5 Beginner Macrame Knots You Need to Know

Learn how to macrame with these easy-to-learn five beginner macrame knots. You can make any macrame project once you master these five basic macrame knots.

I have tried many different crafts over the last several years.  None of them brought me joy.  None of them turned out spectacular.  Most of them brought me frustration and left me feeling defeated.  There was even blood…true story.

Until I decided to try my hand at the art of macrame.  Can I just tell you, I have finally found my craft!  

I am here to pass on my passion if you are looking for a craft you can make your own.  Today you are going learn to macrame with just 5 basic knots.

Although there are lots of other knots you can learn, and I recommend that you do, these five will have you well on your way to creating any macrame project.

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Supplies to get started

Macrame supplies can get expensive, so if you are just starting out I recommend purchasing some inexpensive macrame string from Amazon. Here are a couple of things I purchased when I first started.

3mm twisted cotton macrame cord

3-ply twisted cord is easy to work with and doesn’t unravel as easily when you have to tie and untie knots you’ve made. I did a lot of that when I first started and this cord was a lot easier to work with than single twisted.

You can learn about the different types of cord in my post 19 Macrame Terms for Beginners You Need to Know.

Natural Wood Rings for Plant Hangers

You can purchase dowel rods at your local craft store for just a couple of dollars and you will also need a sharp pair of scissors and a measuring tape.

Once you are comfortable and ready to move on to bigger projects, I highly recommend purchasing macrame string from Brandy at  Ket Mercantile.  

I found her on Etsy, her string is amazing quality, and her orders ship very quickly.  I am not an affiliate for her, I just love her products and her awesome customer service!

Now that you have your supplies, let’s get down to business.  I am a visual learner and pictures are really hard to learn from when it comes to tying knots.  So, I stepped out of my comfort zone and created these 5 videos for you.  Let’s learn how to tie knots.

Knot #1. Lark’s Head Knot

Every macrame project starts with a Lark’s Head Knot.  It’s the foundation knot that ties your rope to whatever hanging medium you have chosen.

Knot #2. Square Knot

The square knot is one of the most popular and most used knots in macrame. You will use square knots in every macrame project you make.

You can make an entire wall hanging using square knots like I did with this Macrame Heart Wall Hanging. It isn’t a boring knot and can be used so many different ways.

Check out this Macrame Wall Hanging with Square Knots to see how you can modify a square knot to add extra texture and detail to your project.

Knot #3. Spiral Knot

The spiral knot is a version of the square knot with a bit of a twist. See what I did there? Spiral knots make really great and visually interesting plant hangers.

Knot #4. Half Hitch Knot

The half hitch knot is great for adding detail and framing to a macrame piece of art. I used the half hitch knot in my Macrame Wall Hanging with Beads and in my Simple Boho Macrame Christmas Ornament.

Knot #5. Gathering Knot

A gathering knot is used to secure a portion of your macrame project. It is one of the more important beginner macrame knots you need to learn.

It will hold your strings together when starting a plant hanger and you can use it to finish the plant hanger basket.

Get started with these projects! macrame plant hanger for beginners and try your hand at this simple wall hanging with feathers! Make these easy macrame coasters, this DIY pot scrubby or this simple macrame wall hanging with beads.

From plant hangers to wall hangings, simple designs to elaborate ones, these 5 beginner macrame knots are the foundation for creativity.  

The first wall hanging I ever made was done entirely with just these 5 basic knots.

Are you ready to give it a try?  What will you create first?  What other macrame tutorials would you like to see?  Let me know in the comments below.

Happy knotting,

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