Book Review – Macrame Jewelry

Macrame Jewelry

Macrame is one of those crafts that looks much fancier than it actually is once you learn the basic knots. And honestly, isn’t that the best kind of craft? The sort where people say, “Oh wow, you made that?” and you can casually pretend it was no big deal while secretly feeling rather pleased with yourself.

The Macrame Jewelry Crafts eBook by Leisure Arts is a lovely little digital book for anyone wanting to try handmade macrame jewelry without committing to a giant wall-hanging project that takes over the dining table for three weeks.

This eBook focuses on learning a few simple knots and turning them into wearable accessories. It includes 20 different macrame jewelry projects, with designs for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, and comes as a 34-page PDF download.

What makes this book appealing is how approachable it feels. Macrame jewelry is a great entry point for beginners because the projects are smaller, quicker, and less intimidating than large home décor pieces. You can practise knotting techniques on a bracelet or pair of earrings before moving on to bigger macrame projects.

The designs are also very gift-friendly. Handmade jewelry is always a nice option for birthdays, stocking fillers, Mother’s Day gifts, market stall items, or those “I need something thoughtful but I forgot until this morning” moments. We’ve all been there.

If you have a stash of beads, cords, charms, or leftover jewelry findings, this is a practical way to use them up. Macrame jewelry works beautifully with cotton cord, hemp cord, waxed cord, beads, metal accents, shells, and even small gemstone beads. It is one of those crafts where a small change in cord colour or bead style can make the same pattern look completely different.

This week’s Book Review Wednesday pick is 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids, and I’ll admit this one is another of those books that makes me pause for a moment and ask, “Does this belong in Jewelry Making, Kids Crafts, or somewhere in between?”

Technically, it is not jewelry in the traditional necklace-and-earrings sense, but it is very much a beading book, and beading skills are such a useful doorway into jewelry making. For kids especially, learning how to thread beads, follow patterns, work with wire, and build little 3D shapes is a brilliant way to develop patience, fine motor skills, and confidence with craft materials.

The cover promises 3D beaded animal crafts for kids, with a focus on cute seed bead animals made with wire. The little fox on the cover is exactly the sort of project that catches attention — bright, cheerful, and very giftable. I can see this being a fun book for crafty kids, tweens, grandparents crafting with children, or even adults who secretly enjoy tiny beaded animals but pretend they are “helping the kids.”

What I like about this type of project is that it gives children a finished piece they can actually be proud of. These are not throwaway crafts. A beaded animal can become a bag charm, keychain, desk buddy, zipper pull, ornament, or little handmade gift. And if you have a child who loves collecting small things, well, prepare yourself — you may soon have an entire zoo made from seed beads.

There is also a nice connection here for beginner jewelry makers. Working with beads and wire in a simple 3D form helps build the same kind of careful hand skills used in beaded jewelry, wire wrapping, charms, and small accessories. So while I would be tempted to cross-post this over on our Kids Crafts section, I still think it earns its place here for anyone wanting beginner-friendly beading projects.

This book would suit kids who already enjoy detailed crafts, families looking for screen-free creative projects, or makers who want small bead projects that are playful rather than overly serious. I would suggest adult help for younger children, especially because seed beads and wire can be fiddly, and nobody needs a craft session ending with beads in the carpet forever. Although, let’s be honest, that may happen anyway.

My Shellie-style take? 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids looks like a fun, colourful and practical beading book for young makers who like cute projects with a real finished result. It is crafty, giftable, a little bit nostalgic, and a lovely stepping stone into more detailed beadwork and jewelry making later on.

You can find the book here: 3D Beaded Animal Crafts for Kids.

Have you read?