Encyclopedia of Needlework
FIG. 586. MACRAMÉ FRINGE. Fig. 586. Macramé fringe.
Materials
: The same as for fig. 585.
Colours: Gris-Tilleul 331 and Violet-Mauve 315 or, Bleu cendré 448 and Rouge-Cornouille 450, Bleu-Canard 3309 and Rouge-Maroquin 3328, etc.

This effective pattern is not difficult, save in appearance, so that it is unnecessary to describe it in detail; for the knotting on, see fig. 525; for the plain bars, figs. 539 to 544; for the collecting knots, fig. 530. The only difficult point is where the threads cross each other inside the bars and form a check and by carefully following the course of the knots in fig. 587, that will be easily overcome.

FIG. 587. WORKING DETAIL OF FIG. 586. Fig. 587. Working detail of fig. 586.

Fringe or ground with picots (fig. 588).—Wind the threads on shuttles and do the knotting on, as in fig. 521, followed by a double horizontal bar.

FIG. 588. FRINGE OR GROUND WITH PICOTS. Fig. 588. Fringe or ground with picots.
Materials
: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 10 to 40 or Fil à dentelle D.M.C Nos. 25 to 50.[A]
Colours: White, écru, or any light shade mentioned in the D.M.C colour card.[A]

Leave a small space between the double bar and the 3rd bar, which is a single one, in which you cross the threads without knotting them.

Beginning on the left—over the 2nd and 3rd thread: 2 button-hole knots, 1 picot, 2 button hole knots = over the 1st, 2nd and 3rd thread: 1 double knot with each of the 3 next threads = over the 6th and 7th with the 5th thread: 4 button-hole knots with 1 picot after the 2nd knot.

With each of the 4 next threads, that is the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th: 1 flat double knot followed by: 1 bar of double knots over the 12th thread as the cord, made with the 11th, 10th and 9th thread = add 1 bar with the 11th thread as the cord, and the 7 next ones as the knotting threads = add 1 bar with the 10th thread as the cord, and the 7 next ones as the knotting threads. Leave 3 threads free on the right = with the 8 threads on the left: 1 bar over the thread before these 3 threads = leave 3 free again on the right = 1 quintuple bar with the remaining threads.

* 1 flat double knot with the 15th, 16th and 17th thread = with the 20th thread, over the 19th, 18th and 17th thread: 4 button-hole knots with 1 picot after 2 knots = knot 4 threads over the 13th thread and from left to right = from left to right, 2 bars with all the threads **.

Over the 2 threads on the left and with the 3rd thread: 4 button-hole knots and 1 picot = with the 6 threads from the left: 2 bars consisting of button-hole knots and picots = a 3rd bar with 6 double knots = join it to the last bar.

Leave 2 threads of the bar of button-hole knots free = with the outer thread make: 4 button-hole knots and 1 picot over the 2nd thread and the cord of the bar.

Repeat from * to ** along the bar, also from right to left.

Left group—knot the 3 last threads over the 4th thread and from left to right.

Right group—make, from right to left, 1 bar consisting of 6 double knots, over the 4th thread counting from right to left. After these last changes of the threads no difficulty will be found in copying the rest of the pattern.

Double fringe (figs. 589, 590, 591, 592).—Entire length of the threads for No. 10 of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C: 100 c/m., and entire length for No. 16 of Coton à broder D.M.C: 40 c/m. Knot on, as in fig. 515, 1 thread of Cordonnet, 4 of Coton à broder (these are to be taken double) 2 of Cordonnet, 4 of Coton à broder, and so on.

FIG. 589. DOUBLE FRINGE Fig. 589. Double fringe.
Materials
: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 10 to 30 and Coton à broder D.M.C Nos. 16 to 35.
Colours: White for the Cordonnet, Rouge-Grenat 335 for the Coton à broder.

In the second horizontal bar, you only use the red threads of Coton à broder for knotting, not the white Cordonnet ones. To supply their place, knot on two threads of red Coton à broder under the white threads.

With the red threads (4 count as one) make 3 rows of collecting knots, followed by a single horizontal bar. Divide the white threads into twos and make single chains with them, the whole length of the fringe; the thread must be changed 8 times for each chain; then pass the right chain under the left one and join them by a flat double knot.

You then, with the threads turned outwards, right and left, make the single chain with 5 changes of the threads and join them together again by a flat knot.

The other single chains are made with 6 and 8 changes of the threads and crossed under the double knots. The tassels, which the red threads serve as a foundation to, are begun by: 1 waved plait with two knots, then 4 single chains, again a waved plait and 1 berry composed of knots.

This berry is made over the 8 threads that come from the chains, with a long auxiliary thread, knotted as shown in fig. 590.

FIG. 590. KNOTTED BERRY FOR FIG. 589. Fig. 590. Knotted berry for fig. 589.

Large shell knots, as described in figs. 591 and 592 may be substituted in the place of the berry, fig. 590.

FIG. 591. LARGE SHELL KNOT, OPEN. Fig. 591. Large shell knot, open.
FIG. 592. LARGE SHELL KNOT, SHUT. Fig. 592. Large shell knot, shut.

Macramé border (fig. 593).—Fill 24 shuttles, knotted together, that is, 2 and 2, and knot on 3 green threads, 6 gold and 3 green. The changing of the threads and the course of the knots can be so easily copied from the pattern that a description in detail is not necessary, it is sufficient to observe that all the dark parts in the engraving should be worked in green and the light ones in gold.

FIG. 593. MACRAMÉ BORDER. Fig. 593. Macramé border.
Materials
: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 10 to 20 and Or fin D.M.C No. 30.
COLOUR—For the cotton: Vert métallique 465[A]

Beaded ground (fig. 594).—Knot on 4 threads for every group of knots, and secure them by a knot and a picot, as shown in the engraving. Work the groups of knots, as indicated in fig. 568, and after each group is finished, thread a gold bead on to every 2 threads. Our model is worked in écru thread and gold beads; the latter go very well with any colour and especially with the more subdued shades of green, such as the Vert-Mousse, Vert Bouteille and Gris-Tilleul of the D.M.C colour card.

FIG. 594. BEADED GROUND. Fig. 594. Beaded ground.
Materials
: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 25 or Fil à dentelle D.M.C Nos. 25 to 50 and gold beads.[A]

Square of mosaic macramé (figs. 595 and 596).—This little pattern illustrates the way in which tapestry and cross-stitch patterns can be utilised for macramé.

FIG. 595. SQUARE OF MOSAIC MACRAMÉ Fig. 595. Square of mosaic macramé.
Materials
: Fil à pointer D.M.C No. 30, Coton à broder D.M.C No. 16 and Or fin D.M.C pour la broderie No. 20[A]
Colours: Rouge-Cardinal 346, Rouge-Grenat 326 and 309, Bleu-Indigo 312 and 334, Gris-Tilleul 391 and 393[A]

All patterns that are drawn on checked paper can be copied in macramé and even in several colours. For every square, you count either one single or one double thread, according to the scale on which the work is to be.

In the case of a single thread, you count one double knot per square, in that of a double one, 4 double knots, two in the first and two in the second row.

After knotting the threads together, two and two, and pinning them to the cushion, see letter a, make 2 single chains with 2 changes of the thread, letters b and c, then take a very long cord, letter d, and knot on the threads. The cord forms picots along two sides of the square; into which you fasten threads, letters e and f, for the single chain formed, on the two other sides by the knotting threads.

FIG. 596. WORKING DETAIL OF FIG. 595. Fig. 596. Working detail of fig. 595.

The coloured threads for the flowers are knotted on as the pattern requires it, taking the place for the time being, of those with which the foundation is made, which are left hanging on the wrong side until they are wanted again.

The top leaves of the iris shaped flower, are worked in two shades of blue; the bottom ones, in three shades of red, the stalk and the leaves in green, and the little stars, with which the ground is powdered, in real gold thread.

When the ground is finished, you make the same openwork border at the sides and along the bottom, as at the top and finish off with very full tassels, hung on over 3 double threads and made of all the colours used in the square, tied up with gold thread, fig. 596 letter g.

Fringe with three rows of tassels (fig. 597).—As this kind of fringe is chiefly used for trimming carpets, curtains and furniture, it is best to make it in the coarsest numbers of the materials indicated at the foot of the engraving.

FIG. 597. FRINGE WITH THREE ROWS OF TASSELS. Fig. 597. Fringe with three rows of tassels.
Materials
: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 3 to 30, or Fil à pointer D.M.C Nos. 10 to 30[A]
Colours: Bleu-Indigo 312 and écru.

The pattern is so simple in its construction that it is sufficient to refer our readers to fig. 528, for the knotting on of the threads and to fig. 531, for the waved plait.

The little tassels between the knots, are made separately from the rest of the work and fastened on by the thread with which you sew them together at the top.

Macramé ground (fig. 598).—The work represented in the engraving was made for a purse and copied from a beautiful piece of Arabian stuff. Ganse turque D.M.C was used for the light background and Coton à broder D.M.C for the design. It is very easy to copy this pattern from the illustration by paying scrupulous attention to the number of knots; we do not therefore enter into any detailed description of the same, merely referring the worker to figs. 528 and 596 and the accompanying directions, for the adding on and the taking off of threads.

FIG. 598. MACRAMÉ GROUND. Fig. 598. Macramé ground.
Materials
: Ganse turque D.M.C No. 12 and Coton à broder D.M.C No. 16.
Colours: Rouge-Cardinal 347, or Rouge-Cerise 3318.

Macramé square (figs. 599 and 600).—Length of the single threads of both kinds: 200 c/m.

FIG. 599. MACRAMÉ SQUARE. Fig. 599. Macramé square.
Materials
: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 15 and Coton à broder D.M.C No. 16 or Fil à dentelle D.M.C No. 25 and Coton à broder D.M.C No. 30.[A]
Colours: White, Rouge-Grenat 309 and 358, or Gris-Lin 716 and Rouge-Maroquin 3327 and 3329.[A]

Knot upon a ring consisting of one thread: * 1 thread of white Cordonnet, 1 of Coton à broder colour 309, 1 of colour 358, 1 of colour 309 and repeat three times from *. (The embroidery cotton is to be taken double.)

Begin with the light red thread and make: 1 single chain with 3 changes of the threads, 1 single chain with the dark red thread with 4 changes of the threads. Add, or rather thread, 8 supplementary threads in succession on to the white thread, which in fig. 600, comes in the middle of the group of knots, and over each of these supplementary threads, make 2 double knots with the light red thread and 2 with the dark.

When all the red threads are knotted over the white ones, make crossed bars with the red threads by themselves, thus producing a point at the bottom of the leaf.

Then, over the first white thread coming from the right, knot all the white threads on the left of it and in the last place, the cord itself, over the 3 red threads.

Make the same series of threads on the left. This is succeeded by a second bar of white knots, the last thread of which is left unknotted. Make 4 double knots with the 8 white threads and close the square by a double bar. Add a supplementary thread to the first bar, so that you may have 10 threads coming from each side of the second bar and over these you knot the red threads, which form a dark setting to the leaves.

FIG. 600. GRADUAL INCREASE OF THE THREADS. WORKING DETAIL OF FIG. 599. Fig. 600. Gradual increase of the threads. Working detail of fig. 599.

When this is done on both sides, make 10 flat double knots with a supplementary knot, taking 4 single threads for each knot, and decreasing the number of knots successively to 2. At the point of the inside square, knot the white threads over the red ones and turn back the second white thread to serve as a cord to the first of the outside bars. Join the first thread on the left and the first on the right, to form a flat knot with them in the middle, the threads of which are then passed over the red threads; the last white threads become the cords for the second outer bar. Make a group of bars with the red threads and cross them 3 times, then finish with a handsome tassel and join the white threads together all round the square with tassels. In the case of your wishing to use these squares for making a larger piece of work, through joining several of them together, you can knot the ends of the threads into short double chains, finishing off these again with ring knots, fig. 608, and loops; through these loops, when you come to join on the next square, the knotting thread is drawn, forming them thus into connecting picots, like those which you make in tatting.

Fringe with corner (figs. 601, 602, 603).—Macramé fringes are not capable of being drawn up, as knitted, crochet, and netted fringes are, on the inside, so as to turn the corners. Consequently, according to the pattern, a greater or less number of supplementary threads have to be knotted in so as to form the corners.

FIG. 601. FRINGE WITH CORNER. Fig. 601. Fringe with corner.
Materials
: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 10 to 30 or Fil à dentelle D.M.C Nos. 25 to 50.[A]
Colours: White and Rouge-Cardinal 348.[A]

The working detail, fig. 602, shows us how the 5 first supplementary threads, are looped on to the 4th row of knots. A group of crossed bars requires 16 threads, which answer to 4 groups of little squares, placed between the lozenges. The 6th supplementary thread is put into the double connecting knot at the corner, fig. 603, and on this, the bar of knots which runs right and left is subsequently made. (In order to make it clearer, the supplementary threads are represented in the engraving in a darker shade).

FIG. 602. ADDITION OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY THREADS. WORKING DETAIL OF FIG. 601. Fig. 602. Addition of the first supplementary threads. Working detail of fig. 601.

On the two middle threads, which are a continuation of the connecting knot, 7 supplementary threads have next to be knotted, thread 7 singly, threads 8 and 9 together, threads 10, 11, 12 and 13, all singly.

FIG. 603. ADDITION OF THE SECOND SUPPLEMENTARY THREADS. WORKING DETAIL OF FIG. 601. Fig. 603. Addition of the second supplementary threads. Working detail of fig. 601.

In this manner the supplementary threads 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 connect the two cords, whilst threads 8 and 9 only, are mounted separately on both sides.

The bars, formed by the knots which are made with the supplementary threads, must be drawn tight, like any other double bar. The space left between the cords in the engraving is intentional, to distinguish the supplementary threads from the others.

A long, coloured thread is looped on to the topmost thread, between the two bars, and with this, knots are made over all the 14 threads that come from the bars and run inwards.

In the middle of the square there must be 9 flat double knots; when these are made, you continue knotting the red thread from the right and left, down to the bottom point of the square, and complete the figure by a single bar of knots, made of the white thread.

Knotted tassels, hanging from the points of the scallops, and others ornamented with flat double knots made of 10 threads, suspended between the scallops, form the outside finish to this fringe.

Fringe with pointed scallops and large tassels (figs. 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610).—Entire length of the threads for No. 15 of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C: 200 c/m.

FIG. 604. FRINGE WITH POINTED SCALLOPS AND LARGE TASSELS. Fig. 604. Fringe with pointed scallops and large tassels.
Materials
: Fil à pointer D.M.C Nos. 10 to 30, Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 10 to 50, or Fil à dentelle D.M.C Nos. 25 to 50.[A]

The present pattern, which concludes our chapter on macramé work, is one of the most difficult of all, requiring great accuracy in every particular, but more especially, extremely careful attention to the direction of the cords, that the groups of double knots and the bars may be drawn up very tightly together, so as to make the pattern very distinct and give each figure its proper value.

FIG. 605. ADDITION OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY THREADS. WORKING DETAIL OF FIG. 604. Fig. 605. Addition of the first supplementary threads. Working detail of fig. 604.

For each repetition of the subject 16 threads are wanted. You begin the half stars, on each side of the lozenges, with the 15th and 16th double thread of the first figure and make 3 double knots with 3 threads over a 4th thread, fig. 606.

Over 2 cords on the left and 2 on the right, consequently over 4 threads: 5 button-hole knots, with the 4 threads and the disengaged threads, 1 flat double knot over each of the 4 threads. This forms a shell knot, on either side of which, make 3 button-hole knots over 3 threads.

FIG. 606. ADDITION OF THE OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY THREADS. WORKING DETAIL OF FIG. 604. Fig. 606. Addition of the other supplementary threads. Working detail of fig. 604.

For the groups of bars on either side of the shell, take the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th double thread on the left, and the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th on the right. These groups are joined by button-hole knots.

Knot the 4 threads of the left group over the cord on the right; and over them again the 2 next threads on the right; knot the 4 threads on the left over the 4th thread on the right; make 2 button-hole knots with the 4th thread over the 3 threads at the bottom and on the side.

Over the 4 threads, that come from the left and right, make quadruple bars; cross the upper threads after the second row of bars, make 2 button-hole bars with the next thread over the 4th thread, then finish the 3rd and 4th bar of knots.

To make the olive-shaped group of knots on both sides, take the threads, that come out from the shells, as cords. Fig. 605 shows the adding on of the first supplementary thread, fig. 606, that of 12 more which, knotted on to the first, form with it, the group of bars on the diagonal corner line. The knots, of which the next large shell is composed, are made with 2 more supplementary threads and one thread from the preceding figure. Add on 2 more supplementary threads to the disengaged threads, which 4 then serve as cords for the groups of bars, left and right.

The 4th group of bars which forms the corner of the fringe, is made on the 4 threads that come from the large shell, on to which the fourth set of 12 supplementary threads is knotted.

The pattern ends at the bottom with a half star, and a double bar; beneath these, large scallops are added, consisting of 2 half stars, 4 ovals, 1 whole star and 2 ovals.

All the threads that come from the groups are then collected at the top of the scallops and overcast with strong thread, so as to form a thick round cord along the edges of the scallops, widening towards the point, as more and more threads are taken in. At the point, these threads are knotted into a big tassel with another bunch of supplementary threads added to them. The other small tassels, represented in fig. 604, are made separately and then fastened on.

The fringe is further ornamented by large knotted tassels, introduced between the scallops, for which, a large knotted berry, fig. 590, over 21 cords, has first to be made.

Collect the 21 threads all together, to begin with; then make: 2 rows of knots over 12 threads, 1 over 15, 3 over 21, 1 over 15 and 2 over 12; then cut the ends of the 21 threads to the same length, and turn them inwards, to fill up the hollow space inside the berry, stuffing it besides, if necessary, with wadding to make it perfectly firm and hard and sewing it together at the ends.

To this you attach 5 large and 6 small pendants; the smaller ones are begun with a Chinese knot, figs. 607 and 609, which terminates in a double chain, formed into a ring knot.

FIG. 607. CHINESE KNOT AND DOUBLE CHAIN FOR A RING KNOT. Fig. 607. Chinese knot and double chain for a ring knot.
FIG. 608. RING KNOT FORMED OF A SINGLE CHAIN. Fig. 608. Ring knot formed of a single chain.

These ring knots take the place, in macramé, of bead drops, in gimp trimmings; when they are made of a double chain, you cut away 3 threads, when of a single, 1 thread, conceal the ends carefully inside the knot, make a loop with the 4th or 2nd thread, fig. 608, and lastly, fasten off all the ends with two or three invisible stitches.

Into the loop formed by the 4th thread, you hang 3 small ring knots, made of a single chain, with a loop, top and bottom, formed of the ends of the thread.

Fig. 609 represents the small pendant, of which six are required for a tassel; fig. 610, the large one, of which there should be five. The berry, or head of the tassel, is attached to a crochet, or knotted cord, of which a description will be found in the last chapter but one of this work.

FIG. 609. SMALL PENDANT OF THE TASSELS IN FIG. 604. Fig. 609. Small pendant of the tassels in fig. 604.
FIG. 610. LARGE PENDANT OF THE TASSELS IN FIG. 604. Fig. 610. Large pendant of the tassels in fig. 604.

Next Chapter.

Return to Table of Contents.


FOOTNOTES:

[A] See at the end of the concluding chapter, the table of numbers and sizes and the list of colours of the D.M.C threads and cottons.


INSERTION IN EMBROIDERED NETTING.—ORNAMENT WITH VARIOUS STITCHES. Insertion in embroidered netting.—Ornament with various stitches.