DIY Plant Hanger

Craft a stylish plant hanger with rope and a few knots.

Everything old is new again, and those macrame plant hangers from the seventies are making a comeback.

Why? Maybe because theyʼre easy, cheap, useful, and fun to make. Plus theyʼre endlessly customizable in any color and style, from minimalist and neutral to funky and colorful. Want something a little more special than the usual plastic pots for your front porch ferns? With this technique, you can turn any favorite planter into a hanging planter in a few minutes.

And, you donʼt have to master a bunch of complicated knots to make this simple, but fully functioning version.

Iʼll show you the basic technique and a few variations you can use to bring a little swing to your plants, both indoors and out.

What You Will Need:
• Macrame cord or any strong, flexible cording
• Metal or wooden ring, for hanging
• Scissors
• Measuring stick or tape
• Optional, beads or any bauble with a hole through the center
• Lighter or matches

Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin by cutting the cord into lengths. The size of your hanger can vary depending on your needs, but a good, average plant hanger to start with is 36 in. For this size you need to cut four 100 in. lengths of cord.
2. Next, hold all four cords together, aligning the ends, and slip the hanging ring over the cords. Fold the cords in half with the ring in the center. (photo 1)
3. Now you have 8 cords held together. Make a knot in all 8, as close to the ring as you can. (photo 2)
4. Divide the cords into four sets of two. (photo3)
5. About 12 inches down from the first knot, knot each set of cords. (photo 4)
6. Take the second and third adjacent knots from the left and knot these together about 6-8 inches down from the first row of knots. Continue with the fourth and fifth adjacent knots, then the sixth and seventh. (photo 5)
7. Knot your two remaining cords together (the first and eighth). (photo 6)
8. Holding all the cords together, make the final knot 4-6 inches below the second row of knots. (photo 7)
9. Trim the ends evenly to form a tassel the length you prefer. With the lighter, barely singe the ends of the cords to prevent fraying.
10. Add your plant, and youʼre done!

Variations:
For smaller or larger planters, cut the cords accordingly to adapt to your needs.

To add beads or other baubles to your hanger, string the bead onto a pair of cords and make a double knot to keep the bead from slipping down. Continue with the other pairs of cords.

You can get as fancy as you want with macrame. For more elaborate knotting techniques, free online video tutorials and macrame specialty books are a fun way to take it to the next level.