Step 2 of the process
Tie the knots
A handful of knots build almost every piece: larks head, square knot, half knot spiral, double half hitch and the gathering knot. Even tension and the right order of half knots matter more than speed.
- Core knots
- larks head, square knot, half knot spiral, double half hitch, gathering knot
- Gathering knot
- separate cord of 20 to 24 in, 6 to 10 wraps
The square knot is the workhorse. It uses four strands: two outer working cords tied around two filler cords in the middle. A square knot is two half knots, the second tied in the opposite direction to the first. Tie the same half knot again and again and the strip turns into a spiral, which is the cause behind most cases of macrame that twists.
Rows of double half hitch draw lines and shapes across a piece, and the gathering knot, also called a wrap knot, binds a bundle of cords at the top and bottom of a plant hanger. The knots chart groups the basic knots by how many cords each one needs and what it is used for.
Working cords are used up several times faster than filler cords. When one runs short it can be swapped with a filler, or a new length can be joined in: how to add more cord covers each case. Pull every knot to the same firmness and keep the filler cords taut while you tie, and the rows stay straight.
Ready to move on when: Knots sit at an even height and firmness, and flat sections lie flat instead of spiraling.
Common mistakes at this stage
- Repeating the same half knot when a flat square knot was wanted.
- Letting the filler cords go slack while tying.
- Pulling some knots tight and others loose in the same row.