Macrame, the art of knotting cord into decorative patterns, has surged back into Australian homes as a way to display trailing plants, save precious shelf space, and add a warm, textural element to interiors. A simple plant hanger is the perfect beginner project because it teaches the few fundamental knots that form the basis of countless designs. To start, you will need approximately 30 metres of 4mm cotton macrame cord, a 50mm wooden or brass ring, a pair of sharp scissors, and a measuring tape. Cotton cord is ideal: it knots reliably, has a soft matte finish, and feels gentle on your hands through the hours of work. Choose a natural cream hue for an earthy look, or a dyed cord in mustard, ochre, or dusty blue to match your interior palette. Working on a flat surface or hanging the ring from a hook at a comfortable height will save your shoulders and keep the tension consistent.
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Begin by cutting eight lengths of cord, each about 4 metres long – generous excess is better than running short. Fold each length in half and attach it to the wooden ring using a lark’s head knot: fold the midpoint behind the ring, pull the ends through the loop, and tighten. This will give you 16 working strands hanging down from the ring. Group them into four sections of four strands each. The square knot, the workhorse of macrame, is formed by taking the left outer strand, crossing it over the two middle filler cords and under the right outer strand, then taking the right outer strand under the fillers and up through the left loop. Tighten the knot, then repeat the process starting from the right to complete one full square knot. Practise a string of square knots until your hands find a rhythm; the tension should be firm but not so tight that the cord buckles or distorts.
The hanger’s body is built with a series of alternating square knots that create a net-like cradle for the pot. From the ring, leave a 20-centimetre space of untied cord to form a graceful hanging loop, then tie three square knots down the first group, five down the second, and so on, keeping the counts consistent. After the first set, skip the first two strands of the next group, take the next four strands, and tie a square knot roughly 10 centimetres below the previous row. This staggered spacing produces the classic open diamond pattern. Continue this alternating pattern around the circumference for at least three or four rows, periodically holding the work up against a pot of your chosen size to check the fit. The cord will stretch slightly over time, so aim for a snug rather than baggy cradle.
