Basic instruction macramé

Stylish macramé decorative objects, practical hangers and fine jewelry fascinate us very much. With the right technique and materials, you too will become a "macramé professional".

Macramé is a fascinating knotting technique that involves knotting yarns and ropes together to create an ornate look. Discover how to do it here.

Which material for which work?

Depending on the idea, a different material is needed.

Finest yarns and also embroidery twist are used for macramé jewelry and friendship bracelets. Small macramé decorations around glass lanterns, tea light glasses or, for example, filigree placemats are made with yarns up to about 4 mm thick. Coarse ropes not only have a strong visual effect. Strong sturdy ropes can be used not only to make practical hanging baskets and hanging shelves or artistic wall hangings. With the right rope you can even create classic hammocks!

Knot by knot to success

There are technical terms for everything. This is also the case with the macramé technique. Thus, a distinction is made between carrier threads and working threads.

Carrier threads and working threads
The carrier threads hold the knots, the working threads are the "active" ones with which the knots are looped.

Fixing knot, tying knot & finishing knot
To get started, you will need a firmly fixed attachment point for the first knot. For example, stretch a wooden stick between two shelves, use a coat hanger fixed to the coat rack, or bend a tightly fixed wire loop. Will the fastening device be integrated into the macramé work? A hanging ring? The wooden rod? Then this must also be fixed for knotting.

Fixing knot
You start with a lark's head knot, which is fixed forward, backward or as a double knot on a suspension, depending on the desired look.

Classic knot

Single or double loops made with the working thread are called "blow". Two interlocking loops make "half knots"(called square knot, wave knot or old wives knot).

Take from our illustrated step-by-step instructions the various classic knots of knotting, also note the graphics typically used in knotting fonts for each type of knot.

Termination knot

Finishing knots help to fix, decorate the connection point between the hanger and macrame work. Our detailed instructions in the appendix will show you winding, wavy, loop and overhand knots step by step.

We hope you enjoy trying and creating!