How to make a macrame necklace (3 different ways)

Supply list

• large jewelry clap (I used a silver lobster clasp or you could use this swivel clasp too)
• 2mm or 3mm macrame cord in your desired color (2mm ivory color, 3mm khaki color)
• duct tape
• comb
• scissors
• fabric starch (optional)

Video tutorial

Here is my DIY macrame necklace video tutorial and I recommend that you watch it in combination with the rest of the detailed instructions below because it shows best what my hands are doing.

If it doesn’t load for you then you can also head over to my YouTube channel to watch it there instead.

Step-by-step instructions for the macrame necklace

Grab your supplies and let’s get started on this fun and rewarding boho craft project! The necklaces are knotted similarly to my macrame towel holder and macrame garland tutorial. They all require the same basic macrame knots that are perfect for macrame beginners.

Note: Steps 5, 6, and 7 are optional and you can add your own spin to your macrame necklace design. I will be sharing 3 different ways at the end. You can skip the added fringe, you can add more rows of Diagonal Clove Hitch Knots, can leave the fringe as is instead of unraveling and stiffening it. You can even add Square Knots or wood beads, or even seashells to it. There are so many options.

Step 1: Cut your cords

Cut 6 pieces of macrame cord at 100 inches long. I purposely cut these long so I could determine later how long I wanted the necklace to be and I knew I needed leftover scraps for the added fringe. Plus every person has a different length of torso and neck. So one size definitely doesn’t fit all in this case and that way you have the length to decide while working on the macrame necklace.

Step 2: Attach cords to clasp with Lark’s Head Knots

The next step is to fold the 100-inch long cotton twine pieces in half and attach three of them to the one jewelry clasp with lark’s head knots and the other three to the second jewelry clasp.

A Lark’s Head Knot is a simple knot that most macrame pieces start out with when looping yarn to something.

Use a piece of duct tape to secure the strands to a flat surface. I’ve seen others use a cork board and needles to secure a macrame piece in place for knotting but I usually prefer using duct tape because that way I can knot my macrame anywhere. I even knotted one of the necklaces on the beach and taped the strands to a beach chair. You can really do this anywhere.

Step 3: Knot a diamond pattern with Diagonal Clove Hitch Knots

Start with the Diagonal Clove Hitch Knots from the center outwards. It doesn’t matter if you start with the right side or the left side but try to evenly knot the pattern. That means that you shouldn’t pull one side tighter than the other.

A Diagonal Clove Hitch Knot is where you have working cords that get looped onto a filler cord. In this case, the center cords are the filler cords and you keep looping the other cords onto the filler cord working outwards. Each strand gets looped onto the filler cord twice. (This is demonstrated well in my video)

Repeat these steps over and over to create a neat diamond pattern until you reach your desired length.

Step 4: Attach both Diagonal Clove Hitch knot strands together

When you have reached the desired length for both Diagonal Clove Hitch Knot Strands, it is time to knot them together. Place both strands next to each other on a flat surface and keep them in place with duct tape.

(I tested the length by hooping the clasps together and draping them around my neck. I wanted my necklace to be more like a choker but you can certainly make it longer too.)

Knot the center together and then continue with the Diagonal Clove Hitch Knot diamond pattern centered. You can see what I mean below or in my video.

Now trim the fringe to about 4 inches and use the leftover yarn to add the fringe in the next step.

(At this point, you can make different designs for the rest of the necklace depending on what you want. Which I am showing you at the end.)

Step 5: Add fringe to the necklace edge

If you chose to add fringe the way I did, then you can use the leftovers from earlier and also cut new yarn. I started with yarn pieces that were about 5 inches long. You add the short pieces of fringe the same way you attached the yarn to the jewelry clasps with Lark’s Head Knots. Depending on how tightly you knotted the necklace, you can either add two or three pieces of fringe to the outside perimeter loops of the necklace. I added three pieces for my necklace.

I added the fringe around the outside perimeter to about shoulder height.

Step 6: Unravel, comb, and stiffen fringe (optional)

As I mentioned several times, this is completely optional. You can try the necklace on without unraveling, combing, and stiffening the fringe to see if you like that look before moving on.

I personally love the look of the fringe combed and do that for so many of my macrame projects. Check out my modern macrame wall hanging and my combed macrame yarn art where I spent hours opening and straightening macrame yarn for a unique look. They are also great easy and free macrame patterns.

Use your fingers and a comb to open up the fringe strands.

If you like your fringe straight and stiff like my necklace then you need to dip it into fabric starch and let it dry.

Step 7: Trim the macrame necklace fringe

Trim the unraveled and combed fringe with sharp scissors. My fringe is about 2 inches long.

Macrame necklace Look 1:

This is the necklace that I showed in the full version in my video and macrame necklace tutorial above. It is a shorter bib-style necklace with a lot of stiffened short fringe and the one I have worn the most so far.

Macrame necklace Look 2:

For this look I made the diamond patterned Diagonal Clove Hitch Knot strands longer.

At the end where they meet, I added three rows of Diagonal Clove Hitch Knots that end in a v-shape with a long fringe. This is probably the easiest and quickest version of the 3 different macrame necklaces.

Macrame necklace Look 3:

The third option ends in two straight rows of Diagonal Clove Hitch Knots and then a large diamond shape with a large Square Knot in the middle, as well as some added fringe on the side. You can of course add even more fringe or several small Square Knots or a wooden bead to the center of the knotted diamond.

I also chose to not unravel this fringe for a different look.

Macrame necklace Look 4: Adding seashells to the necklace

Another idea is that you can add some seashells or in this case cowrie shells to be specific. You can hot glue them to the macrame diamond shapes…