How to Make Macrame Wall Hangings

There is something almost magical about turning a tangle of cotton cord into a piece of wall art you'd happily pay forty dollars for in a shop. The good news is that macrame looks far harder than it is, and you only need two knots to make your first hanging. Grab a snack, clear a bit of wall space, and let's make something together.

What you'll need (and what it costs)#

The beauty of macrame is how little it asks of you. A single roll of cotton macrame cord, a wooden dowel, and a pair of scissors will carry you through your first three or four projects.

• Macrame cord — 3mm to 5mm cotton is forgiving and soft on the hands. One roll is plenty for a small hanging.
• A wooden dowel or branch — a 12-inch dowel from the hardware store, or a smooth stick from the garden if you want a rustic look.
• Sharp scissors and a fine-tooth comb for the fringe.
• A clothes rack, a hook, or two nails to hang your dowel at eye level while you work.

That's it. If you raided a craft drawer, you may already own most of it. Working at a comfortable height matters more than any fancy tool, because hunching over a table for an hour will leave your shoulders aching.

Setting up and measuring your cord#

Here is the rule that saves beginners the most heartache: cut each cord roughly four times the length you want your finished piece to be, then double it. Knotting eats up far more cord than you'd guess, and running short halfway through is the one mistake you can't undo. When in doubt, cut longer. Trimming the fringe at the end is easy; adding length is not.

For a small hanging, cut eight to ten cords, each about two meters long. Fold each cord in half and attach it to your dowel with a lark's head knot — the simplest start there is. Lay the folded loop over the front of the dowel, fold it back behind, then pull the two loose ends down through the loop and snug it tight. Repeat across the dowel until all your cords are hanging side by side like a curtain.

The first row always looks a little messy and uneven. Don't judge your project by it. Once the knots build up below, everything settles into place and the eye stops noticing those first wobbles.

Hang the dowel up before you go further. Knotting against gravity, with the cords falling naturally, gives you straighter rows and a much truer sense of how the finished piece will sit on your wall.

The two knots that do everything#

You really can build a whole hanging from two knots: the square knot and the spiral knot. Both use four cords at a time — two working cords on the outside and two filler cords down the middle.

For a square knot, take the left cord, cross it over the two middle cords and under the right cord. Now take the right cord, pass it behind the middle cords and up through the loop on the left. Pull both sides snug. That's half a square knot. Repeat the same motion starting from the right side, and you've completed a full square knot. The little bump it makes is the building block of nearly every pattern you'll admire.

The spiral knot is even easier, because it's just the first half of a square knot repeated over and over. Keep starting from the same side and the cords naturally twist into a pretty corkscrew. After every four or five knots, gently rotate the spiral so it keeps turning the same way.

Try this rhythm for a simple, balanced design: a row of square knots straight across, then a row where you skip the first two cords and knot the groups offset below. This staggered pattern creates the open, net-like diamonds that make macrame look so intricate. Work row by row, keep your tension even, and resist the urge to pull everything painfully tight — relaxed knots look softer and more handmade.

Shaping, trimming, and the finishing fringe#

Once your knotted section is as long as you'd like, you get to shape the bottom. A classic V-shape is flattering and forgiving: simply trim the loose cords so the center hangs longest and the sides rise up symmetrically. Lay the piece flat on the floor, eyeball your line, and cut in small passes. You can always take more off; you can't put it back.

Now for the part that transforms a decent project into a lovely one. Take the loose ends below your last knots and unravel them, then run your comb through each strand. Cotton cord blooms into a soft, fluffy fringe when combed, and that gentle texture is what makes a hanging feel warm rather than stiff. Steam or a light mist of water helps the fringe relax and lie flat. A quick tip on safety: if you use an iron or steamer to tame stubborn cords, keep it on a low setting and let the piece cool before you handle it, since cotton holds heat longer than you'd expect.

To hang it, tie a length of cord to each end of the dowel, knot the ends together at the top, and slip that loop over a single nail or a small wall hook. Step back, straighten any cords that have twisted, and admire it.

Making it your own#

Your first hanging will be wonderfully imperfect, and that is exactly the point. Once those two knots feel natural in your hands, everything opens up. Swap white cord for blush or sage, weave in a few wooden beads, add a row of spiral knots for movement, or hang three small pieces in a cluster instead of one large one. You could even dye the fringe with a little tea or natural color for a soft, vintage edge. The skills don't change — you're still just looping cord around cord — but the possibilities grow every time you sit down to make one. Cut your cord generously, keep your tension easy, comb that fringe with love, and you'll have made something for your wall that no shop could sell you, because it's entirely, proudly yours.