Macramé is having a moment, and it’s no wonder. Using an age-old technique that is almost as easy as tying your shoes, today’s macramé artists are creating marvelous, modern items that can fit into any decor. This wall hanging is adapted from a larger project in Emily Katz’s new book, Modern Macramé: 33 Stylish Projects for Your Handmade Home (Ten Speed Press), and is a great introduction to the craft.
What You’ll Need
Main Color Rope (MC): 100′ navy cotton rope (5mm diameter), cut into ten 10′ lengths
Contrast Color Rope (CC): 20′ salmon cotton rope (5mm diameter), cut into two 10′ lengths
13″ – 16″ Wooden Dowel
We purchased all of our materials from modernmacrame.com.
Knots
This project uses two basic knots: the right-facing square knot, and the left-facing square knot. You’ll also need to know how to do a reverse lark’s head knot to get the ropes onto your dowel.
Reverse Lark’s Head Knot (RLHK)
Make a loop at the center of the rope, and bring it up behind the dowel. [A]
Fold the loop forward over the dowel and pull the ends of the rope forward through the loop. [B]
Make sure the rope is divided precisely in half and then tighten the knot.
Half Square Knot (HSK)
This knot and its mirror image, the Right Half Square Knot, are made by knotting two outer cords, called working cords, around two inner cords, called filler cords.
Bring the left working cord (gray) over both filler cords and under the right working cord (white). [A]
Bring the right working cord (white) under the filler cords and over the left working cord (gray). [B]
Tighten the knot. [C]
Right Half Square Knot (RHSK)
Bring the right working cord (white) over both filler cords and under the left working cord (gray). [A]
Bring the left working cord (gray) under the filler cords and over the right working cord (white). [B]
Tighten the knot. [C]
Square Knot (SK)
Work one HSK followed by one RHSK, and tighten the knot.
Right-facing square knot (RSK)
Work one RHSK followed by one HSK, and tighten the knot.
Sinnet of Square Knots
Two or more square knots worked one right after the other is known as a sinnet.
Directions
Using RLHKs, mount 10′ ropes onto the dowel in the following order, from left to right:
5 in MC, 2 in CC, 5 in MC. Space them evenly across the dowel.
Work the following rows 1″ apart:
Row 1: Skip 2 cords, work 5 SKs, then skip 2 cords.
Row 2: Work 2 SKs, 1 RSK, then 3 SKs.
Row 3: Repeat Row 1.
Row 4: Repeat Row 2.
Row 5: Skip 2 cords, work 5 sinnets of 2 SKs, then skip 2 cords.
Row 6: Skip 4 cords, work 1 SK, 1 RSK, 2 SKs, then skip 4 cords.
Row 7: Skip 6 cords, work 3 SKs, then skip 6 cords.
Row 8: Skip 8 cords, work 1 RSK, 1 SK, then skip 8 cords.
Row 9: Use the CC cords to work a sinnet of 3 SKs.
Trim all cords about 10″ below their last respective knot, and unravel them.
This wall hanging is a portion of Katz’s “Celebration Garland” project (above).
Styled by Martha Bernabe, Prop House NYC.
Photographed by Kristyna Archer.
Knot instruction and garland photographs by Nicole Franzen from Modern Macramé: 33 Stylish Projects for Your Handmade Home by Emily Katz, © 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press.
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2018 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
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