenware connectors, pewter sun beads, beach glass & beach stones from Lake House Beach Glass, amethyst, turquoise nuggets, and sterling silver ear wires by Rocki's Metalwork.  These dangles are available in my Etsy shop.

How's that for catching up?!  Thanks so much for stopping by!