The Rosary Maker

My Rosaries are not the usual Rosary—they are knotted rather than chained. I am not the usual Rosary maker—I’m a Protestant rather than a Catholic. Aside from all of that, I make beautiful Rosaries.

I began making Rosaries accidentally. I had gotten interested in making beaded jewelry—you know the kind like is in Robert Redford’s Sundance Catalog. And, actually, that catalog is why I got interested in the jewelry in the first place.

I bought beads and wires and clasps and all the accoutrements for jewelry crafting. I made necklaces and bracelets—I pretty much have stayed away from earrings, I’m not so good at the wire work. I decided that I wanted to make myself a pearl necklace but before I could do that I needed to learn to make the knots that go between the pearls.

I ran across a web page that had free jewelry patterns and one of those patterns just happened to be a hand-knotted Rosary. I thought to myself that would be a great way to learn to knot and I would have a gift for my Protestant-Catholic friend, Irene. I call Irene Protestant-Catholic because she was raised Catholic and says she will always be Catholic but she felt the need to be baptized and did so in a Protestant church.

The pattern called for 6mm and 8mm Lapis Lazuli round beads—these are lovely blue beads. To me, they look like little bitty earths as seen from space, where the clouds are all swirled over the blue of the ocean and the green/brown of the land—and 4mm clear cut-glass beads and 12 crystals. I found them on ebay.com and in a local bead shop. I got the string and a needle and some glue. I got the "bead tips", a center and a crucifix. I purchased an awl-type tool for tightening down the knots. I gathered information on the correct way to tie and tighten the knots to make them even. After all of that I was ready to start.

I measured out the length of the string I needed, strung the needle and doubled over the string to tie a knot. I got it all prepared and began stringing the beads in the pattern and order required for the Rosary. I got no more than 6 beads strung and I could tell this was going to be really pretty.

This first Rosary I made took probably four hours to complete. I was completely absorbed by the process—count the beads, string the next one on, wrap the string around two fingers, run the needle back through, use the awl to snug the knot down to the bead; string the next bead. I continued the stringing through the five decades of the Rosary.

I finished the five decade Rosary. It was truly beautiful. The blue Lapis with the clear cut-glass was stunning. The string and knots gave it fluidity and the beads heaviness not felt in a chained Rosary with wooden beads. The Rosary had a very satisfying feel.

I put the Rosary in an organza gift bag I had purchased just for it and made a lunch date with my friend Irene.
Irene and I sat down to our lunch. Before we began to eat I gave her my gift. I told her it was her early birthday present. I couldn’t wait for her actual birthday because I was so excited for her to have it.

She opened the bag and pulled out the Rosary. The Rosary slowly unfolded itself out of the confines of the bags. It hung from Irene’s hand with the crucifix gently swaying against her arm. I began to explain how I came to make it for her until I looked at her face—she had tears in her eyes and goose bumps on her arms. I knew, then, I had made and given her something very special.

A friend of mine in my Wednesday night Bible study found out that I make Rosaries and asked that I make one for her to give as a Christmas gift for a dear Catholic friend of hers. I made this one with pretty little white glass beads with little pink roses fused into the glass set off with pink crystals. This one, too, turned out lovely.
She gave the Rosary to her friend and pretty much got the same reaction I did from Irene. Since that time her relationship with her friend has blossomed.

Another one I made I used hematite beads with blue crystals. The hematite is a charcoal gray metallic looking bead said to possess healing qualities. I decided I’d give it to my hairdresser who is a lapsed-Catholic. I had hoped that perhaps she would begin to heal her relationship with God through my gift.
I gave it to her when I was in next to get my hair cut. She almost started crying and her face turned beet-red. She thanked me with a big tearful hug.

The most recent Rosary I made I used Agate and Jasper. These are two very earthy looking beads. These look like red cliffs you might see in a picture of the desert. I gave it to another lapsed-Catholic friend of mine who was finding his way back to faith. He did begin to cry.

I really didn’t understand about what I was doing when I decided to make that first Rosary. I wanted to learn to make good knots and thought it would make a nice gift for my friend. I realize now, in making this "icon" and giving it to my Catholic friends, I have been building "religious" bridges to them. I am honoring and respecting their faith and the tools of their faith and giving myself space and time to ponder prayer.

We Protestants shy away from using icons in anyway for fear of the icon becoming the "thing". We American Christians shy away from anything that looks as Eastern as meditation does. However, we are admonished in scripture to meditate on God’s word. We are shown by Jesus the importance of spending "vast" amounts of time in prayer. I have begun to think, with a little change to some of the prayers, praying the Rosary would be very helpful to my walk of faith.