DIY Macrame Wall Hanging for Absolute Beginners

Macrame has a reputation for being complicated, but most wall hangings use only a handful of knots repeated in different arrangements. If you learn the square knot, the half hitch, the lark's head, and the wrapping knot, you can make almost anything. This project is a small, manageable wall hanging that takes an afternoon and uses one inexpensive material: cotton macrame cord. A wooden dowel or a driftwood stick serves as the hanger.

Cut your cord into lengths about four times the final height you want, since the cords fold in half and get consumed by knots. For a hanging about eighteen inches tall, cut twelve cords around six feet long. You will also need scissors and a comb for fraying the ends at the finish. Tie the dowel to a chair back or hook so it stays steady while you work.

Attaching Cords and Knotting the Body

Fold each cord in half and attach it to the dowel using a lark's head knot: loop the folded center over the dowel, pull the two loose ends through the loop, and tighten. Space them evenly across the dowel. Now divide the cords into groups of four. With each group, tie a square knot: take the left cord over the two middle cords and under the right cord, then take the right cord under the two middle cords and through the loop on the left, and pull snug. Repeat with the right cord first to complete the knot. This creates a tidy, repeating pattern across the row.

For the second row, offset the knots by starting with the two rightmost cords of one group and the two leftmost cords of the next, so the knots stagger like bricks. Continue for three or four rows, depending on how tall you want the hanging. This staggered pattern gives the piece its classic woven look and hides the joins between groups.

Adding Shape and Finishing

To create a taper, leave the outer cords out of the next row and knot only the center groups. You can also add a wrapping knot, sometimes called a gathering knot, to bundle cords together and create a focal point. To make one, hold a short length of cord against the bundle, wrap it tightly around several times moving downward, then thread the end through the loop at the bottom and pull the top tail to lock it in place. Trim the excess.

Once the knotting is done, slide the hanging off the dowel if needed and trim the bottom cords to your desired shape. A V shape, a straight line, or a gentle curve all look good. Comb the ends to fray them, then trim again for an even finish. Hang your piece on a nail or hook and step back. The texture and shadow play on the wall is what makes macrame so appealing. From here, you can scale the same knots into larger hangings, plant hangers, or shelf decorations, and each piece will teach you a little more about tension and design.