Macrame Keychain – Classic Hemp Cord Craft
Make a macrame keychain using hemp cord – a fun classic craft from my own childhood! If you loved this, check out my heart macrame keychains too. This post contains affiliate links.
Summer time is a fantastic time to start learning some new classic crafts – especially if you’re a bored tween or teen at home on a rainy day (or the parent of one)…
Today, I’m excited to share a fun craft from my youth: macrame keychains using hemp cord – what we knew to be macrame back in the day!
Technically speaking, macrame is the art of making fabrics using knots. The friendship bracelets that we used to make as children were technically macrame. That’s what we spent our summers doing.
But when we used the term macrame, we meant textured hemp cord that had an organic feel to it (but probably wasn’t organic, because in the ’90’s it just wasn’t a thing.)
Today, most people macrame using ropes and they make elaborate wall hangings and designs. But you gotta start somewhere, right? So why not where those very artists you follow on Instagram likely started: making square knots using hemp and wooden beads?
Macrame keychains can be made in a rainbow of colored cord. Wood beads are used mainly because they tend to lave large holes that thread onto the thick cored rather easily. These also come in many colors, despite the fact that this tutorial is all neutrals.
Make one of these or a dozen. Either way, you’ll be learning some basic skills that you can then expand further on. It’s an affordable and easy project that you’ll want to make as gifts, try with a new twist, or turn into jewelry.
What you need
How to make a macrame keychain
1. Measure your hemp, and cut 4 pieces, each of them 3 feet long. If your ruler is only 12 inches, just measure out a foot three times before cutting.
2. Line the ends of the 4 pieces of hemp up, then gather them in the center, and fold in half.
3. Take the strands by the middle loop, and thread the loop through the ring of the keychain.
4. Bring the end strands up, and through the loop, forming a knot. Use a piece of tape to secure the keychain ring to a table or other hard surface to work from if you’d like.
5. Now divide the strands. You have eight strands. You will want 3 strands on the right, 2 strands in the middle, and 3 strands on the left. (The image shows 2, 4, and 2, but the beads would not fit, and I forgot to snap a photo the other way. You will see the correct number of strands in the rest of the process images for comparison.) Tape the end of the middle strands together to make threading easier.
6. Add a wooden bead.
7. Make a square knot. Take the left strands and cross them over the middle strands to form the number 4.
Then lay the right strands on top…
…then behind the spot where your four crosses over and up through the loop.
Gently pull to tighten to form your first knot.
Now repeat this same knot starting from the right strands on the other side. Your square knot is complete.
8. Make a second square knot, like in the step above.
9. Add a bead.
10. Make two more square knots.
11. Add another bead.
12. Make two more square knots.
13. Now measure and cut a 10 inch piece of hemp. You may want to tape your ends down to make it easier to finish off.
14. Make a wrap knot: Take your 10 inch piece of hemp, put one end upwards, and create a small loop. Hold it at the bottom of your knots.
Grab the longer strand and wrap it around all of the strands of hemp 5 or 6 times, looping downward as you go.
Put the end through the loop.
Grab the small end at the top, and gently pull them apart to tighten them and create the knot.
15. Cut the ends that are sticking out.
16. Now trim the loose ends of the hemp, about 1-2 inches from the bottom of the knot. Let them hang a little as a tassel.
Your macrame keychain is complete! How will you be making your next one? Which colors do you prefer? Comment below!
How to make a Macrame Keychain
Materials
Tools
Instructions
1. Measure your hemp, and cut 4 pieces, 3 feet long. You can do this with a ruler, but measuring out 12 inches, 3 times, for each piece of hemp you cut.
2. Line the ends of the 4 pieces of hemp up, then gather them, and fold in half.
3. Grab the strands by the middle loop, and push the loop through the ring of the keychain.
4. Bring the end strands up, and through the loop, forming a knot. Use a piece of tape to secure the keychain ring to a table or other hard surface to work from.
5. Now divide the strands. You will want 3 strands on the right, 2 strands in the middle, and 3 strands on the left. (The image shows 2, 4, and 2, but the beads would not fit, and I forgot to snap a photo the other way. You will see the correct number of strands in the rest of the process images for comparison.) Tape the end of the middle strands together.
6. Add a wooden bead. Make a square knot. Take the left strands and cross them over the middle strands to form the number 4, then lay the right strands on top, then up through the loop, and gently pull to tighten to form your first knot. Now repeat this same knot starting from the right strands on the other side.
8. Make a second square knot, like in the step above.
9. Add a bead.
10. Make two more square knots.
11. Add another bead.
12. Make two more square knots.
13. Now measure and cut a 10 inch piece of hemp.
14. Make a wrap knot. Take your 10 inch piece of hemp, put one end upwards, and create a small loop. Grab the longer strand and wrap it around all of the strands of hemp 5 or 6 times, looping downward as you go. Put the end through the loop, grab the small end at the top, and gently pull and tighten them to create the knot.
15. Cut the ends that are sticking out.
16. Now trim the loose ends of the hemp, about 1-2 inches from the bottom of the knot.
