Macramé is one of the most approachable fiber arts there is. You don't need to sew, knit, or weave — the entire craft is based on a handful of knots that anyone can learn in minutes. The results look complex and beautiful, but once you understand the basic structure, you'll be creating impressive pieces from your very first session.
This beginner wall hanging uses just five knot types and creates a layered, textural piece about 18 inches wide and 30 inches long. It's perfect for a bedroom, living room, or as a thoughtful handmade gift.
What You'll Need
🧵 Materials
- 3mm natural cotton macramé rope — 100m spool
- Wooden dowel or driftwood — 20" long
- Scissors (sharp!)
- Tape measure
- Comb or stiff brush (for fringing)
- Rubber band or clip to hold work
- Wooden ring or hook for hanging
- Optional: beads, feathers, dried flowers for embellishment
The 5 Knots You Need to Know
1. Lark's Head Knot
How you attach cords to the dowel. Fold a cord in half, loop behind the rod, pull ends through the loop. All macramé starts here.
2. Square Knot
The backbone of macramé. Uses 4 cords (2 working, 2 filler). Left over right, then right over left. Makes the classic flat knot pattern.
3. Half Square Knot
Half of a square knot repeated creates a beautiful spiral twist. Just keep going left over right and watch the magic happen.
4. Diagonal Clove Hitch
Creates diagonal lines and V-shapes. One cord becomes the "knot-bearer" and all others wrap around it. Creates gorgeous geometric patterns.
5. Gathering Knot (Wrap Knot)
Brings multiple cords together into a bundle. Used to create tassels, transitions, and visual anchors within the design.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cut your cords
For an 18"-wide piece, cut 24 cords, each 2.5 meters long. When folded in half for the lark's head knot, you'll have 48 working strands, each about 120cm. This is enough for the pattern in this tutorial with some length to spare for fringe. Cut all cords before you start — untangling as you go is the biggest time-waster in macramé.
Mount cords with Lark's Head Knots
Hang your dowel at eye level — a hook in the wall or from a clothes rack works perfectly. Fold each cord in half and attach with a lark's head knot. Space them evenly across the dowel. Alternate the direction of every other knot (some forward-facing, some reverse) for a neater appearance. Number your cords 1–48 from left to right mentally to keep track.
Work the first row of Square Knots
Starting from the left, group your cords into sets of 4. Work a square knot in each group across the full width — you'll make 12 square knots. Leave about 1 inch of space below the dowel before your knots. Keep tension consistent — this is the hardest part of macramé and what determines how clean the finished piece looks. Not too tight, not too loose.
💡 Tension Tip: Work with your piece hanging vertically, not flat on a table. Gravity helps keep tension consistent and lets you see how the piece will actually look when displayed.
Create the alternating square knot pattern
Drop down 1.5 inches. Skip the first 2 cords, then group the next 4, knot, then the next 4, etc., ending with the last 2 cords unused. This offset pattern is the classic macramé diamond mesh. Do 2–3 more rows of alternating square knots, maintaining even spacing. This creates the open, net-like section in the center of your piece — beautiful and rhythmic to work.
Add a spiral section
Change things up with half square knots on groups of 4. Work the left-over-right half knot repeatedly in each group for about 10 knots — a gorgeous spiral twist will form as the cords rotate. This textural variation keeps the eye moving through the piece. Mix spiral and flat square knot sections for a design that feels intentional and varied.
Create a V-shape with Diagonal Clove Hitches
Use two cords as your knot-bearers (one from the left edge, one from the right). Angle them down toward the center at about 45°. Wrap every other cord around each bearer in turn using clove hitch knots. This creates two diagonal lines meeting at a V-point in the center. This is the most impressive-looking part of the piece and also the most satisfying to execute.
Finish with a gathering knot and fringe
Bring all your cords together below the last row of knots. Use a long separate piece of rope to wrap a gathering knot tightly around all cords, pulling them into a tassel bundle. Knot it off at the back. Trim the fringe ends to an even length — a gentle V or diagonal angle looks great. Then use your comb or stiff brush to brush out the rope ends into fluffy, airy fringe. This is the most satisfying part!