A macrame pendant necklace is a knotted cord necklace made by tying small square knots and half hitches in fine-gauge cord to build a textured pendant body, then incorporating beads for detail. The key to a wearable macrame necklace is using 1.5mm or 2mm cord — thin enough to drape naturally against the skin while still producing clear, crisp knots. This tutorial walks you through making a pendant necklace with silver beads and an adjustable sliding square knot clasp, no clasp hardware needed.
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What You Will Need
Jewelry-scale macrame requires thinner cord than most macrame projects. The standard 4mm or 5mm cord used for wall hangings and plant hangers is too thick for anything you would wear.
For this pendant necklace:
- 1.5mm Macrame String (100m) — natural cotton works beautifully for a soft, wearable finish. Use code KNOT10 for 10% off your order.
- Silver Spacer Beads (100 pcs) — choose beads with holes large enough to thread your cord through without forcing it
- 5" Gold Precision Macrame Scissors — small, sharp scissors give you the control you need for jewelry-scale trimming
- A T-pin board or foam board with tape to anchor your work
- Clear-drying fabric glue or fray-stop liquid for sealing cord ends
- A tapestry needle (helpful but not required for threading beads)
At this scale, everything is small and the knots sit close together. Good lighting and a firm work surface make a noticeable difference.
Understanding the Scale Difference
The biggest adjustment when moving from standard macrame projects to jewelry is managing much shorter cord lengths and smaller knots. A square knot in 1.5mm cord looks and feels completely different from one in 4mm cord. A few things to expect:
- Knots will be tight and fine — use your fingernails or a tapestry needle to position them precisely
- Small cord tangles more easily, so keep cords organized and untwisted before each step
- Tension matters more at this scale; inconsistent tension shows immediately
If you are new to macrame entirely, try the beginners guide to macrame first to build comfort with square knots before working at jewelry scale.
How to Make a Macrame Pendant Necklace
Step 1: Cut Your Cords
Cut 6 cords at 80cm (about 32 inches) each for the pendant body. Cut 2 cords at 120cm (about 48 inches) each — these become the necklace strands that go around your neck.
Cut one extra 25cm cord for the sliding clasp — you will use this at the end.
Seal every cut end immediately with a tiny drop of fabric glue. Let them dry before handling. This prevents fraying throughout the project and keeps cord ends from splitting when you thread beads.
Step 2: Set Up the Pendant Base
Fold all 6 pendant cords in half and mount them at their midpoint onto your board. Pin or tape the fold point firmly — this becomes the top loop of your pendant where the necklace strands will attach later.
You now have 12 strands hanging down from the mounting point. Separate them into three groups of 4 cords each: left group, center group, right group.
Step 3: Knot the Pendant Body
Work one group at a time. In each group of 4, the 2 outer cords are working cords and the 2 inner cords are filler cords.
Tie a column of 4 square knots in the left group, keeping each knot snug against the one above it. Repeat for the center group and the right group. You should now have three separate columns of square knots running parallel.
After the three columns, bring all cords together and tie 2 square knots using the 6 outer cords around the 6 inner filler cords. This merges the three columns into one unified pendant shape and adds width at the upper section.
Step 4: Incorporate the Beads
Separate your cords back into groups of 4. Thread one silver spacer bead onto the 2 filler cords of each group. Slide the bead up to sit flush against the last square knot above it. The bead will sit between the working cords — position it so it is centered and visible.
Tie one square knot directly below each bead to lock it in place. Pull these locking knots firmly so the bead cannot slide up or down. This is the same technique used in the easy macrame wall hanging with beads tutorial, just at a finer scale.
You can add a second round of beads below if you want more detail. Add 2 more square knots below each bead first, then add the second bead, then lock again.
Step 5: Gather and Finish the Pendant Tip
Bring all 12 cords together into a single bundle below the last row of knots. Cut one spare 30cm cord and use it to tie a gathering knot: wrap the spare cord around the entire bundle 6 to 8 times tightly, then thread the end through the wrapping and pull snug. This gathering knot creates the transition point between the pendant body and the tassel tip.
Trim the bundle ends to 3-4cm below the gathering knot. You can trim them all to the same length for a clean blunt tip, or trim them at a slight angle for a more tapered look. Unravel the very ends by separating the plies with your fingers or a comb for a softer fringe effect.
Step 6: Attach the Necklace Strands
Thread both 120cm necklace strands through the fold loop at the top of the pendant. Pull them through until both sides are equal in length.
Now you have two long cord strands coming out of the pendant top, one from each side. These go around the neck and meet at the back for the clasp.
Step 7: Tie the Sliding Square Knot Clasp
A sliding square knot clasp needs no metal hardware. It creates an adjustable loop that tightens and loosens by sliding the knots.
Bring both necklace strand ends together at the back. Take your 25cm clasp cord and lay it perpendicular across both strands. Tie 4 square knots around both necklace strands using this short cord. When finished, trim the clasp cord tails to about 1cm each and secure with a drop of glue.
Now cut a second 25cm cord and repeat this on the other set of strand ends — the loop side. This second sliding knot allows both sides to adjust.
When both sliding knots are in place, pull the necklace strands through to test the fit. The necklace should slide open and close smoothly. Trim and seal all remaining cord tails.
Tips for a Better Finished Necklace
Keep tension consistent throughout. Tight knots next to loose knots will make the pendant look uneven. Work slowly at first and check tension after each knot.
Use a tapestry needle for bead threading. Threading 1.5mm cord through a small bead hole by hand can be fiddly. A tapestry needle lets you guide the cord precisely and prevents fraying at the cord tip.
Test bead fit before starting. Thread a scrap of cord through each bead before you begin the project. If the bead requires force, the hole is too small — use a different bead.
Block the finished piece if needed. If the pendant looks slightly crooked after completion, dampen it lightly with water, reshape by hand, and let it dry flat pinned to your board. Cotton cord responds well to this.
For more ideas on incorporating beads into knotted work, see the bead incorporation macrame tutorial. For a refresher on square knots at any scale, the 5 macrame knots every beginner should learn covers the foundation.
Variations to Try
Once you are comfortable with the basic pendant structure, there are several easy ways to vary the design:
- Choker length: Shorten the necklace strands to 70cm each for a closer-fitting choker. The pendant construction stays the same.
- Asymmetric pendant: Knot only one side of the pendant body more than the other to create an off-center tassel.
- Colored cord: Natural cotton takes dye well. Dip-dye the finished pendant in tea for a warm tan gradient.
- More beads: Add beads to the necklace strands themselves, not just the pendant, by threading them onto one strand and tying a knot on each side to hold them in place.
What's Next
If you enjoyed working at jewelry scale, try the macrame bracelet tutorial next — it uses similar cord thickness and many of the same knots. For a larger wearable project, the macrame earrings tutorial is a satisfying step up that uses a hoop frame and fringe work.
