How to Make Macrame Hangers

Macramé is an art that involves tying knots with string, cord, yarn, embroidery thread or similar material to make decorative rope-like sections. When three sections made from durable string are hung from a ring and tied in a knot at the bottom, the sections become a plant hanger. The plant container rests on the knot, with the three sections of macramé cord coming up around it to hold it in place. The weight of the container and its contents keeps the cords pulled snugly around the container to prevent it from slipping out. These instructions are for a 24-inch long hanger that has a 5-inch fringed tail below the knot at the bottom.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Heavy string
• 1-inch ring
• Two rubber bands
• Tape
• Three large beads

Instructions

1. Cut three 60-inch lengths of string and three 240-inch lengths of string. Divide the string into three groups, each consisting of one 60-inch length and one 240-inch length. Work with one group of string at a time.

2. 

   Hold a 60-inch length and a 240-inch length of string in your hand. Fold them in half to form a four-string section (two 30-inch strings and two 120-inch strings) with a loop at the top. Put the loop through the ring, and then pull all four strings through the loop. Pull snugly up to the ring. Repeat for the other two sets of string (see Figure 1).

3. 

   For ease of working, tape the ring to your working surface. Pull the two 30-inch strings straight down from the ring and tape the bottom ends to your working surface. Leave enough slack to allow you to move your fingers under the two strings when the strings are taped down. Roll up about 90 inches of each 120-inch string and secure the balls with rubber bands. As you make the macramé knots, you can unroll the balls as needed. The two center pieces remain stationary.

4. 

   Make the first half of the knot. (For teaching purposes, the following instructions refer to colored pieces of yarn that are pictured. Follow the directions, but use your string.) Move the black strand up and out of the way. Lay the blue strand over the orange strands to make a triangle on the left side (see Figure 2). Bring the black strand down over the blue strand, under the orange strands, and then up through the blue triangle (see Figure 3). Pull the blue and black strands snugly up to the top of the ring.

5. 

   Make the second half of the knot. The blue strand is now on the right side. With the black strand moved up and out of the way, bring the blue strand over the orange strands to form a triangle on the right side. Bring the black strand down over the blue strand, under the orange strands, and up through the blue triangle (see Figure 4). Pull snugly. This completes the knot.

6. 

   Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the knotted cord is 10 inches long.

7. 

   Slip the center strands of yarn through a bead. Tie the first half of a knot, pulling the cord up snugly to the bead (see Figure 5). Complete the second half of the knot. Continue tying until the macramé cord is 24 inches long (see Figure 6).

8. Repeat steps 4 through 7 for the remaining two sets of strings.

9. 

   Hold all 12 strings that are hanging down from the three completed macramé cords in your hand. Make a slip knot to tie them all together (see Figure 7). Pull tightly, ensuring that all three macramé sections hang at equal lengths. Trim fringe to 5 inches.