How to Macrame

Co-authored by Lois Wade

Last Updated: September 23, 2024 Approved

Macramé ( MAC-ruh-may ) is the art/craft of tying cords into knots in such a way that they form a useful or decorative shape. Choosing the right materials and making sure you have a good work space will help you start your project right. First, learn the basic knots of macramé. The reverse lark’s head knot is how you’ll start most projects. Half knots and square knots are basic macramé knots useful in anything from scarves to wall hangings. Once you master the square knot, you’ll be able to jazz up your projects with beading. Adding diagonal half hitch knots can add different patterns to your work.

Part 1

Part 1 of 6:

Choosing Materials and Prepping Your Workspace

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1
Determine the type of cord you’ll need based on your project. There are so many types of cords you can use for macramé. You can use cotton rope, yarn, twine, leather, or anything else that comes in an easily pliable strand. ^{[1]
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Lois Wade
wikiHow Crafts Expert

Expert Interview. 31 July 2019.}
- Leather is great if you’re making jewelry. Cotton rope works well if you’re making a wall hanging, and you can use yarn to make a scarf or blanket.
Depending on the knots you’ll be using, you might need pins to hold your knotting material out of the way. Sewing pins are a great option for this. You can also use thumbtacks.

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This doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just something portable, but soft enough to push pins through. You can glue a garden kneeling pad or an old foam sleeping pad to a clipboard. You can also use balsa wood or styrofoam.
The anchor is the piece of metal, wood or plastic that you attach your knotting material to. You'll set it at the top of your project board and use it to build your project on. Your anchors will vary depending on the project. If you’re making jewelry or a keychain, a keyring is probably best. For larger projects, a dowel or a rod will work well.

Part 2

Part 2 of 6:

Starting Your Project with a Reverse Lark’s Head Knot

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You’ll want to make sure that your fold is exactly half. You’ll be using the rest of this cord for other knots, and if it’s uneven, it might affect the rest of your project.
Place the loop formed by folding the cord in half under the dowel or rod with the 2 ends of the cord above. If you’re using a ring, place the loop under one side of the ring, so the loop is in the center.
Pull the loop over the rod, dowel, or edge of the ring. Stick your finger up through the loop and grasp both halves of the cord. Pull them down through the loop. The loop and cords should make a pretzel shape.
Hold the rod, dowel, or ring with 1 hand. With the other, pull down on the 2 halves of the cord. As you do, the loop will move up toward the rod, dowel, or ring, pulling the knot tight.
Most macramé projects are going to require at least 2 sets of knotting cords. You’ll therefore need to tie at least 2 reverse lark’s head knots, with 2 pieces of macramé cord, on the same anchor, to start any project.

Part 3

Part 3 of 6:

Creating a Half Knot Design

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You should tie it near the middle of the anchor – the dowel, rod, or ring you’re using to start your project.
Once you’ve tied your reverse lark’s head knot, you’ll have 2 cords hanging down. The knotting cord is the cord you'll move to make the knot. The knot-bearing cord is the one you'll be folding the knotting cord over or under to make the knot.
Start near the top of the cords. Pick up the right knotting cord and fold it over the middle knot-bearing cords. Then tuck it under the left knotting cord.
Start at the same height where you began with the right knotting cord. Pull the left knotting chord to the right, passing it under the knot-bearing cords. Then place it over the right knotting cord. Pull the 2 knotting cords until the knot is pulled tight.
As you tie more and more half knots with your cord, a spiral will naturally occur in the cord. How many knots it takes to create 1 swirl in the spiral will depend on how thick your cord is. Once you have the number of swirls you like, tie off the cord.
Once you’ve created the first half knot, begin on the opposite side of your cords. Pull the left knotting cord over the knot-bearing cords in the middle, and tuck it under the right knotting cord. Then pull the right knotting cord under the knot-bearing cords and over the left knotting cord. Pull the cord to tighten and secure the knot. ^{[2]
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Lois Wade
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Expert Interview. 31 July 2019.} .

Part 4

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Making an Alternating Square Knot Pattern

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As you tie each cord to your rod or dowel, make sure it’s snug up against the one next to it.
Each set of 4 strands will make one square knot. If you’ve tied more than 8 cords to your rod or dowel, that’s fine. You just have to have enough workable cords to be divided by 4 evenly.
Using the process outlined in step 6 of method 3, make 1 square knot for every 4 sets of cords. You should begin each square knot at approximately the same distance from the rod or dowel so that your square knots are even horizontally.
Where you start your next row of square knots is up to you. If you want a tighter pattern (great for blankets or scarves!), begin the next row right below the first. If you’re looking for a more open, lacier pattern, drop down 1 in (2.5 cm) or so.
For your next row of square knots, Ieave 2 cords on either end of the rod or dowel loose. Then divide the number of remaining cords you have by 4. That’s how many square knots you’ll get in the next row.
Make sure you begin each square knot the same distance from the knot above it. This keeps your pattern looking even.
Once you’re to the point where you can’t divide your cords evenly into 4 anymore, start the process over with all 16 (or more) strands you began with. Then repeat the alternating pattern as far down as you’d like.

Part 5

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Tying a Diagonal Half Hitch

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The diagonal half hitch requires 1 knotting cord and 7 knot-bearing cords. So you’ll need to tie 4 cords with reverse lark’s head knots to get the 8 cords you need. They should be tied very close to each on the dowel or rod that you’re using.
You can start from either the left- or right-hand side on this design. If you start on the left, the very left outside cord will be your knotting cord, and the others will be the knot-bearing cords. If you begin on the right, the very right outside cord will be your knotting cord and the others be the knot-bearing cords.
3
Pin the knotting cord to the left of the knot-bearing cords. A small pin, like you’d use for sewing, works best for this. Stick the pin into your project board near the anchor and just to the left of the cords. Pull the knotting cord out and around the pin, then cross it over the knot-bearing cords at a diagonal angle. Secure the end of the knotting cord with another pin, about 1 in (2.5 cm) down from where your first pin is.
- If you want a more dramatic diagonal angle, pin the end of the knotting cord further down.
Loop the knotting cord over the first knot-bearing cord. Then pull the knotting cord back under itself. Then loop the knotting cord back over the first knot-bearing cord. Pull the cord through the loop created the first time it was knotted.
Once you’ve looped the same knot-bearing cord twice, move to the next knot-bearing cord to the right. Loop the knotting cord twice, pulling the cord through the hole created by the first loop the second time around. Continue to pull the cords tight to make them secure. Repeat this until you reach the end of the diagonal.
6
Make a zigzag by tying another diagonal half hitch. Once you reach the end of the diagonal, you can make a zigzag pattern by tying a diagonal half hitch in the opposite direction. So if you started on the left to begin, start on the right this time. Your right outside cord is the knot-tying cord and the other cords to the left are all knot-bearing cords.
- You can also just keep repeating the diagonal half hitch from the same side to get a diagonal design with the knots close together.

Part 6

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Adding Beads Using a Square Knot

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Start by tying a square knot. You’ll want at least one square knot above your bead to secure it. Tie a square knot as you normally would. You can tie more than one above your bead, but you need to have at least one.
- If you’re incorporating the bead into a project that doesn’t use square knots, that’s fine. Just make sure there’s a knot above where your bead will go.
These are the 2 center cords you use when create a square knot. You should slide the bead up until it’s snug against the square knot above it.
Once the bead is snug against the square knot above it, tie a square knot underneath it, using the knotting cords. The square knot you tie underneath should also be snug against the bottom of the bead.
You can create a pattern of so many square knots, followed by a bead, or you can just use one bead to end a project.

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What are the most advanced macrame patterns you have seen?

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Check out the Facebook page "Macrame Engineering." There are some really great, complex designs on there.

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Why are the bottom half of the images not animated?

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There are no animated pictures because they are all videos. They are there so we can understand how to make macrame.

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How do I make a hanging basket?

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Go get a macrame book from the library, or search online for a pattern.

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Tips

Choose a simple pattern for your first project. Items such as a key chain or bracelet are good beginner level projects, while items such as a plant hanger or owl are intermediate. Purses, hammocks or chairs would be advanced.

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Purchase macramé-specific cordage for your early projects and move on to other cordage only when you've got the knot tying principles well mastered.

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Things You'll Need

Project board
Macramé-specific cords.
Scissors
Pattern for your chosen project. You can get these in books from craft stores, or online at crafting websites.
Anchor (pencil, wooden dowel, etc.)
Beads and/or other embellishments (optional)

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Expert Source

Lois Wade
wikiHow Crafts Expert

[2]

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How to Macrame

Steps

Choosing Materials and Prepping Your Workspace

Starting Your Project with a Reverse Lark’s Head Knot

Creating a Half Knot Design

Making an Alternating Square Knot Pattern

Tying a Diagonal Half Hitch

Adding Beads Using a Square Knot

Community Q&A

Tips

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