How to Make Your First Macramé Plant Hanger

Macramé is an ancient art that combines creativity, relaxation, and craftsmanship to create beautiful handmade pieces. One of the most popular and functional macramé projects for beginners is the plant hanger. It not only adds a personal touch to your home décor but also brings a touch of nature indoors by creating a stylish way to hang your plants.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the process of making your very first macramé plant hanger. Whether you’re a complete beginner or someone who’s just started exploring the craft of macramé, you’ll find this guide simple, approachable, and full of step-by-step instructions. Grab your materials, and let’s get started!

Why Make a Macramé Plant Hanger?

Plant hangers are one of the most iconic items in macramé crafting. They bring a boho, relaxed vibe to any room while helping you organize your plant collection. Hanging plants not only saves counter space but also adds a unique aesthetic to your home, making them the perfect way to showcase your favorite greenery.

Some of the benefits of macramé plant hangers include:

Space-saving: Ideal for small spaces, they allow you to add more plants without cluttering surfaces.
Versatility: You can customize the design, color, and size to fit your décor style.
Easy and inexpensive: Unlike other macramé projects, plant hangers are relatively simple to make and use minimal materials.

Making a macramé plant hanger also helps you practice the basic knots and techniques, which are foundational skills in macramé. It’s a great first project to familiarize yourself with the art of knotting and the materials involved.

Materials You’ll Need

Before you begin, gather the necessary materials for your plant hanger. Here’s a list of what you’ll need to make a basic macramé plant hanger:

Macramé cord: For beginners, a cotton cord with a thickness of about 3-4mm works best. Organic cotton is ideal, but you can also use hemp or jute for a more rustic look.
Dowel or ring: You’ll need something to hang your plant hanger from. A wooden dowel, metal ring, or even a branch can work perfectly as a base.
Scissors: A good pair of sharp scissors to cut your cords.
Measuring tape or ruler: To measure out the length of your cord and ensure everything is symmetrical.
A plant pot: To determine how long the cords need to be for your hanger. It’s also helpful for measuring the distance between your knots.
A comfortable workspace: A flat surface or a place to hang your work. Some people prefer to hang their project from a hook or use a clipboard to hold the cords in place.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your First Macramé Plant Hanger

Now that you have all your materials ready, let’s dive into the process of making your first macramé plant hanger. This design will use some of the most basic knots in macramé, such as the Lark’s Head Knot, Square Knot, and Half Hitch Knot.

Step 1: Cut Your Cords

The first step in making a macramé plant hanger is to cut your cords. For a standard-sized plant hanger, you’ll need 8 cords, each measuring about 3-4 feet long. You can adjust this length depending on how long or short you want your hanger to be.

Here’s how to measure and cut:

8 cords at 3-4 feet each (you can use longer cords if you want your plant hanger to hang lower).
Make sure the cords are all the same length.

Once your cords are cut, you’re ready to begin.

Step 2: Attach Your Cords to the Dowel or Ring

To attach the cords to the dowel or ring, use the Lark’s Head Knot. This is one of the most common knots in macramé and is used to anchor cords to a base.

Fold each cord in half to create a loop.
Place the loop of the folded cord over the dowel or ring.
Pull the two ends of the cord through the loop and tighten it to secure the cord to the dowel.

Repeat this process with all 8 cords, ensuring they are evenly spaced.

Step 3: Create the First Section of Your Plant Hanger (Square Knot)

Once your cords are attached, it’s time to create the main body of the plant hanger. The Square Knot is a key knot in macramé and is perfect for creating a sturdy, decorative design. You’ll create four square knots in this step, grouping the cords in sets of two.

Separate the cords into four groups of two. Each group will form one square knot.
Start with the first group: take the left cord (Cord A) and cross it over the right cord (Cord B), forming a loop.
Take the right cord (Cord B) and bring it over Cord A and under the middle two cords.
Then, bring Cord B over Cord A and pull it through the loop. Tighten the knot.
Repeat the same process to create the other square knots for the other groups of cords.

You should now have four square knots. The knots should be fairly tight and uniform to ensure a strong foundation for your plant hanger.

Step 4: Create the Second Section (Adding More Square Knots)

After completing the first set of square knots, you’ll repeat the process for the second section of the plant hanger. Here, we’ll work with pairs of cords, creating a cascading effect as you move down the hanger.

Leave a bit of space between the first and second row of square knots (about 3 inches, depending on your desired design).
Repeat the same process for the next section, tying more square knots.

Continue creating square knots in this manner until you have created the desired length for the body of the plant hanger. Typically, 3-4 rows of square knots should be sufficient for most plant pots.

Step 5: Adding the Half Hitch Knots (Creating the Bottom of the Hanger)

Once you have completed the square knots, it’s time to finish the bottom of the plant hanger. This is done using Half Hitch Knots to form a decorative fringe-like effect.

Take four cords from the bottom of your hanger and use them to create a Half Hitch Knot.
To make the Half Hitch Knot: take one cord and tie it over the others, making a loop. Tighten it down.
Repeat this knot for the remaining cords.

The Half Hitch Knot should gradually get smaller as you move down. You can continue this process until you reach the desired length for the hanger. This will create a tassel-like finish at the bottom of your plant hanger.

Step 6: Finishing Your Plant Hanger

Now that you have completed the body of your macramé plant hanger, it’s time to finish it off. Trim any excess cord at the bottom to create an even look.

To secure the plant hanger, tie a knot at the top where all the cords meet. You can also create a loop at the top if you want to hang the plant hanger from a hook.

Step 7: Hang Your Plant

Once the plant hanger is complete, it’s time to hang it and add your plant! Choose a plant that fits comfortably in your pot, and make sure the hanger is securely attached to the ceiling or wall hook.

Hang the plant hanger, adjust the cords to make sure it’s even, and voilà — your beautiful, handmade macramé plant hanger is ready to showcase your favorite greenery!

Tips for Success:

Keep Your Knots Tight: The tighter your knots, the stronger your plant hanger will be.
Measure Carefully: Take the time to measure and adjust your cords before starting to ensure your hanger is symmetrical.
Experiment with Colors: If you want to add some variety to your plant hanger, try using different colored cords to create a striking, personalized design.