Torres Strait Islands Macramé Decoration

Materials:

• Soft Yarn – Black – 100g – 12008

• Soft Yarn – White – 100g – 11307

• Soft Yarn – Blue – 100g – 17136

• Soft Yarn – Green – 100g – 11312

• Macrame Cord – 4mm x 90m – 18757

• Safety Needles – Pack of 32 – 10837

• Wooden Skewers – Pack of 100 – 10014

• CleverPatch™ Tacky Glue – 250ml – 16494

• Other materials required: Scissors and a ruler.

1. Cut four pieces of macramé cord in the following lengths: 30cm, 32cm, 36cm and 38cm. Cut a 2.5m length of green yarn, a 3.5m length of blue yarn, a 4m length of black yarn and a 5m length of white yarn.

2. Thread the green yarn onto a needle and move the needle into the centre of the yarn. Tie the loose ends onto the 30cm length of macramé cord, 8cm from one end. Bring the yarn down behind the macramé cord to create a loop at the top.

3. Sew a blanket stitch over the macramé cord by bringing the needle and yarn back up, over the cord and through the top loop. Tuck the tails of the knot under the stitch and pull the yarn firmly to secure.

4. Repeat this process and sew down the length of the cord until you are 8cm from the other end. Tie o the yarn and trim any excess. There will be a row of knots along the top.

5. Thread the blue yarn onto a needle and move the needle to the centre of the yarn. Tie the loose ends onto the 32cm length of macramé cord, 8cm from one end.

6. Align the 30cm and 32cm pieces of macramé cord, with the green wrapped cord below the blue. From the back, push the needle and blue yarn through the top of the first stitch of the green yarn, creating a loop of blue yarn at the very top

Experiment with different thickness when creating your decorative braid!

7. Thread the needle and yarn through the loop and pull tight to connect the two cords together. Continue sewing this way, creating stitches of blue to cover the macramé cord and join the pieces together.

8. Continue sewing along the cord until you reach the end of the green yarn.

9. Repeat steps 5-8 twice more. Firstly add the 36cm cord with black yarn, then the 38cm cord with the white yarn.

10. Cut a 60cm length of blue, green and white yarn. Align them all and tie onto a wooden skewer, then simply plait down the length. Tie a knot to secure.

11. Slide the plaited yarn o the skewer. Add tacky glue to the bottom of one end of your decoration and wrap the plait around. Cut o the excess.

12. Take the remaining plait and attach to the other side using tacky glue. Cut o the excess and allow both sides to dry.

13. Use a skewer to separate the strands of the macramé cord and create a fringe. You can trim the strands to whatever length you like.

14. Fold a 30cm length of white yarn over and thread through the top of your decoration. Tie a knot in the ends of the yarn to create a hanger. Your Woven Macramé Decoration is now ready to display!