Making a macrame plant hanger is a fun and easy way to add some personality to your home. But if you’re new to the craft, don’t worry; creating your first simple macrame hanger is a project with only five steps. And we'll walk you through each one to help you succeed.
Table Of Contents
- What Is Macrame?
- Materials For A Macrame Hanger
- Macrame Knots You Need To Know
- How to Create A Simple Macrame Hanger
- Ideas For Your Next Planter
What Is Macrame?
Macrame is a type of textile produced by tying a series of knots in cords or strings. It’s an excellent option for making things like plant hangers because it gives you total control over the shape and size of your piece.
Materials For A Macrame Hanger
Since you don't need a lot of materials, macrame is a budget-friendly way to craft. Here’s what you need for a macrame hanger (also called a plant hanger or planter):
- A small wooden hoop: For the top of your hanger (A11 or A12 from this list work well)
- Cotton cord: Choose your favorite color or a neutral hue that will match your home's decor. The Macrame Cotton Cord Zero Waste Single Strand 4 mm from GANXXET is a great one to try!
- Scissors: Sharp ones
- A tape measure: To get your cords the right length and space out your knots correctly
Once you’ve gathered your supplies, it’s time to review some basic macrame knots.
Macrame Knots You Need To Know
Knots are the heart of macrame. Using various knots, you can turn simple cords into beautiful bracelets, wall hangings, handbags, and more.
For this plant hanger, you only need to master two knots. If you can tie the Gathering Knot and an Overhand Knot, you already know enough to get started.
If you need a quick refresher on either one, here are some written and video directions:
Gathering Knot
The above video shows several different macrame knots. Skip to chapter six for the Gathering Knot tutorial.
This knot is perfect for starting or ending your macrame hanger. You'll also use it in some wall hangings or other projects. Here’s how to tie it:
1) Gather all of your cords together in one hand.
2) Using a shorter cord, form a u-shaped loop over the top of your other cords
3) Wrap the shorter cord around the other cords several times, but leave a bit of the loop exposed.
4) Push the end of the shorter cord through the loop.
5) Pull on the end of the shorter cord sticking up at the top to bring the loop under the wraps you just made.
6) Pull on both the top and bottom of the loop to secure it.
7) Trim the excess cord off of the shorter piece.
Overhand Knot
You've probably tied this knot before, but here's a quick reminder:
1) Take the cord and make a Q-shaped loop, with the remainder of the cord making the tail.
2) Push the tail of the cord up through the loop from behind.
3) Pull both ends of the cord to tighten it.
How To Create A Simple Macrame Hanger
Now that you know how to tie these two knots, you can start crafting your macrame plant hanger!
1) Select Your Cord And Cut It
For this hanger, you'll need four pieces of cord, each 96 inches long. Measure carefully, as you want all four parts to be even.
You’ll also need a shorter piece of cord for your Gathering Knot. So cut one additional strand that’s 30 inches long.
You’ll need 414 inches of cord, which is 34.5 feet. The GANXXET Soft Cotton Cord Zero Waste 4 mm is available in several different spools, so when purchasing, be sure you get at least 35 feet to ensure you have enough.
The smallest sizes often have more than that, so you may even be able to make a couple of hangers from one spool!
2) Tie The Cords Onto The Hook
Place your four long cords over the wooden hoop and pull until you have an even amount of all the cords on each side. Then, use the directions above and your shorter cord to tie a Gathering Knot. This will secure your lines to the hoop.
3) Tie Your First Four Overhand Knots
Take two cords and tie an Overhand Knot about six inches below your Gathering Knot. Use your measuring tape to line things up if you’d like. Repeat this step with the rest of the cords until you have four knots.
4) Keep Tying Knots
Ready to tie more knots? Great.
Except, this time, you want to take one cord from one knot and one from an adjacent knot. Then, go down about six inches and tie another knot.
Repeat this step until you have four knots in roughly the same location. As seen in the photo above, you’re making a simple diamond pattern with your knot placement.
Continue using adjacent cords to tie knots until your hanger is large enough to hold your pot. Typically three or four layers of knots is plenty. This gives you a bit of tassel hanging down at the bottom.
5) Finish The Planter
Once you have enough layers of knots, it’s time to tie all of your cords together. Gather them into your hand and tie them together with one final Overhand Knot.
Since this knot holds up your planter, make sure it’s secure. Pull those strings tightly together and then give each one a good tug.
Now, place your pot inside the planter and use the hoop to hang it up. Congratulations, your first macrame plant hanger is done!
Ideas For Your Next Macrame Hanger
This simple macrame hanger is only the beginning of your crafting journey. You can make various shapes and sizes by altering the type of cord you use.
Here are a few more ideas for sprucing up your macrame hanger:
- Use a Gathering Knot at the bottom instead of an Overhand Knot.
- Make your Gathering Knot cord a complementary color.
- Use a braided cord instead of a single strand.
- Learn how to tie a beautiful Josephine Knot. Though this one is a bit more complicated initially, it's adorable for a plant hanger.
- Mix and match the colors of your cord to create a colorful hanger.
- Try using Square Knots instead of Overhand ones.
- Start with an Overhand Knot instead of a Gathering Knot on a loop.
- Add Wood Bead Balls from GANXXET to the design.
- Comb out your tassels at the bottom to make fringe.
The possibilities are endless with macrame! So don't stop with the basic plant hanger design above. Instead, get creative and have fun making your own unique designs.
Hang Your Plants In Style
No matter what type of plant you have, a macrame hanger is the perfect way to show it off. From succulents and cacti to ivy and ferns, any green thumb will love displaying their plants in this stylish way.
You can adjust the hanger length to accommodate any size pot, and as a bonus, they’re super easy to clean. Just use a damp cloth or brush to keep them looking as good as new.
So, go ahead and order the supplies you need from GANXXET and try this project. It's a simple introduction to the art of macrame.
Happy crafting!
