Josephine Knot

Earrings
by Joan Babcock

These Waxed Linen earrings reminiscent of Josephine Knots

are one of my easiest designs to make.
They are favorites of mine to wear and I've made them in sev-
eral colors. Level - Advanced Beginner
Skills needed - Micro-Macrame Knots - Larks Head Knot chain, Overhand
Knot, Square Knot, Flat Square Knot
 Josephine Knot Earrings
Materials
4-ply Waxed Linen:
4 lengths @ 20” (Core cords)
2 length @ 80” (Knotting Cord)
(2) 4 mm barrel beads (hole must be
large enough to accomodate 4 strands
of waxed linen)
(2) Earring wires
Fringe beads, if desired.

Other Required Supplies

Macramé Board
Quilting or Sturdy Sewing Pins
Scissors

Making a Josephine Knot

1. Bundle together two core (20”) cords so that the ends
are even. Fold the bundle in half to locate the center
point of the bundle.

2. Fold one of the long (80”) Knotting Cords (KC) in half

forming a horseshoe shaped loop at it’s center. Pass
this loop over the center point of the bundled cords
and pull the ends of the KC through the loop and tight-
en, making a Larks Head Knot (LHK) that ties the core
cords together (see Fig. 1).

3. Pin and/or tape the bundle to the board vertically so

that half of the bundled cords are above the LHK and
half below. The two 40” tails of the LHK should come
out to the right (see Fig.1). These 2 cords will serve as
your Knotting Cords (KCs). Figure 1
4. Working downwards from the center LHK, make a LHK
chain 3.5” long (use the lower cord from the LHK as
the KC for this half). Flip the chain upside down and
Figure X
continue the LHK chain in the opposite direction using
the remaining LHK cord as the KC, adding another 3.5”.
When finished, you will have a continuous LHK chain
7” long (see Fig. 2).
2 Josephine Knot Earrings © Joan Babcock
 Figure 2

5. Remove the LHK chain from the board and

shape it into a Josephine knot (see Figures 3 - 8).

Note - Attaching a short length of spare cord to

the center/bottom of the chain will help you to
keep the knot balanced (see Fig. 3).

Figure 3

Figure 4 Figure 5

Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8

Josephine Knot Earrings © Joan Babcock 3
 6. Once you have achieved the correct shape, pin the knot
to the board with the cord ends hanging downward. Bring
the four core cords (2 from each end of the chain) over the
top of the J. Knot (see Fig. 9 for the correct positioning)
and the KCs (1 per side) under the J.Knot.

7. With both chain ends, take the KC and make a LHK around
the 2 core cords (see Fig. 10). This “locks” the shape of the
Josephine Knot into place. Adjust the shape if necessary.

8. Bring the 4 core cords together at the center into a joined

bundle and make a very tight SQK around them with the 2
KCs (see Fig. 11). Cut off 2 of the core cords even with the
Figure 9
bottom of the SQK leaving 2 core cords remaining.

9. Thread a barrel bead onto the 2 core cords (see Fig. 12).

10. Separate the core cords and thread the righthand cord
through the loop of an earring wire in a right to left direc-
tion. Make sure that the tip of the earring wire is facing
towards the back of the earring (see Fig. 13).

11. Thread the lefthand cord through the loop of the earring
wire in a left to right direction. The 2 cords will pass each
other going in opposite directions at the center of the wire
loop (see Fig. 13).

Figure 10

Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13

4 Josephine Knot Earrings © Joan Babcock

12. Thread both ends of cord back downward through the
barrel bead (see Fig. 14). Gradually pull down and tighten
each cord until the wire loop is snug up against the top of
the barrel bead (see Fig. 15).

13. Make another SQK around the 2 core cords that come
downward out of the barrel bead. Tighten this knot super
tight by pulling the 2 KCs of the SQK straight outward (see
Fig. 15).

14. Cut off all of the excess cord lengths close to the knot.
The tightness of the knot and the wax in the linen will
keep it from working loose. Paint the knot with nail pol- Figure 14
ish for extra security if using any cord other than waxed
linen.

15. Add beads at the bottom center of the Josephine Knot if

desired by tying on a spare piece of 6"cord and securing
it with a couple of Half Hitches or a Flat SQK. Thread the
fringe beads over the knots and tie off at the bottom with
an Overhand Knot (see Fig. 16). Trim of excess cord.

Figure 15

Figure 16
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Josephine Knot Earrings © Joan Babcock 5

Chapter One Knot Diagrams

6 Joasephine Knot Earrings © Joan Babcock

 Knot Diagrams
Materials

Joasephine Knot Earrings © Joan Babcock 7