There’s nothing like a new pair of earrings to spruce up your look for the season. And it’s even better if you can make them yourself in the perfect color! Try your hand at DIY with our step-by-step guide on how to make a pair of boho-chic macrame earrings.
What is macrame, you ask? If you’ve never tried it, you’re in for a treat. Macrame is a textile craft that’s even simpler than knitting because you don’t need special needles, only your hands. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Tools And Supplies For Macrame Earrings
To make a pair of macrame earrings, you’re going to need some supplies:
- Earring Hoops (Any Size)
- Earring Hooks
- GANXXET Cotton 2mm Macrame Cord
- Super Glue
- Measuring Tape
- Fabric Stiffener
- Fabric Scissors
- Macrame Cord Fringe Brush
The Best Cord For Making Earrings
With so many different types of macrame cords available, which one should you buy for making earrings? Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re gathering your supplies.
Size
The thicker the cord, the heavier the finished piece will be. Selecting a thin, 2-mm or 3-mm cord will result in lightweight jewelry, which is vital for earrings. If they’re too heavy, they could pull on your earlobe.
Type
Some macrame cords have a single strand (like this). This produces a very soft piece of jewelry that doesn’t have as much detail.
Other cords are plied, which means multiple strands have been twisted together to make a single cord. You can unravel the plied yarn with a comb to create fringe. It also better showcases intricate details since it’s a bit stiffer. Your knots won’t blend as much.
There’s also a braided macrame cord. It’s made of several fibers twisted together into a tube-like braid. This won’t unravel or fray as easily, and it’s really sturdy.
Material
There’s a reason GANXXET cotton cord is a best seller — cotton is easy to work with. Plus, it’s durable and fairly inexpensive.
However, cotton isn’t the only option. You can choose to use some of our specialty cords, like these:
Your earrings will turn out with a completely different look if you use something besides cotton. So once you get the hang of the project, try a new material and see how you like it. Experimenting is one of the best parts of making DIY jewelry!
And if you’re unsure what type of cord to try next, a Curated Mystery Box from GANXXET might be for you. You’ll get a surprise selection of colors and textures for one great price.
Knots To Know For Macrame Earrings
The first knot you need to know to make a pair of fringy hoop earrings is the Lark’s Head Knot, and the second is the Double Half-Hitch Knot. Take a little bit of your macrame cord to brush up on your skills if it’s been a while or if you’re new to the craft.
You can review these two knots in the video below:
Lark’s Head Knot
You’re going to use the Lark’s Head Knot a number of times on each of your earrings. But don’t worry; it’s a pretty simple knot.
Fold your cord in half and slip the folded end over and behind the earring hoop. Then, put the two tails of the macrame cord through the loop and pull. Be sure not to twist the two loose ends of the cord.
Double Half-Hitch Knot
Now let’s review the Double Half-Hitch Knot. With this knot, you’ll basically make two consecutive Half-Hitch Knots. It works well because it’s much stronger than the single knot.
Take the two tails of your Lark’s Head Knot and cross the right side horizontally over the left, making an “x”. Put the second end of the cord through the “x” and pull tight. Repeat this a second time. Straighten the knot so that it sits perfectly.
When you do this horizontally across a sequence of Lark’s Head Knots, there will be one main cord or “filler cord” that will be tied with each of the other cords in order right to left (or left to right as you choose). The filler cord will be the outside cord on either side.
Other Knots
While the macrame earrings described below only use the Lark’s Head and Double Half-Hitch Knots, you’ll be able to make different types of earrings if you know other knots as well.
Here are some versatile ones to put on your “learn someday” list:
- Square Knot
- Diagonal Half-Hitch Knot
- Crown Knot
- Spiral Knot
- Berry Knot
Grab some scrap macrame cord and pick a knot to learn. Start by tying the knot one time. It’ll take some effort, and you may make a mistake and have to untangle it and restart. That’s OK! You’re learning. Just try it again.
Once you get the knot tied correctly, take a moment to celebrate. Then, tie it a few more times. Lastly, untangle your cord and do it again.
Try to get to the point of developing muscle memory. That’s when you don’t have to think about which way to pull the cords or what step goes next. Instead, your brain and hands work together almost seamlessly.
Step-By-Step: Making A Pair Of Macrame Earrings
Now that you know how to tie the knots, it’s time to make your macrame earrings! Here’s a video tutorial so you can see the steps in action:
1) Set Out Your Supplies
When you start, it’s best to have a clear surface where you can lay out all of your supplies. This way, everything is at arm’s reach, and you don’t have to get up to find something while you’re making your macrame earrings.
2) Choose And Prep Your Yarn
Choose a color and then cut 12 10-inch pieces of macrame cord. Allocate six pieces of cord per earring.
While you can measure each piece of cord, it’s quicker if you measure the first one and then use it as a guide for the rest. If the strands aren’t exactly the same length for this project, that’s OK. You’ll be trimming part of it off at the end.
3) Attach Yarn To Earring
To attach the yarn to the earring, you might want to use a piece of Scotch tape to affix the earring to a surface so it doesn’t move around as you work. You could also use a thumbtack on a piece of cardboard to help it stay put.
Now, using each piece of cord one at a time, tie a Lark’s Head Knot and pull tight.
Each Lark’s Head Knot should have even tails except for the last one on each earring (number six). For this one, its outside tail should be about 1.5 inches longer than the inside tail. All of the next knots will be tied around this “filler” cord.
You should have six Lark’s Head Knots on each earring. And the knots should be clustered together and centered, covering the lower half of the hoop.
4) Knot The Yarn
Now that you’ve attached the yarn, you should have 6 Lark’s Head Knots with twelve tails on each earring. Number them in your head from left to right, with the furthest one on the right being the long tail.
Cord twelve will be your filler cord, and it should be long enough to stretch to the left horizontally across all of the other Lark’s Head Knots. Now, cross cord 12 over cord 11, making an “x”. Put cord 11 through the “x” and pull tight. Repeat.
Next, cross cord 12 over cord 10 and make a Double Half-Hitch knot. Continue sequentially until cord one. When you’re done, cord 12 will be sticking out to the left. Cut it as close to knot one as possible and glue it with super glue, flattening the ends down. You don’t want it coming undone!
Do the exact same thing on the other earring.
5) Trim And Comb
It’s finally time for the trimming part we mentioned earlier. You want to find the shortest cord and cut the rest to be the same length. Then, use your fabric brush to unravel your cords into single strings. You can further cut and shape the cord to your desired length.
Before moving on, lay one earring over the other to make sure they match.
6) Stiffen The Yarn
As a final step, you may want to use fabric stiffening spray so that the threads stay in place. Follow the directions on your bottle, and be sure to do this step in a well-ventilated area. The fumes can be pretty strong.
Voila! Your macrame earrings are ready to wear!
6 Easy Macrame Earring Patterns To Try
Now that you’ve got a few knots under your belt and a pair of one-of-a-kind macrame earrings, why not explore other easy patterns? You can never have too much jewelry!
Feather
The macrame feather earring is another popular and easy style to make. Like your fringe hoops, you’re going to start with a Lark’s Head Knot, this time over a jump ring affixed to an earring hook.
For this one, you’ll tie some Square Knots down the spine with shorter strings. Even when you’re following DIY videos, there are tons of different ways to make these your own. You can even add a bead to the bottom for a little texture boost!
Tassel
Another cute style for the season is the tassel earring. You’re going to have to master one new knot for this one: the Crown Knot. You’ll also need jump rings and earring hooks for this style, as well as some embroidery thread, a needle, and a pair of jewelry pliers.
Dream Catcher
Dream catcher earrings are so cute and surprisingly simple to make. Follow the basic dream catcher tutorial from this post, except instead of making it on an embroidery hoop, make your dream catchers on earring hoops.
Simply wrap your 2-mm macrame cord tightly around each of your hoops. Then, you use a single-strand macrame cord to tie on the webbed design.
Finally, tie on feathers or beads to make your jewelry more unique.
Plant Hanger
Plant hangers are one of the most popular macrame projects for beginners. With a wooden bead and a sprig of a fake plant, you can create a miniature version of this design that makes a darling pair of earrings.
Here’s a tutorial to help you make your own pair:
Spiral Earrings
With tiny beads framing the edges of these earrings, you’ll look stunning!
This one starts with almost the same Half-Hitch Knot pattern as our earlier pair. Then, you keep going, adding beads to each row's end to finish it.
Find a full tutorial here:
Berry Knot Stud Earrings
If you prefer not to wear dangly earrings, here’s a simple Berry Knot stud pattern to try. You’ll want to use a thicker, braided macrame cord, like our Cotton Air Braided Cord, for this pair. It’s available in 4-mm or 6-mm, which would both work for these earrings.
Tie a Berry Knot, then super glue it onto a flat stud earring pad. Then, do it again, trying to match the knot for a symmetrical look.
Macrame Earring Tips
No matter what earring style you’re creating, here are a few tips to help improve your final product.
Keep Your Knots Tight
Tight knots create a polished, professional look. Pull each knot taut, then pause every few knots to ensure everything is nice and tight. If you’re having trouble, you can use a push pin to help hold the working strand in place as you pull.
Use this time to check your knot placement as well. Step back and look carefully at each knot to see if it’s in the right place on your earring. If it’s not, try to move it over a bit.
Mix It Up
Your earrings are one-of-a-kind creations. Make them even more unique by:
- Using thicker or thinner cord
- Changing the color
- Adding a second color
- Selecting a different material for your cord
- Trying a different type of knot
- Attaching beads or other accents
The sky's the limit, so get creative and don’t feel like you have to follow the tutorials precisely.
Take A Break When Needed
Creating your own jewelry can be invigorating. But it can also be frustrating, especially when first starting out.
If tying knots has you flustered, take a break. Set your project aside for an hour or two and do something else to clear your mind. When you return to your project, you’ll have fresh eyes and a new dose of patience.
Push Hard When Brushing Fringe
Watching videos of someone using a fringe brush to unravel macrame cords makes the process look simple. But be prepared because it might not go as smoothly when you try.
You have to use your muscles when brushing out fringe. Don’t be afraid to use some elbow grease to break through the twisted connections.
Try Something Different
Macrame earrings aren’t the only accessory you can make with some macrame cord and a few knots.
Branch out and try creating some of these other stylish pieces:
Before you know it, you’ll be decked out with homemade accessories. And your friends will probably start asking you to create some pieces for them, too.
DIY Fun With Macrame Earrings
There are lots of easy styles to try when it comes to macrame earrings. All you have to do is choose an earring base and macrame cord in whatever colors you like.
As you get more confident with your knots, you can move on to trickier earring styles. Or you can dabble with different macrame crafts, like keychains and wall hangings.
When inspiration hits, be sure to have plenty of our cotton macrame cord from GANXXET on hand. With your creativity and our quality cord, there’s no limit to the stylish earrings you can make!
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