Create a beautiful bohemian-style plant hanger using basic macramé knots. This beginner-friendly project takes about 1-2 hours and requires no prior experience. Perfect for adding a touch of handmade charm to your home while displaying your favorite small to medium potted plants.
Find a comfortable spot to work with good lighting. Clear a table or workspace where you can spread out your materials. You'll need something to hang your project from while working—a sturdy hook, curtain rod, or even a doorknob works perfectly.
Using your scissors or craft knife, cut eight pieces of macramé cord, each measuring 10 feet (3 meters) long. It's better to have extra length than to run short. Lay them out flat to prevent tangling.
Bundle all eight cords together and fold them in half to find the center point. At this center point, tie all the cords together with a simple overhand knot, leaving a small loop above the knot (about 1-2 inches). This loop will be used for hanging your finished planter. You should now have 16 cord ends hanging below the knot.
Hang the loop you just created on your hook or hanging point. Separate the 16 hanging cords into four groups of four cords each. Space these groups evenly around in a circle—this will form the four 'sides' of your plant hanger.
Working with one group of four cords, you'll create square knots. Take the leftmost cord over the two middle cords and under the rightmost cord. Then take the rightmost cord under the two middle cords and up through the loop on the left. Pull tight. This is half of a square knot. Now reverse: take the rightmost cord over the middle two and under the left cord, then take the left cord under the middle two and up through the loop on the right. Pull tight. That's one complete square knot. Create 3 more square knots directly below this one, keeping them close together. Repeat this entire process with the other three groups of cords.
Using your measuring tape, measure down about 12 inches from the bottom of your square knot sections. Mark this spot mentally or with a small piece of tape on one group. This creates the space where the top of your plant pot will sit.
Here's where it gets fun—you'll connect the groups together. Take two cords from one group and two cords from the neighboring group (the two cords closest to each other). At your 12-inch mark, tie these four cords together with one square knot. Move around the circle and repeat this process, always taking two cords from adjacent groups, until you've created four new square knots connecting all the sections together. Your hanger should now look like a basket shape.
Measure down another 4 inches from the knots you just created. Repeat the same process: take two cords from one knot and two cords from the adjacent knot, and tie them together with a square knot. Continue around until you have four knots at this level. This second tier ensures your plant pot is secure.
Gather all 16 cord ends together below your last row of knots. Measure about 4-6 inches down from the last knots (adjust based on your pot size—you want the pot to sit snugly in the basket). At this point, tie all 16 cords together with a tight overhand knot or wrap them together tightly.
Below your gathering knot, the cords will hang down as a tassel. Trim all the cord ends to the same length using scissors—anywhere from 6 to 12 inches depending on your preference. For a fuller look, you can gently unravel the twisted cords by running your fingers down each strand to separate the fibers.
Before calling it finished, place your plant pot (with plant) into the hanger to test the fit. The pot should sit securely in the basket structure you created. If it's too loose or too tight, you can adjust by repositioning the knots or tying additional securing knots.
Adjust any uneven knots, trim any stray fibers, and fluff the tassel at the bottom. Hang your completed macramé plant hanger from a ceiling hook or wall bracket, insert your potted plant, and step back to admire your handiwork! Make sure the ceiling hook or bracket is securely installed and can support the weight of your plant.