# How to Tie a Macrame Gathering Knot (Wrap Knot)

Source: https://cordandknot.com/blog/macrame-gathering-knot
Published: 2026-10-01
Publisher: Cord and Knot

**Short answer:** A gathering knot, also called a wrap knot, binds a bundle of cords with a separate wrapping cord. Cut it **20 to 24 in** (50 to 60 cm), lay a U-shaped loop on the bundle, make **6 to 10** firm wraps down over the loop, thread the end through the loop and pull the top tail until the loop sits halfway inside the wraps. Trim both tails flush.

This is the knot at the top and bottom of a plant hanger and at the neck of a tassel, and it is the one that most often comes out loose. Two things decide the result: how firmly each wrap is pulled as it goes on, and how far the loop is drawn under the wraps at the end. The length of the wrapping cord matters too, because a cord cut too short leaves nothing to grip. Gathering knot and wrap knot are two names for one knot, and some patterns call it a wrapping knot.

## Macrame gathering knot step by step

Work with the bundle hanging or held taut, so the cords lie straight and side by side. The steps below wrap from the top down, which suits the knot under a plant hanger ring. The same knot works upside down: tail at the bottom, bend at the top, wraps going up.

1. Cut a wrapping cord of **20 to 24 in** (50 to 60 cm) for cord up to 4 mm. Thicker cord and wide bundles need more: see the table in the next section.
2. Lay the wrapping cord on the bundle as a U-shaped loop. A short tail of 2 to 3 in points up and the bend points down. Put the bend 1 to 2 in (3 to 5 cm) below where the last wrap will sit.
3. Pin the loop to the bundle with your thumb. Take the long end and wrap it around the bundle and the loop together, starting just below the short tail and working down toward the bend.
4. Make 6 to 10 wraps: 8 is a common default. Pull each wrap firm and lay it against the one before, with no gaps and no crossing. Stop while at least 1 in of the loop still shows below the wraps.
5. Thread the long end through the loop. Hold the wraps in place with one hand and pull the short top tail straight up. The loop slides under the wraps and drags the long end in with it.
6. Stop pulling when the loop is about halfway up inside the wraps. Then trim both tails flush with the top and bottom of the wraps, using sharp scissors.

Note: Keep hold of the short top tail from step 2 to step 5. If it slips under the first wrap before you pull it, there is nothing left to tighten the knot with: unwrap and start again.

## How long should the wrapping cord be?

The usual figure is **20 to 24 in** for cord up to 4 mm and 6 to 10 wraps. Published figures run from 12 in to about 40 in (1 m), because a thicker bundle and more wraps both use more cord. One teacher lists a wrapping cord of 12 to 15 in as a common beginner mistake: it wraps, but leaves no end to pull.

To measure instead of guessing, wind a scrap of the same cord once around the bundle and note what one turn uses. Multiply by the number of wraps, then add enough for the loop and two tails you can grip. The [cord calculator](https://cordandknot.com/tools/macrame-cord-calculator) allows 24 in per wrapping cord for cord up to 4 mm and 40 in for 5 mm and thicker.

| Bundle and cord | Wrapping cord | Wraps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small bundle or tassel, cord up to 4 mm | 20 to 24 in (50 to 60 cm) | 6 to 10, often 8 |
| Plant hanger, 12 to 16 strands of 4 to 5 mm | 24 to 30 in (60 to 75 cm) | 8 to 10 |
| Cord of 5 mm and thicker, or a wide bundle | up to 40 in (1 m) | 6 to 10 |
| Long decorative band | longer: measure one turn on the bundle first | 15 to 25 |

Wrapping cord lengths from published tutorials and plant hanger patterns. Typical ranges, not exact figures.

## Where the gathering knot goes on a plant hanger

A plant hanger usually has two, so cut two wrapping cords. The first sits just under the ring and turns the folded cords into one neck. The second closes the basket under the pot, with the tassel hanging below it. The full order of knots is in [knots for plant hangers](https://cordandknot.com/blog/macrame-knots-for-plant-hangers).

On a hanger with no ring, the middle of the bundle is wrapped or knotted over about 7 in (180 mm), folded into a loop, and a gathering knot closes the loop. That start is covered step by step in [plant hanger without a ring](https://cordandknot.com/blog/macrame-plant-hanger-without-ring).

Note: The gathering knot bundles the cords. What a hanger can carry is set by the hook and its anchor: use the rating printed on the hook package.

## Why is my gathering knot loose? Four common failures

A wrap knot holds by friction alone, so almost every loose one comes from one of four faults. Check them in this order before cutting a new wrapping cord.

The loop pulled too far is the failure that surprises people. Pulling the top tail drags the loop and the threaded end upward under the wraps. Halfway up, the end is trapped. All the way up, the loop pops out above the wraps and the end slips free. If the loop will not move at all, the wraps are gripping it: pull the tail in short, hard tugs instead of loosening the wraps.

| What you see | Cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wraps slide along the bundle or gape | Wraps put on slack, or the top tail not pulled hard enough | Redo it, pulling every turn firm, then pull the tail until the wraps bite |
| The knot falls apart as you tighten it | Loop pulled too far: it came out of the top and let the end go | Start again and stop when the loop is halfway inside the wraps |
| Lumpy band, cord lying over itself | Wraps crossing instead of sitting side by side | Unwind to the crossing and lay each wrap flat against the last |
| End will not reach or thread through the loop | Loop too short, or wrapping cord too short | Leave 1 to 2 in of loop below the last wrap, or cut a longer cord |

## How to tell the knot is done

Check three things before the scissors come out. Once the tails are trimmed the knot cannot be tightened again, only cut off and replaced.

Then trim both tails flush with the wraps. Cotton cannot be heat sealed, so cut the tails close enough that they sit under the edge of the wrap. Synthetic cord ends can be heat sealed, away from anything flammable. More on loose ends is in [how to stop cord ends from unravelling](https://cordandknot.com/blog/macrame-cord-ends-unravelling).

- The wraps sit side by side, with no cord of the bundle showing between them and no wrap lying on top of another.
- The loop has disappeared inside the wraps, about halfway up, and the long end has gone in with it.
- A firm tug on each tail, and on any single cord of the bundle, moves nothing.

## Other macrame finishing knots and when to use each

The gathering knot is the finishing knot for a bundle. Single cords and flat pieces end differently. The knots below are all on the [macrame knots chart](https://cordandknot.com/blog/macrame-knots-chart), and a hanger can also end with no tassel at all: see [plant hanger without a tassel](https://cordandknot.com/blog/macrame-plant-hanger-without-tassel).

| Ending | Use it for | What it leaves |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gathering knot | Bundles of many cords: hanger top and bottom, tassels | A neat band of 6 to 10 wraps with fringe or a tassel below |
| Overhand knot | One cord or a small group; stopping a bead or a fraying end | A small round knot at the end of each cord |
| Row of double half hitch | The bottom edge of a wall hanging, above the fringe | A firm raised line across the piece |
| Ends hidden at the back | Pieces with no fringe, and cords joined inside a knot | Tails tucked behind the knots, nothing visible from the front |

## Quick answers

Short answers to the common questions about the gathering knot. Lengths are typical figures from published tutorials, given as ranges.

- **Is a macrame gathering knot the same as a wrap knot?** Yes. Gathering knot, wrap knot and wrapping knot all name one knot: a separate cord wrapped around a bundle and locked by a loop hidden under the wraps.
- **How many wraps does a gathering knot need?** 6 to 10 is the usual range and 8 is a common default. Fewer wraps make a slim band for small pieces.
- **How long is the wrapping cord for a plant hanger gathering knot?** Published hanger patterns cut 24 to 30 in for 4 to 5 mm cord. For thicker cord or a wide bundle, allow up to 40 in.
- **How do you end macrame knots on a plant hanger?** With a second gathering knot under the pot. The cords below it stay as a tassel and are trimmed level.

## Gear guides for this topic

- https://cordandknot.com/best/best-macrame-cord-for-plant-hangers
- https://cordandknot.com/best/best-4mm-macrame-cord
- https://cordandknot.com/best/best-macrame-plant-hanger-kit

## Sources

- [Bochiknot: Macrame gathering knot step-by-step tutorial](https://bochiknot.com/blogs/macrame-basic-knots/macrame-gathering-knot-step-by-step-tutorial)
- [Marching North: How to make a simple macrame plant hanger](https://www.marchingnorth.com/simple-macrame-plant-hanger-tutorial/)
- [Simply Frayed: How to make a macrame plant hanger (for beginners)](https://www.simplyfrayed.com/blog/howtomakeamacrameplanthanger)