How to Start a Macramé Plant Hanger: 5 Easy Methods (With or Without a Ring)

Beginner Guide  ·  Updated April 22, 2026  ·  12 min read

The very first few minutes of a macramé plant hanger are the most important ones of the whole project.

I've been teaching macramé since 2020, and if there's one thing I've learned from watching hundreds of beginners at that opening moment, it's this: how you start decides how the rest of the piece behaves. A clean, even beginning gives you a hanger that falls straight and feels balanced in your hands.

A rushed one — tangled cords, an off-center midpoint, a loose first knot — quietly sets up every knot that follows to fight you.

The good news? Starting a plant hanger is genuinely beginner-friendly once you know a few small tricks.

Below are 5 ways to start a macramé plant hanger that I teach in my beginner classes — three that use a wooden ring, and two that don't need one at all. Each method has a difficulty badge, a time estimate, a clear step-by-step, and a pro tip that I wish someone had told me when I started.

Pick the one that matches the look you want, pour yourself a cup of tea, and let's begin.

Quick Comparison: Which Method Fits You?

Here's every method at a glance. If you're picking your first plant hanger start, Method 1 (Gathering Knot with Ring) and Method 5 (Overhand Knot) are the two easiest places to begin.

📺 Watch all 5 methods in one video:

Materials You'll Need

Every method in this guide uses the same small set of materials — and all of them are things you'll reach for again on every macramé project you make next.

If you've never bought cord before, start with our complete guide to choosing macramé cord, and use our cord-measuring guide to work out exact lengths for the piece you want to make.

Methods 1–3: Starts With a Wooden Ring

A wooden ring gives your plant hanger a defined hanging point and that polished, finished look you see in a shop-bought piece.

All three methods below use the same ring — the only thing that changes is which knot ties the cords to it.

Before you start any of them, cut 8 cords at 300 cm each and fold every one precisely in half. (Take the extra thirty seconds here; it always pays you back.)

Method 1 — Gathering Knot with a Ring

Beginner⏱ 5 min to start

This is the most forgiving start for a first-time maker — and it's the one I recommend in every beginner class I teach.

It's clean, symmetrical, and almost impossible to get wrong once you've done it once. If you're unsure where to start, start here.

1. Fold each of your 8 cords in half so you have a clean loop at the top.
2. Pass all 8 loops through the wooden ring together.
3. Pull every working end (all 16 strands) back through the loops you just passed through the ring — this is a lark's head bundle.
4. Take one extra short cord (about 40 cm) and tie a tight Gathering knot around all 16 strands, 1–2 cm below the ring.
5. Trim the gathering-knot tails flush with the bundle.

Method 2 — Crown Knot with a Ring

Intermediate⏱ 10 min to start

The crown knot (sometimes called a "pineapple knot" start) creates a beautiful twisted texture at the very top of your hanger — a design feature in its own right. It looks intimidating at first glance, but it's just a repeating 4-step pattern. Once you've done two rounds, your hands remember it.

1. Attach your 8 folded cords to the ring with Lark's Head knots, distributing them evenly.
2. Group the 16 strands into 4 groups of 4 cords each, arranged north, east, south, west around the ring.
3. Take the north group, fold it over the east group.
4. Fold the east group over the south group.
5. Fold the south group over the west group.
6. Weave the west group up and through the loop the north group created. Tighten evenly.
7. Repeat for 2–3 rounds to build the twisted texture.

Method 3 — Square Knot Chain on a Ring

Beginner⏱ 8 min to start

This method gives a clean, symmetrical start that looks especially nice on plant hangers with multiple tiers. You're building a short sennit (a vertical chain) of Square knots right under the ring.

1. Attach your 8 folded cords to the ring with Lark's head knots.
2. Gather all 16 strands directly below the ring.
3. Using the 2 outermost cords on each side as your working cords, tie 3–5 square knots around the 12 filler cords in the middle.
4. Tighten each knot firmly so the sennit sits flat against itself.
5. After your chain is complete, split the 16 strands into 4 groups of 4 and continue with the body of your plant hanger.

Methods 4–5: Starts Without a Ring

No wooden ring? No problem at all. These two methods build a hanging loop entirely out of cord, which gives you a softer, more minimalist look — the kind of finish that suits boho, Japandi, and Scandi interiors beautifully.

Some of my favourite hangers I've ever made use no ring at all.

Method 4 — Square Knot Loop (No Ring)

Intermediate⏱ 10 min to start

This is the ring-free start I reach for when I want a plant hanger to feel soft and structured at the same time. You're creating a loop out of a mini square-knot sennit.

1. Lay your 8 cords together and find the midpoint.
2. Using the 2 outermost cords, tie 10–15 square knots around the remaining 14 cords to create a sennit about 7–10 cm long.
3. Fold the sennit in half to form a loop.
4. Bring all 16 cords (8 from each side of the loop) together directly below the folded sennit.
5. Tie a tight gathering knot around the bundle to lock the loop in place.

Method 5 — Overhand Knot (Easiest, No Ring)

Beginner⏱ 2 min to start

The fastest start in this guide — truly, just one knot. If you're making a last-minute, gift-ready plant hanger in under an hour (something I've done more than once!), start right here.

1. Fold your 8 cords in half together so all the midpoints line up.
2. About 3–4 cm below the fold, tie a single tight overhand knot through all 16 strands.
3. Adjust the loop above the knot to the size of your hook.
4. Start knotting the body of the plant hanger below the overhand knot.

With a Ring vs. Without a Ring — Which Should You Choose?

Both approaches make beautiful plant hangers. The right choice depends on the look you're after and the tools you have on hand.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

After teaching hundreds of beginners, these are the starting mistakes I see on repeat. Avoiding them saves you the "why does my plant hanger look wonky?" moment later.

1. Cords that are too short. Beginners almost always under-cut. 300 cm per cord is a safe minimum for a single-tier hanger.
2. Uneven cord midpoints. When folding, line up every cord end to end before folding. Off-center midpoints mean one side of the hanger ends shorter than the other.
3. Loose gathering knot. A gathering knot wrapped fewer than 6 times will slip over time under the weight of a plant.
4. Starting without suspending your ring. Always hang the ring on an S-hook before knotting. Working flat on a table twists the cords and warps your tension.
5. Mismatched tension across the 4 groups. The moment you split into 4 groups of 4, keep tension identical. If one group is tight, the hanger hangs sideways.
6. Wrong cord diameter. 3mm is delicate; 5mm is the everyday beginner choice; 6mm+ is heavy and hard to knot cleanly. Start with 5mm.
7. Cutting the gathering knot tails too short. Leave at least 3 mm tucked inside the wrap so the knot can't unravel.

Plant Hanger Glossary

A few key terms you'll see in every plant hanger tutorial — including this one:

Anchor cord

The central cord (or group of cords) that other knots are tied around — in plant hangers, typically the 12 inner strands of your 16-strand bundle.

Working cord

The cord actively being tied — the 2 outer strands on each side of your bundle when tying square knots.

Lark's head knot

The go-to knot for attaching folded cord to a ring or dowel.

Sennit

A vertical chain of repeated knots — e.g. a square-knot sennit.

Gathering knot

A wrapped knot that binds a bundle of cords together, typically used just below a ring or loop.

Crown knot

A decorative 4-group interlocking knot that creates a twisted, textured top.

Fringe

The loose cord tails at the bottom of the hanger, often brushed out for a soft finish. See our ultimate guide to macramé fringe for all 5 finishing techniques.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start a macramé plant hanger for beginners?

The easiest start is Method 1 in this guide: fold 8 cords in half through a wooden ring, pull the ends back through the loops, then secure the bundle with a tight gathering knot just below the ring. It takes under 5 minutes.

Do you need a ring to make a macramé plant hanger?

No. Methods 4 and 5 in this guide are both ring-free. A square-knot loop gives a structured minimalist look; a single overhand knot is the fastest start of all.

What knot do you use to start a macramé plant hanger?

The most common starter knots are the gathering knot, lark's head knot, crown knot, square knot, and overhand knot. For your very first hanger, start with a gathering knot on a ring — it's the most forgiving.

How long should cord be for a plant hanger?

Cut 8 cords at 300 cm (118") each in 3mm or 5mm cotton cord. For longer or multi-tier designs, add 100 cm per extra tier. Our cord-measuring guide walks through exact formulas.

What size ring is best for a macramé plant hanger?

A 2–3 inch (5–7.5 cm) wooden ring is the sweet spot for beginner plant hangers. Larger rings make a bolder feature; smaller rings suit delicate 3mm cord.

Can you make a plant hanger without a wooden ring?

Yes — see Methods 4 and 5 above. The square-knot loop creates a structured cord-only loop; the overhand knot creates a soft fabric loop in seconds.

How many cords do I need for a plant hanger?

Eight cords, folded in half, gives 16 working strands — the standard for beginner plant hangers. Larger or more decorative designs may use 10–12 cords.

What to Make Next

Once you've nailed the start, the rest of a plant hanger is mostly repetition and tension control — and those get better with every inch you knot. These guides walk you the rest of the way:

• How to Improve Your Macramé Skills — 18 Pro Tips
• The Square knot, step by step
• The Lark's Head knot, step by step
• The Gathering knot, step by step
• The Double Half Hitch knot, step by step
• How to Finish a Beautiful Fringe
• How to Measure Cord for Macramé Projects

More Tutorials from Bochiknot on YouTube