From Basic to Brilliant - Master The Types of Macramé Knots

Welcome to our latest blog post, all about the captivating world of Macramé Knots!

Macrame art started in 500 BC by our ancient civilizations and went through so many brilliant transformations and is now regaining its lost popularity in this creative 21st century.

In this guide, we'll unravel the secrets behind some of the most essential and eye-catching Macrame knots, empowering you to bring intricate designs to life and add a touch of boho-chic elegance to your space.

Whether you're a seasoned knot enthusiast or just dipping your toes into the art of crafting, Macrame knots offer a mesmerizing blend of creativity and technique that can turn simple cords into stunning works of art. 

So, grab your cords and embark on a journey through the diverse and delightful realm of Macrame knots!

Before moving further, there are some Macrame terms that you must be very well aware of for learning Macrame art.

Important Terms of Macrame Art

There are four basic and important terms of Marcrame art:

1. The cord - It is the material that is used to create Macrame knots. The most widely used Macrame cords are cotton, hemp and jute.
2. Working Cord - The cord/cords to be used to create knots.
3. Filler Cord - The cord/cords around which the working cords will be wrapped.
4. Sinnet - It is a series of Macrame knots that is created in a specific pattern.

Now that you have learned the important terms of Macrame art let’s go to the main topic - different types of Macrame knots.

Types of Macrame Knots

1. Mounting Knots

Mounting knots are the types of knots that are tied to attach the cords to the base (i.e., a dowel or a ring or any stick.)

The lark's head knot is a straightforward knot frequently utilized to join a rope to a dowel rod, ring, or even another rope. It can be tied in either a forward-facing or reverse-facing manner with ease.

How to create a Lark’s head knot?

• Take a cord of any length you want. 
• Fold the cord in half by bringing both ends together.
• Place it upside down under the dowel, such that the 2 ends face upwards and the part where the entire cord is folded into half faces downwards.
• Bring the 2 ends down from under the folded part of the cord so it wraps around the dowel.
• Tighten the knot.

The Lark’s head knot will look like this. 👇

Source

The reverse lark’s head knot is called the Cow Hitch knot. The reverse lark’s head knot is another method of securing your Macrame cords to a dowel. It is the same as the typical Lark's Head knot but tied in the opposite direction.

How to create a reverse Lark’s head knot?

• Take a cord of any length you want. 
• Fold the cord in half by bringing both ends together.
• Place the looped cord under the dowel in the correct direction, such that the 2 ends face downwards and the folded part is facing up.
• Bring the loop towards you over the dowel.
• Pull the 2 cord ends from between the loop.
• Tighten the knot.

The reverse Lark’s head knot will look like this. 👇

The Vertical Lark's Head Knot is commonly utilized to join fresh Macrame cords with existing ones. It is quite similar to a regular Lark's Head knot, but the orientation of the knotting is different.

How to create a vertical lark’s head knot?

• Take the working cord and create a counter-clockwise loop by passing it over and under the center cords.
• Create a counter-clockwise loop by passing the working cord underneath and then over the filler cords.

2. Square and Half Knots

Square Knots and Half-Square Knots are the two most commonly used Macrame knots that are easy to create and can be applied in various patterns.

Characteristics of Square and Half Knots

• Square and half-square knots consist of four cords where two (first and fourth) are working cords and the other (second and third) are filler cords.
• Every square knot is created from 2 half-square Macrame knots.
• You can tie a square and half-square knot from both left and right facing.

This is what your knot will look like 👇

Before starting the left-facing half-square knot, you must tie two lark head knots to the dowel to have four cords and wrap.

How to create a Left-facing half-square knot?

• Tie two lark head knots on the dowel.
• Number each cord from 1 to 4.
• Bring cord 1 (working cord) over cord 2 and 3 (filler cords) and under cord 4 (working cord).
• Repeat the same process from the right side. I.e., bring cord 4 over cord 2 and 3 and under cord 1.
• Tighten the knot.

The knot will look like this. 👇

The right-facing half-square knot is the same as the left-facing half-square knot, just starting from the opposite side.

3. Hitches and Variations

In macrame, two types of knots are known as half hitches and double half hitches. You can create stunning macrame designs by tying hitch knots in different ways. 

However, it can be a bit challenging for beginners to master this category of knots. With some practice, though, half and double-half hitches may become your preferred type of macrame knot.

The half-hitch knot is a versatile knot that is commonly used in combination with other knots within its category to produce a wide range of variations.

How to create a Half hitch knot?

• Start by tying 2 lark head knots on the dowel.
• Take one vertical working cord and a horizontal cord as a filler cord.
• Wrap the vertical working cord under, over and back under to the left of the filler cord.
• Loop the string in a counter-clockwise direction to create a knot.

Visual demo of the knot 👇

The Double Half-Hitch knot, also known as the Clove Hitch Knot, is a useful technique for creating horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines in macrame projects. This knot is made by tying two half-hitch knots around a filler cord. 

Repeating this process around the same anchor cord can create a raised line in your design. By adjusting the position of the filler cord, you can create different variations of the Double Half-Hitch knot, including horizontal, diagonal, and vertical designs.

How to create a double half-hitch knot?

• You must start from a half-hitch knot to create a double one.
• With the help of the same working cord, create a right-facing half-hitch of the first knot - a left-facing half-hitch knot.
• Tighten the knot for a neat and tidy look.

This is how your double half-hitch knot will look 👇

Creating a series of double half-hitch knots on a horizontal filler cord can form a raised bar horizontally on your work. Remember to make each horizontal double half-hitch knot by tying two half-hitch knots using the same working cord.

How to create a horizontal double-half hitch?

• Take one vertical working cord and a horizontal cord as a filler cord.
• Create two half-hitch knots using the first working cord.
• Create two half-hitch knots using a remaining working cord.
• Tighten the knots for a neat look.

Diagonal double half-hitch knots are almost the same as horizontal double half-hitch knots. The only difference is that the line of knots is placed at an angle instead of straight across.

How to create a diagonal double half hitch knot?

• Take one vertical working cord and a diagonal cord as a filler cord.
• Loop two half-hitch knots using the first working cord.
• Loop two half-hitch knots using a remaining working cord.
• Tighten the knots for a neat look.

This is how your knot will look 👇

The vertical double half-hitch knot is created by tying two half-hitch knots around a vertical filler cord. This demonstration will use a single working cord to make vertical double half-hitch knots across several filler cords.

How to create a vertical double half-hitch knot?

• Take a working cord and a vertical filler cord.
• Loop two half-hitch knots using the first working cord.
• Loop two half-hitch knots using a remaining working cord.
• Tighten the knots for a neat look.

This is how your knot will look 👇

4. Sinnets

One of the techniques used in macramé is called a "sinnet," which is a series of knots tied in a particular pattern. Combining different knots in various ways can create a wide range of intricate and unique sinnet patterns, each with its own aesthetic appeal. 

Whether you're a seasoned macramé artist or just starting out, experimenting with different sinnet patterns can be a fun and rewarding way to explore the art of knot-tying.

The Spiral Stitch, also known as Half Knot Spiral, is created through the process of tying half-square knots in a vertical column. This technique produces a unique left-facing or right-facing spiral, depending on the direction in which all half-square knots are tied. It's a fascinating and intricate knotting method that requires attention to detail and a steady hand. With its visually appealing results, the Spiral Stitch is a popular choice for many crafters and artisans.

How to create a half-knot spiral?

• Start with the basic lark head knot. (2 working cords and 2 filler cords)
• With the use of 2 working cords, create a left-facing half-square knot.
• Repeat the left-facing half-square knot until you get your desired spiral stitch.

The visual appearance of your spiral stitch 👇

b. Alternating Square Knots

As the name suggests, alternating square knots are a type of square knots that are created alternatively by working with the filler and working cords. 

How to create alternating square knots?

• Start with 3 groups of 2 lark head knots, each group with 2 lark head knots. (total 12 cords)
• Loop square knots on each knot group (1-4, 5-8 & 9-12)
• Swap the filler cords with the working cords and vice versa.
• Loop the second row of square knots by taking the 3-6 and 7-10 cords.

Here is the visual demo of the knot for better understanding 👇

Once again, a half-hitch spiral is one of the types of spiral patterns that can be created with just two cords. The half hitch is thinner than the spiral sinnet used in Macrame bracelets and plant hangers.

How to create a half-hitch spiral?

• Starting with a working cord and a filler cord.
• Loop the working cord over and under the filler cord.
• Repeat the process till a spiral is created.

5. Gathering Knots

Now it's time to learn the finishing knots, the gathering knot.

The overhand knot is the easiest macrame knot used in our daily routine at some or the other point. Gathering knots are best in securing the rope’s length ends.

A wrapping knot is used to secure a group of cords altogether. These knots can be created at the start or end of the Macrame designs.

How to create a wrapping knot?

• Take a group of cords that you need to secure and take a separate working cord to wrap around the group cords.
• Fold the end of the working cord and place it next to the area of the group of cords that you want to secure.
• Wrap the long end of the working cord around the filler cords, including the working cord.
• Wrap the working cord several times around the group of cords.
• Pass the working cord end through the folded area of the cord and pull it up underneath the wraps.

Visual demonstration 👇

Final Say

So this is it. Though the list does not end here, several other types of Macram knots are used to make Macrame art. 

We have covered the basic Macramé knots in this blog, so the Macrame newbies out there can easily start their Macrame hobby with these basic knots and practice these basic knots until we come up with the remaining knot types because “practice makes a man perfect.”

Happy Knotting!!!