How to Tie Macramé Knots to Create Your Own Woven Decor

Macramé has been a popular craft for centuries, and this decorative knot-tying technique is still beloved today. The process involves weaving, twisting, and knotting cords to form unique designs, and it's often used to create home accessories such as wall hangings and plant holders. Requiring only a few materials, macramé is a great craft project for beginners (including kids!). To learn how to macramé, you'll first need several lengths of cord or rope and an object to tie your knots around. The support should be sturdy yet thin enough that you can easily loop strands of cord around it. Some examples of good macramé supports include wood dowels, tree branches, and metal hoops.

Once you've gathered your supplies, it's time to practice macramé knot techniques. By incorporating a variety of knots into your design, you can give your project interesting texture and added dimension. Below, we'll walk you through some of the most common macramé knot types and how to do them. Once you have these methods mastered, mix and match the different types of knots to create your own distinctive designs. The possibilities are limitless!

Adam Albright

How to Tie Macramé Knots

You can use a variety of tying techniques to create unique macramé designs. Here are some of the most common types of macramé knots:

1. Lark's Head: This knot (pictured far left in the photo above) typically starts a project and secures your cord or rope to the dowel (or whatever you're weaving on). To tie a lark's head knot, loop one end of the cord over the dowel and bring that end across the front of the remaining cord. Bring the end under and around the dowel to create a loop and feed the end through. Pull to tighten and even out the ends as needed.

2. Square Knot: Tied over and over in a tight repeat, square knots (pictured second from left, above) create a chunky textured band. Learn how to create this knot using the step-by-step instructions, below.

3. Alternating Square Knot: This macramé knot (pictured center, above) creates a diamond pattern and can be used to form wide panels. Starting with eight cords, you tie rows of square knots, alternating the cords you use with each row. Tie one square knot with the inner four cords, then tie two knots using the four cords on either side.

4. Spiral Knot: In this tying technique, knots wind into a twisting pattern (pictured second from right, above). You'll start the knot as you would a square knot and simply repeat the first step over and over. The knot will start to turn as you move down.

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How to Tie a Square Macramé Knot

1. Start with a pair of lark's head knots. Bring the far left cord over the two middle cords and under the far right one. Bring the far-right cord under the middle two and over the far left.

Adam Albright

2. Pull tight. Don't let cords twist.

Adam Albright

3. Bring the far left cord under the middle two and over the far right. Bring the far-right cord over the middle two and under the left one.

Adam Albright

4. Pull tight. Repeat until you reach the desired length for your project.