Are you curious about how to get started in macramé?
Macramé is such a rewarding craft; it clears the mind, fosters patience, and the pieces you create sometimes surprise even yourself with how beautiful they turn out.
If you’re a new mother feeling like you’ve lost yourself a bit, if you’re retired and are looking for a new pastime, or if you’re just interested in trying out this ancient fibre art…then keep reading to find out the ins and outs of macramé.
What is macramé?
Macramé is a fibre art where visually-appealing knots are tied to create home décor items; both artistic and useful. Plant hangers, wall-hangings, tableware, bags, purses, and earrings are just some of the many items that can be created using the techniques of macramé.
Unlike weaving and knitting, macramé doesn’t require looms or knitting needles so you can get started with as little as a roll of macramé cord and your hands! Of course, as your skills progress, you can get super-creative and incorporate weaving techniques into your macramé pieces to make them more unique.
History of macramé
Macramé is well-known for being a craze in the 1970s, but the ancient knotting technique has actually been around for much, much longer. Evidence has appeared in the carvings of the Babylonians and Assyrians with the macramé-style knots pictured in the decorative fringes of their costumes.
While it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of macramé, it is believed to have originated from Arab weavers in the 13th century. They knotted the loose threads along the edges of woven fabrics such as shawls, towels, and veils to create decorative fringes. There is also some dispute about whether the word macramé comes from the Arabic macramia meaning “ornamental fringe,” or the Turkish makrama meaning “napkin” or “towel.”
Recently macramé has once again risen in popularity with many people wanting to get back into the age-old craft of making things by hand.
Why is macramé important?
Macramé is so much more than a simple way of creating home furnishings. In this day and age when much of life is carried out online and we’re so disconnected, the act of getting back to basics and tying knots with your own hands can do wonders for your life.
After raising my two children through their early years, I felt like I had lost myself. I had poured my entire heart into these two beautiful human beings and left nothing for myself. No matter how much time and effort I put in playing with the kids, cooking meals, doing the endless amounts of washing…at the end of the day I still felt like I had failed.
As much as I loved them and wanted the best for them, this lack of balance wasn’t healthy and it definitely wasn’t sustainable.
When I starting creating macramé, it was like a little candle had lit inside of me and I suddenly had something special just for me. A little time-out from the day where I could relax, clear my mind, and create something beautiful (and sometimes useful!) with my own two hands.
I began to feel a sense of pride with the macramé pieces I was producing. I began to feel passionate and was bursting with ideas about all the macramé projects I could complete. I began to see the possibilities of how this ancient fibre art could actually be a source of income for my family. And I hope that I can help others find this same simple pleasure through the art of knotting.
The act of tying macramé knots is a mindful activity. Benefits of mindful activities include reduced anxiety and stress, decreased depression, ability to sleep better, and so much more. Check out the FAQ section at the end of this post to find out more about this topic.
How to get started with macramé
What do you need to get started?
You could literally start your first macramé project with a roll of macramé cord and your hands! Although you would have to guestimate how long to cut the cords if you didn’t have something to measure the cord with…and come to think of it…how would you cut the cord without scissors? While macramé doesn’t need much to get started, there are a few items that definitely make life easier.
The items I recommend to start with are:
- Macrame cord, string, or rope – keep reading below to find out the difference!
- Scissors – any pair you can find that can cut the cord will get you started
- Metal rule or measuring tape – I like to have both a metre-long metal rule and a 15cm metal rule for different aspects of measuring
- Sticky tape – to tape around the ends of your cord to stop it unravelling as you’re working
- Metal S-shaped hook/s – having one or two of these to hang your project from while you’re working can make it easier to manage, but you can get away with hanging your project over a doorknob, from a curtain rod, using a coat hanger, or just taping it to the benchtop
- Comb – any comb you can find around the house will work
Then as your knowledge and macramé stash starts to grow you can consider:
- Fabric glue/hot glue gun and sticks – to ensure your work is secure and cut ends are neatly held in place
- Cork mat and pins – to secure smaller projects while you’re working
- Adjustable clothes rack – to hang your projects from
- Fabric stiffener, alcohol-free hairspray, or a cornflour and water mixture – to stiffen fringes and help hold fibres in the right place
- Accessories – wooden beads, keychains, wooden rings, large metal rings, dowel, driftwood and anything else that you can think of!
What is the difference between macramé string, cord, and rope?
When I first started macramé I thought that a macramé cord was just a macramé cord, and that was that. Oh how wrong I was! 1.5mm, 3mm, 5mm, 9mm, 1-ply, 3-ply, braided, string, cord, and rope…here is a quick breakdown of what all of this jargon means:
- Macramé string: String is made up of fibres twisted together in what is known as a single twist. It’s generally quite thin, but some suppliers are referring to all their 1-ply cord as “string.”
- Macramé cord: Cord can be made of either a single twist of fibres (1-ply) or multiple strands twisted together (3-ply). It’s hard to get a handle on the specifics because some suppliers refer to only their 3-ply as “cord” and refer to their 1-ply as “string.” My supplier groups both 1-ply and 3-ply under “cord” so that’s what I’m going with!
- Macramé rope: Rope generally consists of multiples strands (2, 3, or 4) twisted together and is thicker than cord.
- Braided cord: Cord consisting of 8-10 fibres braided together in a criss-cross pattern. It’s generally quite strong, so good to use with pieces that will hold weight like plant hangers, but it doesn’t brush out into a fringe easily.
- Sizes (width): Macramé cords, ropes and strings are available in a large range of sizes. They can start as small as 1.5mm in width and go right up to 20mm.
- 1-ply: Macramé cord with a single strand of fibres twisted together. It generally results in a softer-looking project than one using 3-ply.
- 3-ply: Macramé cord with three strands of fibres twisted around each other. The multiple strands are visible and when the cord is untwisted it produces a wavy-look with the 3 loose strands.
What are the basic macramé knots?
Many macramé projects are comprised of only a few simple knots. In fact, once you get the hang of four basic knots, there are countless projects that you can create. The only limit is your creativity and imagination…and how much macramé cord you can afford to buy.
You could practice tying each of these knots before starting your first project, but I recommend jumping straight in! The first project I ever created was a fruit hanger, which was made entirely using only two of these basic knots…and I sure had the hang of those two basic knots by the time I had completed that project!
- Lark’s Head Knot – The Lark’s Head Knot is the knot used to attach all of the cords to the dowel or ring. It can also be used to attach extra cords further down in macramé projects.
- Square Knot – The Square Knot is the most common knot used in macramé. It involves two steps; creating a half square knot, and then repeating the process the opposite way.
- Clove Hitch Knot – The Clove Hitch Knot (also known as a Double Half Hitch Knot) can be tied both diagonally and horizontally, from either side. It can be used to create many different visually-appealing patterns.
- Wrap Knot – The Wrap Knot is used to gather the cords neatly together; often at the top of a project just below a wooden ring, or at the base of a piece to finish it off.
I include in-depth instructions for all of these knots at the beginning of each of my patterns. For a super-easy reference to remind you of the techniques to tie each of these knots, check out my Basic Macramé Knot Glance Sheet.
What are some good projects for beginners?
The best projects for beginners are those that only include one or two of the basic knots. This will allow you to master each of the knots before you move on to the next knot. Starting off with small projects that only take an hour or two will also give you some small wins to keep you motivated and eager to move on to bigger, more complex projects.
Make sure you choose something that speaks to you though. There’s no point creating something that you don’t actually like. Watch a few YouTube tutorials, purchase a pattern off Etsy, or borrow a book from the library…it doesn’t matter, as long as you choose something appealing to you and are excited to start creating.
Some projects I would recommend to start off with are:
- Fruit hanger – this fruit hanger by Million Ideas only uses three basic knots (Lark’s Head, Square Knot, and Wrap Knot) and can be created in one afternoon.
- Plant hanger – plant hangers are as easy place to start as they usually only require a few basic knots. This beaded plant hanger I created is perfect for beginners.
- Small wall-hanging – one that only uses Lark’s Head Knots and Square Knots will be easiest.
Of course, if you have your eye on an amazing, large wall-hanging and you’re just itching to get started…don’t let me stop you! As long as you’re prepared to un-tie and re-tie some of the knots a bunch of times until you get them right, then anything is possible.
Tips for success in macramé
- Be patient…and be prepared to un-tie your project if it isn’t turning out how you wanted
- Practice mindfulness (being in the moment)
- Double-check your measurements before cutting
- Take your time when trimming. Sometimes handmade items look better being slightly uneven or imperfect, rather than getting over-excited with trimming and ending up with a fringe that’s too short and can’t be fixed.
- Celebrate the small wins…and be grateful every time you learn something
Frequently Asked Questions
The last thing you need to know about macramé
Macramé is so affordable to get started and there are so, so many benefits. I had a desire to try my hand at macramé for a good 10 years before I actually made a start. So if you’ve been wanting to try it, don’t be like me! Just make a start and see if it’s the piece your life has been missing.
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