Explainer
How Much Cord Do You Need for a Macrame Wall Hanging?
Published
Short answer
Cut each folded cord 8 to 9 times the knotted length, add twice the fringe, then 10 percent: 14 ft 4 in to 16 ft for an 18 in piece with 6 in of fringe. The width sets the number of cords. A dowel covered edge to edge takes one folded cord per two cord widths, about 38 cords of 4 mm for 12 in. Open or spaced patterns use fewer cords and less cord in total.
Two measurements decide the amount: the knotted width along the dowel and the knotted length below it. Width sets how many cords you mount. Length, fringe and knot density set how long each cord is cut. The figures here assume cords folded in half and mounted with larks head knots, standard knots such as square knots, and a 10 percent margin. They are built from published rules of thumb, so every length is a range. A pattern that states its own cut list beats any estimate.
How many cords for a 12, 18, 24 or 36 in wall hanging
A larks head knot takes two cord widths on the dowel, so the most cords that fit is the knotted width divided by twice the cord thickness. The table gives that count, rounded to an even number so the strands divide into groups of 4 for square knots. It is the upper limit: a dowel covered edge to edge.
Most patterns use fewer. Leave a gap as wide as one larks head knot between neighbors and the count halves. Thicker cord fills the same width with fewer cords, which is why large pieces are usually tied in 5 mm.
| Knotted width | 3 mm cord | 4 mm cord | 5 mm cord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 in (30 cm) | 50 cords | 38 cords | 30 cords |
| 18 in (46 cm) | 76 cords | 58 cords | 46 cords |
| 24 in (61 cm) | 102 cords | 76 cords | 60 cords |
| 36 in (91 cm) | 152 cords | 114 cords | 92 cords |
How long to cut rope for a macrame wall hanging
Cut length depends on the knotted length, not the width. Measure from the dowel to the last row of knots and count the fringe separately. The table assumes standard knots, 6 in of fringe, folded cords and a 10 percent margin. For other inputs use the cord calculator, which returns the same figures and prints a cut list.
| Knotted length | Cut each cord, 3 or 4 mm | Cut each cord, 5 mm |
|---|---|---|
| 12 in (30 cm) | 9 ft 11 in to 11 ft (3.02 to 3.35 m) | 10 ft 10 in to 13 ft 6 in (3.30 to 4.11 m) |
| 18 in (46 cm) | 14 ft 4 in to 16 ft (4.37 to 4.88 m) | 15 ft 8 in to 19 ft 8 in (4.78 to 5.99 m) |
| 24 in (61 cm) | 18 ft 9 in to 20 ft 11 in (5.71 to 6.38 m) | 20 ft 6 in to 25 ft 11 in (6.25 to 7.90 m) |
| 36 in (91 cm) | 27 ft 6 in to 30 ft 10 in (8.38 to 9.40 m) | 30 ft 2 in to 38 ft 3 in (9.19 to 11.66 m) |
Note.The 5 mm range is wide because sources disagree: two add 10 to 25 percent for thick cord and one cord brand prints lower multipliers. Tie a test strip, mark it, untie it and measure the cord it used.
Total cord for a wall hanging by size
Multiply the number of cords by the cut length. The examples below cover the dowel edge to edge and knot the whole rectangle, which is the most cord a piece of that size can take. Half the cords means half the total.
Real patterns sit well below these limits, because they space the cords and leave open areas. Bochiknot estimates about 210 ft in total for a small 12 by 18 in wall hanging in 3 mm cord. The calculator's own wall hanging preset is a narrow piece: 16 cords of 4 mm, 18 in knotted and 6 in of fringe come to 230 to 256 ft (77 to 86 yd), and those 32 strands cover about 5 in side by side.
| Width by knotted length | Cord | Cords | Total cord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 by 18 in | 3 mm | 50 | 717 to 800 ft (239 to 267 yd) |
| 12 by 18 in | 4 mm | 38 | 545 to 608 ft (182 to 203 yd) |
| 18 by 24 in | 4 mm | 58 | 1088 to 1214 ft (363 to 405 yd) |
| 24 by 36 in | 5 mm | 60 | 1810 to 2295 ft (604 to 765 yd) |
| 36 by 36 in | 5 mm | 92 | 2776 to 3519 ft (926 to 1173 yd) |
How dense patterns change the cut length
Knot density moves the cut length more than anything else. The table shows one piece, 18 in knotted with 6 in of fringe in 3 or 4 mm cord, at three densities. Sources put dense work at 5 to 5.5 times per strand and some calculators go to 6 or 7. The site calculator uses 5 to 6.
Within a square knot the two outer working cords are used up far faster than the two fillers. If the pattern keeps the same cords working all the way down, cut at the long figure. A cord that still runs short can be extended: see how to add more cord.
| Pattern | Times the length per strand | Cut each cord |
|---|---|---|
| Light: open patterns, simple rows, a lot of fringe | 3 to 3.5 | 11 ft to 12 ft 8 in |
| Standard: square knots, alternating square knots | 4 to 4.5 | 14 ft 4 in to 16 ft |
| Dense: rows of double half hitch, berry knots | 5 to 6 | 17 ft 8 in to 20 ft 11 in |
How long fringe changes the number
Fringe is not multiplied. It is added once to every strand, so twice per folded cord, and the margin goes on top. Each extra inch of fringe adds about 2.2 in to every cord. For the 18 in piece in standard knots: no fringe gives 13 ft 3 in to 14 ft 11 in, 6 in of fringe gives 14 ft 4 in to 16 ft, and 12 in gives 15 ft 5 in to 17 ft 1 in.
Plan the fringe longer than the finished look, since it is trimmed to shape at the end. How to comb macrame fringe covers unravelling, combing and trimming.
Macrame wall hanging size: choosing width and length
Work backward from the wall. Pick the knotted width, then the cord: 3 mm suits small and medium wall hangings, 4 mm medium pieces and 5 mm large ones. The cord size chart lists each thickness with its usual projects. The dowel has to be longer than the knotted width so its ends show and the hanging cord has somewhere to sit.
Then check the cost in cord before committing. Doubling the width doubles the number of cords. Doubling the knotted length nearly doubles each cut length. Doing both takes about four times the cord, which is how a 36 by 36 in piece reaches the figures in the table above.
How long does it take to make a macrame wall hanging?
There is no honest fixed figure. Time follows the number of knots: more cords, a longer knotted length and denser rows all add knots, and thick cord covers the same area with fewer of them. A 12 in wide piece has 30 cords to work across in 5 mm against 50 in 3 mm. To estimate your own piece, time the first two or three rows and multiply by the number of rows in the pattern.
Quick answers
Short answers for folded cords in standard knots with a 10 percent margin. The tables above give the figures for other sizes and for 5 mm cord.
- How much cord for a macrame wall hanging? Number of cords times cut length. Sixteen cords of 4 mm, 18 in knotted with 6 in of fringe, need 230 to 256 ft (77 to 86 yd).
- How much macrame cord for a large wall hanging? A 24 by 36 in piece fully covered in 5 mm cord takes up to 60 cords of 30 ft 2 in to 38 ft 3 in. Open patterns need far less.
- How long to cut rope for a macrame wall hanging? 8 to 9 times the knotted length plus twice the fringe, plus 10 percent.
- How long does it take to make a macrame wall hanging? It depends on the number of knots. Time a few rows and multiply by the rows in the pattern.
