Macrame Terms & Knots Dictionary: 20 Essential Terms for Beginners
Confused by macrame patterns? This dictionary defines 20 essential beginner macrame terms, including knot abbreviations, cord types, and pattern reading terms.
Table of Contents
What is a sinnet? Twisted versus braided? It’s enough to make your head spin when all you want to do is create pretty pieces of fiber art. I get it!
So let’s talk macrame terms.
Macrame Cord & Fiber Terminology
First, let’s solve the mystery of macrame string. There is string, cord, and rope. They are 3 different materials, and the way you want your project to look should determine which one you should use.
1. String
Macrame String is super soft, single twist, and most commonly made from cotton. It makes a wonderful fringe and is perfect for wall hangings.
I hesitate to use it with plant hangers because I want to make sure they will hold my plants. It isn’t very forgiving to rework, so be careful if you have to untie and retie it too many times.
2. Rope
Macrame rope is typically 3 cotton strands twisted around each other. It’s sturdier than string and not nearly as soft, but if you are making plant hangers, it’s the perfect choice.
I like rope the best because it holds its shape, is easier to untie and retie, and when fringing it, it has a wavy look that seems more modern boho to me.
3. Cord
Macrame cord is usually 6 strands braided together. It can be made of cotton or polypropylene (plastic). Cord is very strong and the perfect choice when your project needs to support a lot of weight or is going to be outside.
Think clothesline. When I first started doing macrame, I bought clothesline, and it made some very structured pieces. It doesn’t usually fringe very well and will look fuzzy.
Now that that mystery is solved, let’s talk about some macrame terms that will make reading a macrame pattern not seem like a foreign language.
Core Macrame Knot Dictionary
Related: 5 Beginner Macrame Knots You Need to Know
4. LHK – Lark’s Head Knot
A lark’s head knot is used to attach rope to your project. It can also be used to attach rope to rope. Notice the loop is in front. This is done by placing the rope over the dowel rod.
5. RLHK – Reverse Lark’s Head Knot
The same as above, only in reverse. How you want your piece to look will determine which way you tie a lark’s head knot. The reverse lark’s head knot is tied by taking the rope under and over the dowel rod.
6. HSK – Half Square Knot
A half square knot is the left side of a square knot. Tying all HSK knots will create a spiral pattern. A spiral pattern is a great option for adding interesting detail to plant hangers.
7. RHSK – Right Half Square Knot
The opposite of the HSK. Tying all RHSK will give you a spiral pattern.
8. SK – Square Knot
A half square knot and right half square knot together make a complete square knot. You will use square knots in every piece you make. It’s the easiest, most fundamental knot you can tie.
RELATED: Macrame Wall Hanging with Square Knots
9. HHK – Half Hitch Knot
A half hitch knot is a great knot for making borders or edges. This knot can also be tied left or right.
10. DHHK – Double Half Hitch Knot
An HHK is almost always made in pairs, and so you will see the abbreviation DHHK used most often in patterns. Tying two half-hitch knots secures them and keeps them from coming untied.
It’s also important to note that an HHK can be tied vertically or horizontally, so you may also see these abbreviations:
11. VHHK – Vertical Half Hitch Knot
This knot is tied vertically down the filler cords in your macrame piece. This type of pattern can use different colors and create amazing works of art and designs.
12. HHHK – Horizontal Half Hitch Knot
Tied horizontally across your filler cords can create the same types of work of art as the VHHK
Are you totally confused now?
13. ASK – Alternating Square Knot
ASKs are made by taking half the cords adjacent to each other from the square knots above and tying a new knot below and between where the cords originate.
Pattern Reading Terms & Abbreviations
14. Sinnet
A sinnet is a column of knots that are all the same. Square knots are the most common knot used when making a sinnet of knots. I like to start my plant hangers using sinnets of square knots.
15. Working cords
Working cords are all the cords in a macrame project.
16. Knotting cords
Knotting cords are the ones that are used to tie the knots in your design. Whether it’s one cord (for a half hitch knot) or two when making a square knot, any cord you tie around another one is a knotting cord.
17. Filler cords
Filler cords are the cords that knots are tied around in your project. Typically 4 strings are used when tying a knot. Two on the inside (filler cords) and two on the outside (knotting cords). There are exceptions to that rule though. Half-hitch knots and crown knots are two exceptions to the rule.
18. Row
A horizontal line of knots tied side by side, tied with a different working cord. Square knots and horizontal half-hitch knots are examples of a row of knots.
19. Finishing knot
A knot that is tied to secure the ends of cords to keep them from unraveling.
This simple finishing knot ends the pattern of HHKs and keeps them from unraveling on these wooden purse handles.
20. Gathering knot
This knot is used to gather cords together to secure them at the beginning or end of a project. Gathering knots are always used when making plant hangers.
Gathering knots are often used to start and finish a plant hanger.
When you’re just starting out doing macrame, patterns and the terms used can be confusing. This list of 20 macrame terms for beginners will help you on your way to creating your own macrame works of art!
My daughter and I have been thinking of making a plant hanger but it is scary thinking of what to buy. Your pin has help tremendously.
Hi Marabeth! I’m so glad my post was helpful! Don’t be scared! Just jump in! Check out my plant hanger for beginners. It has links to the perfect rope to use for your plant hanger!
Hi. Ever since I saw this beautiful plant hanger at my friends place, I’ve been wanting to make some stuff myself. Thank you. Your post really helped.
Hi Nishrin! I am so glad it helped you!
I really appreciated the way you slowed down so it was easier to understand.
Hi Suzanne, I am new to your blog. As I am knitting and crochet handbags, I would like to know if the Macrame string will work for this, as you mentioned that it is soft. Kindly let me now…….Thanks, Have a blessed day
If you can knit with macrame string? I don’t think so. I believe it would unravel too easily, but I’m not an experienced knitter so don’t hold me to that.
How do I determine length for cords? My project is a wall hanging 27in height finished.
Hi Dawn! The rule of thumb for determining cord length is 3x the finished size. If you are going to be doing a lot of knots close together you may want to make them a little longer. I hope that helps! Be sure to share your finished project with me, I would love to see it!
Hi thanks for explain the difference between the ropes. It help mea lot. do you work with tables runners or placemats? I made my first table runner two months ago but was very complicated for me to know the length of rope. Is not perfect but I did it.
Now I want to make a set of six placemats but don’t know the measurements. Can you help me please.
Hi Edna! Are you wanting them rectangle, square or round? For rectangle or square depending on how many knots you use you would want to figure 3x the length of the finished placemat. Round is a little different depending on the size of rope you want to use. I’m getting ready to make some round placemats as my next project so keep a look out for it as I will have the lengths of rope in the tutuorial.
So, if the placemat is 12 inches long, 12×3=36 inches. So you would want the length of your rope to be 6ft, then when you half it to attach with a lark’s head knot they would be 3ft. It also wouldn’t hurt to add just a little extra length to be on the safe side. Better too much than not enough.
Sorry, thanks in advance.
Hi can you please tell me the best place to buy macramé items, I’m in the West Midlands… England.
Hi Lorraine! I would recommend Etsy for you. There are a lot of sellers on Etsy that ship internationally. Also, Amazon is another good place to buy string. I hope that helps!
Hallo,
Eerst en vooral proficiat met de geweldigen en vooral duidelijke beschrijving.
Ik ben nog maar en beginneling en heb de smaak goed te pakken.
Maar hoe bereken je de lengte van uw touw?
Bijvoorbeeld ik maak en muurhanger en de lengte moet 1m zijn. Hoeveel touw heb ik dan nodig?
Groetjes Brigitte
Hi Birgitte!
I normally measure 3 times the finished length in cord to make the project. I hope that helps!
Iam from india,iam very happy to learn macrame…. Can u teach more….thank u
Shammu..
I will do my best! Glad this post was helpful to you!
Why is it that I cut the amount of cord given and yet I always have too much cord left at the end of my work? Also sometimes it comes shorter than the pattern says?
Regards
Margaret
Hi Margaret! Unfortunately, I have not found a good way to be exact on measurement of chord needed and I always feel that to much is better than not enough. So many things affect the amount of chord you need – type of knots, how many knots, how intricate the pattern is – just to name a few. That is why I always measure out 3x the length of the finished piece in chord. Is that exact, no. I almost always have left-over chord. I’m sorry I don’t have a better answer for you. As you do more you will get to know how much you need. Practice makes perfect
Hi I’m trying to follow a patten for a plant hanger called Teachers Pet but I don’t know what it means when it says to ‘untie all the cords?can u help please
Hi Mischelle! Is this at the bottom of the plant hanger, the pieces that hang down under the plant pot? If so this could mean to fringe out those cords by unwrapping them from each other. If you have cord that is made up of multiple cords twisted together you can separate them to make fringe. I that isn’t it feel free to email me at ma********@*************rt.com and I will see if I can help you figure it out.
Hello, I’ve started my first macrame project it’s a flower pot hanger and going well. I’ve been working with 4 cords to make square knots. Now it says to use a piece of sticky tape to tightly bind the end of each of the anchor cords. Are anchor cords the two cords in the middle of the four I’ve used? Thread one long bead onto the anchor cord, one at a time.
Grateful for some help.
Thanks
Hi Desiree,
Yes, the anchor cords are the two in the middle, although I call them filler cords. You can also use a bobby pin to pull them through your beads. Hope that helps!
Need macrame threads
Hi Sandhya!
Thank you for suggesting this! That is a good section to add to this post. I do talk about the different types of material used to make cord, string, and rope, but could definitely add other types of material used in macrame. Thank you for the suggestion!
Thank you! I just retired & have always wanted to learn macrame. Stalling I purchased alot of rope, yarn, thread & books! All different colors & weight. Everything & more to do it the right way! My husband is making me a stand, so I’m vested in thus project! Confusion wasn’t the word for me yesterday! But I got started, made a pair of earrings, a 2 Keychains & a little wall hanging of a Josephine knot! And a large leaf that I’m not finished with! I love it! ❤️ I can actually relax & enjoy my retirement! I really needed the abbreviations, they helped so much! Now, if I can find some pattern books!
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad the abbreviations helped and excited for you to make more projects!! Please share them with me when you do, I would love to see them!
Me encanta hacer nudos, n soy muy buena aun y me cuesta mucho trabajo adquirir los materiales… casi siempre lo hago por amazon, pero ahí el vendedor no te dan alternativas cuando tu no eres conocedora y a veces prefiero no comprar que comprar el material equivocado…. gracias por su publicación me ha sido muy útil y también espero continuar con ustedes aprendiendo, mas, quiero llegar a un nivel de vender mis piezas.
Comprar en Amazon puede ser frustrante a veces. Me alegro de que mis artículos te hayan ayudado. ¡Simplemente siga practicando sus nudos con proyectos simples para comenzar y estará haciendo piezas que puede vender en poco tiempo!
Hi Marabeth,
I want to make a door hanging which means long lengths of cord. The patterns for the top which has the design look doable but is there any easy way to pull all those lengths through the knots without making the cord ragged?
Thanks for any tips, Jennie
Hi Jennie,
Tying tape around the ends of the strings will help to keep it from unraveling as you tie knots using longer lengths. I hope that helps!
Susanne
Thank you for your article it has helped me get started with macrame
Love this info
What do you use for a frame when you are making the knots
Hi Kathy, it depends on what I am making. for a plant hanger I use a wooden or metal ring. For wall hangings I use a dowel rod. I also use a rolling clothes rack to hold those things while I’m working on whatever I am making. Does that answer your question?
Thanks for slowing the description down for everything! What a wonderful difference it’s made!! Great job!
Should have also shown HOW to make those knots as well so we knew how to make the knots we’re in need of using, it would have made this article more useful..just my personal opinion
Hi Ashley, I do have a post with videos on how to make the basic knots listed in this article. You can find them here – https://macra-made.com/learn-to-macrame-with-4-basic-knots/. I have updated the post to add the link to the post with the videos. Thanks so much for your suggestion.