For each of these crafts, you will need a macrame string or chord. We suggest a 3 mm or 4 mm wound cord as these are the easiest to use without being flimsy. You can get up to 200 yards for relatively cheap to cover all of your macrame projects and needs.
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Macrame Plant Hanger
Add a pop of green to any space with this super simple plant hanger. Made with only a few knots, it’s sturdy enough to hold up most small pots and is easily customizable for length.
Supplies:
- Macrame cord
- Scissors
Directions:
- Cut four 6-foot long pieces of cord. (If your planter is larger than 5×5 inches, you may need to use longer pieces of cord.)
- Fold all of the cord in half and tie a large knot at the fold, leaving about a 2-inch loop to hang the cords and planter with. The knot should be made by wrapping all the cords around and through the hole. This is called an overhand knot. You should have eight cords hanging from the loop.
- Hang your cord up somewhere with the loop to complete the rest of the knots. About 10–12 inches below the large knot, tie two individual pieces of cord together and repeat until you have four knots. Tighten the knots to get them as even as possible.
- Below those knots, about 2–3 inches down, split the cords apart and tie one cord from one knot to another, making four more knots. This should create a web or net-like structure.
5. Double check the size of your planter with the knot length. You are going to tie a large knot below the planter and want the smaller knots to go around the outside of the pot (not under or over top of it). Once you have a good gauge on where to tie off the cord, tie a large knot at the bottom. Make sure to pull tight as this is what will support your plant. You can leave the cords at the bottom, trim them slightly shorter, or fray them depending on how you want it to look.
6. Gently place the pot in the macrame net, making sure the large knot is centered below the pot and the smaller knots sit well around it. Lift the pot and macrame with the loop at the top to double check for sturdiness before hanging and enjoying!
Tassel Keychain or Earrings
One of the simplest uses of macrame cord is to make tassels. While this shows you how to make them on a metal ring, you can also apply this to make a tassel garland by making multiple tassels and attaching them horizontally to another string.
Supplies:
- Macrame cord
- Circular keychain ring or wire ring
- Small square of cardboard or other material
- Scissors
Directions:
- If you want full tassels, cut a long piece of cord. For this, we cut a 36-inch piece of cord. The size of your square will also determine how long and how full the tassel is. We used a 3-inch square of cardboard to make ours.
- Start by running one end of the cord through the metal ring. Using the square, wrap the cord around the cardboard multiple times and through the metal ring until you have multiple loops and there is no more loose cord.
- Carefully slide the loops off the square and cut the bottom part to leave strings hanging. Using another small piece of cord (about 6-inches long) wrap around the loose ends of the cord two to three times, just under the metal ring. Tuck the ends of the wrapping cord through themselves to secure. Pull tight.
4. Optional: Fray the ends to create a fuller-looking tassel. Attach to a keychain, earring hooks, and more.
Mini Macrame
Create a fun, mini-sized macrame with your little ones to hang in their bedrooms or decorate a lonely living room wall. The smaller macrame size not only makes it easier to complete, but also saves on the amount of cord needed. You will need to learn a few knots for this project, but once you have the basics down you can play around to create a unique masterpiece!
Supplies:
- Macrame cord
- Dowel Rod (we used a 12-inch one)
- Scissors
Directions:
- Cut a 24-inch piece of cord. On each end of the dowel rod, tie off the cord. This will be how you hang your macrame up to work on it. If you are using a large dowel rod or stick, the length of the cord to hang it with should be twice the length of the rod or stick.
- Cut 24–26 of the same length pieces of cord depending on the thickness. The length you want your macrame to be will determine how long the cords you cut are. We cut 36-inch lengths for ours. It’s important to have an even number of cords or you will end up with extra cord on the sides. We attached all of our cords with a Lark’s Head knot (see more below).
Lark’s Head knot: This is how to attach your cord to your stick or dowel rod. Fold the cord in half and place the loop under the rod. Pull the loop over the front of the rod and pull the two ends of the cord through the loop. Pull down on the ends of the cord to tighten.
- For our macrame, we did a triangle design of half knots (see more below) to create a beautiful but simple design. This was done by creating 12 rows of half knots and dropping the outside two strings on each side for every new row of the knots.
Half knots: Slightly more complicated, half knots are the base of many macrames and can be used in a variety of ways to create shapes and patterns. To learn how to make a half knot, place your macrame flat on a table. Four cords are needed for a half knot. Start by separating the middle two cords from the outer two. Take the left hand cord and place horizontally over the front of the two middle cords. Take the right hand cord and place it over the front of the horizontal left hand cord. Then take the right hand cord and wrap it under the middle two chords and over the left hand cord’s left side loop. Pull the two outside cords to tighten the knot.
- After you have finished the knots and design you want for your macrame, you can leave the ends uneven or trim them, depending on your preferences. If you use white or tan cord, you can also dip-dye the ends of the string to add some color.
You can switch up your macrame design with other knots if you would like. See below for additional macrame knots you can use.
Basic Macrame Knots:
Cow hitch knot: This is just the reverse of the Lark’s Head knot. Fold the cord in half and place the loop over the rod. Pull the ends of the cord through the look around the back of the rod and pull to tighten.
Square knots: After you make a half knot, repeat the process but the opposite direction to make a square knot. Start by separating the middle two cords from the outer two. Take the right hand cord and place horizontally over the front of the two middle cords. Take the left hand cord and place it over the front of the horizontal right hand cord. Then take the left hand cord and wrap it under the middle two chords and over the right hand cord’s right side loop. Pull the two outside cords to tighten the knot.
Half hitch knot: A half hitch knot is the base to create horizontal or diagonal rows. To make a half hitch knot, you need two pieces of cord. Take the left hand cord and make an L-shape over the right hand cord. Take the right hand cord and wrap up and over the left hand cord, looping it through itself. Pull the right hand cord tight around the left hand cord to create a small loop around it. It should not look like a criss-cross knot, but instead have a rounded piece of cord facing out.
