Suzanne McNeill - Hemp Bracelets and More: Easy Instructions for More Than 20 Designs

There are so many cool bracelet designs you can make using hemp. Here are some ideas for inspiration. Make them your own by using your favorite colors, beads, and accessories. Have fun! Working with hemp is super easy! You only need a few supplies to start making some really cool designs. Read through this section to learn the basics. Hemp cord. Did you know that hemp is a plant? And it can be used to make all kinds of useful things like cloth, paper, wax, and, of course, rope! Hemp was once used to make all of the ropes on sailing ships. Hemp cord. Did you know that hemp is a plant? And it can be used to make all kinds of useful things like cloth, paper, wax, and, of course, rope! Hemp was once used to make all of the ropes on sailing ships.

The hemp cord youll use for jewelry making is much thinner than a ships ropes, but its just as strong. Youll find the projects you make using hemp cord can withstand a lot of wear and tear and will last a long time. Hemp cord can be found in the jewelry section of your local craft store. Its often available in different thicknesses and a rainbow of colors. You might find the cord feels different depending on the process used to make it and whether or not it has been dyed. Some hemp cord will feel stiff, while other cord will feel soft and flexible, like string.

You can use any type of hemp cord for the projects in this book. Scissors. Youll want a nice pair of scissors to cut and trim your hemp cord. Dull scissors might leave you with frayed cord ends. Ruler or yardstick. Youll often need several feet of hemp for each project, so youll want a ruler on hand. A yardstick can be very useful for measuring long strands of hemp. Clipboard. This is not a necessity, but a clipboard can be helpful. Clipboard. This is not a necessity, but a clipboard can be helpful.

Use the clip to hold down one end of your design while you knot your way to the other end. Beads, rings, and charms. Hemp looks great on its own, but you can also embellish your designs with beads and charms. Tie hemp onto a key ring to make a keychainthere are lots of possibilities. When purchasing beads and charms, check the size of the holesyoull want to make sure theyre large enough to thread onto your hemp cord without getting stuck.

Here are some simple knots that you can incorporate into your designs. A larks head knot allows you to attach your design to other items, like a key ring, zipper, or charm.

A basic braid is a nice way to start or end a design, or it can make a nice design all on its own.

Fold the strand in half. This will form a loop at the center. Hold on to the center loop. Place the center loop under the item youre attaching the hemp to (like a key ring).