Macramé Portrait Wall Hanging: Woman in a Sun Hat
A face, a wide brim and a shoulder line — drawn entirely in double half hitch knots. One knot, twelve steps, and a finished piece that reads as a portrait from across the room.
Last updated: August 21, 2026
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A Note from Nicole
Most macrame is built from repeating a shape. This one is built from following a line.
That difference is the whole project. There is only one knot here — the double half hitch — and you already know it. What changes is that instead of counting rows, you are reading a drawing and deciding where the next line goes. It is closer to sketching than to knotting, and it uses a part of your brain the other patterns leave alone.
I will be honest with you about the difficulty, because I would rather you started prepared. The knots are easy. The judgement is not. You will retie curves. You will add a cord and find it three centimetres too short. That is not you doing it wrong — that is the technique, and it happens to me too.
The part that catches everyone is knowing when and where to add new cord, so I have written that out properly further down. Get that bit and the rest is patience.
If you want the technique before the project, start with the silhouette macrame guide — it covers turning any design into knots. Come back here when you want a portrait to follow.
A macrame portrait wall hanging is a piece of fibre art in which a face or figure is drawn onto a grid of vertical cords using rows of double half hitch knots, with the direction and angle of each row following the contours of a reference image rather than a repeating pattern. This pattern renders a woman in a wide-brimmed sun hat across 12 steps using 23 cords of 3mm cotton on a 12″ dowel. It takes two to three hours, finishes at roughly 12 inches wide by 14 inches long, and uses one knot throughout.
Quick Answer
- Skill level: Intermediate ★★★☆☆ — the knot is easy, the judgement isn't.
- Knots: One. Double half hitch, worked at every angle.
- Time: 2–3 hours.
- Finished size: ~12″ wide × 14″ long.
- Cord: 3mm cotton — 3-ply is more forgiving if you retie. 23 cords in three lengths.
- Mount: One 12″ wooden dowel.
- Also inside: how to add new cords mid-project — when, where, how long, and how to hide the join.
🎥 Watch the video before you cut cord. Reading "alternate the knot direction to create a nearly vertical line" is much harder than watching it happen once.
What's in this tutorial
- Materials you'll need
- Cord cut lengths
- The one knot you'll use
- Project details at a glance
- Watch the video tutorial
- Phase 1: The hat and face (Steps 1–4)
- Phase 2: Shaping the portrait (Steps 5–8)
- Phase 3: Lower body and finishing (Steps 9–12)
- How to add cords mid-project
- Using your own drawing
- Where first attempts usually go wrong
- What to make next month
- FAQ
Materials for Your Macrame Portrait
One roll of cord and a dowel. The tools below are the ones that genuinely help on this project rather than a general kit list.
3mm 3-Ply Cord
Recommended here. The twist grips itself, so a knot you retie doesn't leave a mark.
3mm Single-Strand Cord
Smoother and flatter. Works well, but less forgiving when you undo a row.
12" Wooden Dowels
Five to a pack. The 12-inch length matches this pattern's finished width.
5" Precision Scissors
Short blades get in close when you're trimming added cord tails behind the work.
Measuring Tape
Three cord lengths to cut, plus measuring every cord you add mid-project.
🧵 Why 3-ply for this one? On most projects the choice between 3-ply and single-strand is aesthetic. Here it is practical. You will retie curves on a portrait, and 3-ply cord springs back into shape after being undone, where single-strand tends to keep a crease. If you only have single-strand, use it — just undo rows gently.
More on cord types in the complete guide to selecting macrame cord. Our supplies also ship from the Bochiknot storefronts on Amazon US and Amazon Canada.
Cord Cut Lengths
| Length | Quantity | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| 180 cm (71″) | 20 | The base grid, mounted on the dowel |
| 150 cm (59″) | 2 | The hat line and brim (Steps 2–3) |
| 130 cm (51″) | 1 | The mouth (Step 4) |
23 cords, roughly 39 metres. Twenty cords folded gives 40 working strands, which is what produces the 12″ width.
⚠️ Cut a few spares. This is the one pattern where I'd cut two or three extra 150 cm lengths before starting. A portrait almost always wants a line you didn't plan for, and stopping to measure mid-row is how tension gets lost. Read how to add cords mid-project before Step 2.
📏 Scaling it up? Width comes from the number of base cords, not their length — add four cords for roughly every extra inch. Our free cord calculator handles the length side.
The One Knot That Draws the Whole Portrait
Every line in this portrait is a double half hitch. Nothing else. What varies is the angle of the anchor cord and the direction you knot in — horizontal for the brim, diagonal for the jaw, and a back-and-forth flip when you need a line to run almost vertically.
Double Half Hitch
The only knot in this pattern. Horizontal, diagonal and vertical variations all appear — worth reviewing all three before you start.
Learn the double half hitch
Lark's Head Knot
Only used once, to mount the 20 base cords onto the dowel before the drawing begins.
Learn the Lark's Head
Silhouette Technique Guide
The method behind this pattern — how to turn any drawing into knot rows, with troubleshooting for jagged curves.
Read the technique guideProject Details at a Glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Skill level | Intermediate ★★★☆☆ |
| Time | 2–3 hours |
| Finished size | ~12″ wide × 14″ long |
| Cord | 3mm cotton, 3-ply recommended (~39 m) |
| Cords to cut | 23, across three lengths |
| Mount | 12″ wooden dowel |
| Knots | One — double half hitch |
| Steps | 12, in three phases |
A note on the skill rating. An earlier version of this pattern called it beginner-friendly. It isn't, quite. The knot is beginner-level and the judgement is intermediate, so I've rated it honestly — if you know the double half hitch and you're patient, you can absolutely make this. Just don't expect the first curve to be right.
Watch the Video Tutorial
▶ Watch full-screen on YouTube →
Step-by-Step Photo Tutorial
Twelve steps in three phases. Work with your reference image beside you throughout — every step is a decision about where a line goes, and the drawing is what makes that decision for you.
The Hat and Face
Steps 1-4 set your reference and build the hat line, brim and mouth. Everything below inherits the angle you set here.
Prepare the Reference Image
- Choose a simple portrait with bold, clean outlines.
- Use the image as a guide for the major shapes rather than every small detail.
- Keep the reference nearby as you work.
Create the Top Hat Line
- Position one 150 cm cord horizontally across the middle of the hanging.
- Secure it near the center with a double half hitch knot.
- Knot outward to both sides.
- Stop when 10 vertical cords remain unused on each edge.
Build the Lower Hat and Brim
- Add a second 150 cm cord below the first row.
- Knot outward while incorporating the previous anchor cords into the design.
- Stop with five unused cords on each side.
- Use the next four cords on both ends to shape the curved brim.
Form the Lips
- Separate the center six cords.
- Add a 130 cm cord horizontally across the middle.
- Knot a short row with a slight curve.
- Overlap the center anchor cords to define the lips.
The hat is there
Four steps in and the brim and mouth are readable. Stand back three metres — silhouettes only resolve at distance, and up close it will still look like loose rows.
The face comes next.
Shaping the Portrait
Steps 5-8 form both sides of the face, the chin and the finished hat outline. This is where it becomes recognisable.
Create the Right Side of the Face
- Use one of the upper anchor cords as the new leading cord.
- Alternate the knot direction to create a nearly vertical line.
- Continue downward with a gentle curve.
- Stop beneath the lips.
Shape the Left Side and Chin
- Mirror the face outline on the left side.
- Continue the curved row until it meets the lower face.
- Overlap the two anchor cords.
- Secure them to close the chin.
Build the Center Detail
- Continue below the chin using the alternating back-and-forth knotting method.
- Repeat the pattern to create a narrow vertical contour.
- Keep the spacing consistent.
- Adjust the tension as needed.
Finish the Hat Outline
- Return to the upper left section and extend the diagonal hat line.
- Repeat the process on the right side.
- Follow the reference image to shape the wide brim.
- Smooth out the curves before continuing.
It's a portrait now
Both sides of the face, the chin and the hat outline are done. This is the point where people walking past start to recognise it.
Four steps left.
The Lower Body and Finishing
Steps 9-12 build the shoulders and neckline, then tidy every curve.
Add the Large Lower Curve
- Skip two cords and begin a new anchor row.
- Create a long, shallow curved line across the design.
- Let the row dip naturally toward the right.
- Follow the portrait rather than aiming for perfect symmetry.
Shape the Lower Left Section
- Build the lower left contour with diagonal rows.
- Turn the anchor cord back toward the center.
- Continue the alternating center knots where needed.
- Join the bottom anchor cords to connect the sections.
Complete the Lower Right Section
- Knot diagonally toward the left to shape the neckline.
- Skip cords where needed to create the broken contour.
- Guide the line back toward the center.
- Refine the overall silhouette.
Adjust and Trim
- Tighten the anchor cords and slide knots into place.
- Retie any rows that need smoother curves.
- Trim the excess cords to your preferred shape.
- Make final adjustments until the silhouette is clean and recognizable.
You drew that with one knot
Hang it, walk to the far side of the room, and look again. Portraits are the one macrame piece that improves with distance.
I'd love to see it — tag #BochiknotPortrait on Instagram, and show me your reference image alongside it.
How to Add Cords Mid-Project
This is the part of silhouette macrame nobody explains properly, and it is the reason most first attempts stall.
In a repeating pattern, every cord you need is mounted at the start. In a portrait it isn't. A jaw line needs a new leading cord that didn't exist two rows earlier. A hat brim needs one that runs further than any cord you have left. So partway through you find yourself holding scissors, wondering how long to cut and where exactly the new cord goes — and there is no row count to tell you.
Here is how I decide, every time.
When to add a cord
You need a new cord whenever the design asks for a line your current cords cannot draw. In practice that is three situations:
- A new contour begins. The hat brim, the mouth and the shoulder line in this pattern each start as a fresh horizontal cord, because none of the existing verticals run in that direction.
- Your leading cord has run short. If less than about 20 cm of working cord remains, add before you start the row rather than running out halfway across it.
- You need density. If a section looks sparse against the rest of the piece, extra cords fill it — but add them at a row boundary, never in the middle of a curve.
How long to cut it
The rule I use: measure the line it has to draw, then multiply by four, and add 20 cm for the tail and for retying.
Double half hitch consumes roughly four times the finished length of the row, because every knot wraps twice around the anchor. A 15 cm curve therefore wants about 80 cm of cord. That sounds generous until you have to undo it twice.
| Line you're drawing | Cut roughly | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Short feature (mouth, eye line) — 8–12 cm | 60–80 cm | Short rows still need tail and retie allowance |
| Mid feature (jaw, cheek) — 15–20 cm | 100–120 cm | 4× the row, plus margin for curve adjustment |
| Full-width line (hat brim, shoulders) — 25–30 cm | 150–180 cm | Matches the 150 cm cords this pattern calls for |
| Not sure | 150 cm | Trimming waste costs nothing; running short costs the row |
Err long. A cord that ends up 30 cm too long gets trimmed in one snip at Step 12. A cord that is 3 cm too short means undoing an entire curve.
Where to attach it
Tie the new cord onto the last anchor cord you finished with, using a double half hitch, and start it one knot before the point where the new line begins. That single overlapping knot is what stops a visible gap appearing at the join.
Two habits worth forming:
- Add at the back, not the front. Bring the new cord in from behind the work so the tail sits on the reverse side. On a wall hanging nobody sees the back, and a tail poking through the front is very hard to disguise later.
- Add at the start of a row. A join in the middle of a curve interrupts the line. A join at the edge disappears into the background cords.
How to hide the join
Leave a tail of about 10 cm at the back, knot over it as you work the first two or three knots of the new row, and trim it flush at Step 12 once everything is tightened. The tension of the knots holds it — no glue, no sewing.
If a tail still shows from the front after trimming, thread it back through the two nearest knots with a crochet hook and cut it there. That works on any macrame piece, not just portraits.
💡 The habit that fixes this permanently: before you tie anything, look at your reference and mark every place a new line starts. Cut those cords in advance and hang them over the dowel. You then never stop mid-project to measure, and your tension stays even because your hands never leave the work.
Using Your Own Drawing
Once the logic of this pattern makes sense, it applies to any image. A few principles that decide whether a drawing will translate:
- Choose a clean line drawing or silhouette rather than a detailed photograph.
- Focus on bold contour lines — the shapes you would still recognise as a thumbnail.
- Break the image into sections before you knot anything, and decide the order you will work them.
- Add cords only where the design needs a new leading line, not to fill space.
- Expect to adjust curves several times before they look right. Everyone does.
The silhouette macrame technique guide goes deeper on choosing and simplifying a reference image, and includes troubleshooting for jagged curves and drifting rows.
Where First Portraits Usually Go Wrong
Portraits fail differently from patterns. These are the ones I see most, roughly in the order they happen.
| What happens | Why, and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| The whole design leans | The first hat line in Step 2 wasn't level, and everything below inherited the angle. Check that row against your reference before Step 3 — it is nearly free to fix then and very expensive later. |
| Curves look jagged rather than smooth | Knots aren't sliding into place. Work them together along the anchor with your thumbnail after each row rather than leaving it all to Step 12. |
| You run out of cord halfway across a row | Add before you begin, not during. If less than 20 cm of working cord remains, tie in a new one at the row boundary. |
| Added cords leave a visible gap | The new cord started exactly where the new line starts. Overlap by one knot into the previous row and the join closes. |
| The face isn't symmetrical | The right side was counted independently rather than mirrored. Faces are unforgiving — build the second side by copying the first, and check often. |
| It doesn't read as a face up close | It isn't meant to. Silhouettes resolve at three metres. Judge it from across the room, not from the table. |
| Background cords look messy | Partly the aesthetic. If you want it cleaner, comb the loose cords and trim to a uniform length, or add a linen or felt backing behind the piece. |
| A tail pokes through the front | The cord was added from the front. Thread the tail back through the two nearest knots with a crochet hook and trim it there. |
What to Make Next
🔗 You can now draw with a double half hitch. Here's where that goes:
- The silhouette technique guide — turn any drawing into knots, with full troubleshooting
- Half mandala wall hanging — the same knot, arranged geometrically rather than freehand
- 7 ways to start and end a wall hanging — alternatives to the Lark's Head mount
- How to add layers — give a flat portrait depth
🎨 Want PDF patterns? Browse the macrame pattern library.
Prefer to buy finished? Handmade pieces are on our Etsy shop.
What Will You Make Next?
There's a particular moment that arrives about ten minutes after you finish a piece. It's hanging on the wall, you've walked across the room to look at it properly, and you're already thinking about which drawing you'd try next.
That moment is worth paying attention to, because it's usually where things stall — and almost never for the reason people assume. It isn't that the interest fades. You've just spent an afternoon proving otherwise. It's that deciding what to make next turns out to be harder than making it. So the cord goes back in the drawer, and three months later it's still in the drawer.
I built the Bochiknot community to close that gap. Every month there's a new pattern and a full video tutorial already waiting for you, alongside everything published before it. The deciding is done. You just turn up and make.
Tier 1: Mini-Macrame Creations
or $6.40 a month paid annually
A new project waiting for you at the start of every month.
- A new #MakingMacrame pattern and full video tutorial, monthly
- The complete pattern archive, open whenever inspiration strikes
- Cancel or change tier at any time
For: makers who simply want to keep going, without spending an evening hunting for what's next.
Tier 2: Mastering Macrame Skills
or $10.40 a month paid annually
The month you stop following patterns and start reading them.
- Everything in Tier 1
- A 300+ video library of lessons, guidance and challenges
- Technique breakdowns that explain why a knot behaves as it does
For: makers who've noticed they can follow a pattern but couldn't yet write one. This is where that changes — and it's the tier most people choose.
Tier 3: Macrame Masterpiece Lite
or $23.20 a month paid annually
Everything above, and the cord arrives at your door.
- Everything in Tier 2
- A curated, ready-to-make kit delivered every third month
- No sourcing, no half-used rolls piling up
For: makers who love the making and have quietly grown tired of the shopping for it.
Which one, honestly?
If what you want is a next project each month, Tier 1 does exactly that and nothing more — and there is nothing wrong with wanting only that.
Tier 2 is for a different itch. If this portrait left you wondering how you'd handle a harder reference — a figure, an animal, two colours — that's the beginning of designing rather than following, and the video library is built around exactly that question. It's the tier most people settle on.
Tier 3 is for the maker who has done enough projects to know that sourcing cord is the part they like least.
All three can be paid annually for around 20% less, and Patreon lets you change tier or leave whenever you like — there's nothing to cancel by email and no minimum term.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a macramé portrait wall hanging?
A piece of fibre art in which a face or figure is drawn onto a grid of vertical cords using rows of double half hitch knots. Instead of repeating a pattern, the direction and angle of each row follows the contours of a reference image — so the knot never changes, only the line does.
What knot is used for a macramé portrait?
One: the double half hitch. The variety comes from changing the direction, angle and curve of the leading cord rather than from switching between knots. Horizontal, diagonal and vertical variations all appear in this pattern.
Is this pattern beginner friendly?
Honestly, not quite. It's manageable for anyone who already knows the double half hitch, but shaping a portrait needs careful tension control and judgement about where to add cord — so I'd call it intermediate. The knot is easy; the decisions are what take practice.
What size is the finished piece?
About 12 inches wide by 14 inches long. The width comes from the 20 base cords — folded in half they give 40 working strands, which at 3mm sits at roughly 12 inches on the dowel.
What cord works best for a macramé portrait?
3mm cord, and I'd choose 3-ply over single-strand for this one. The twist springs back into shape after you undo a row, where single-strand tends to hold a crease — and you will retie curves on a portrait. Single-strand works fine if it's what you have; just undo gently.
How much cord do I need?
23 cords in three lengths: 20 × 180 cm, 2 × 150 cm and 1 × 130 cm, so around 39 metres in total. I'd cut two or three spare 150 cm lengths as well, because a portrait almost always wants a line you didn't plan for.
How do you know when to add a new cord?
Whenever the design needs a line your current cords can't draw — a new contour beginning, a leading cord with under 20 cm left, or a section that looks sparse. Always add at a row boundary rather than mid-curve.
How long should an added cord be?
Measure the line it has to draw and multiply by four, then add 20 cm for the tail. Double half hitch consumes roughly four times the finished row length because each knot wraps twice. When unsure, cut 150 cm — trimming waste costs one snip, running short costs the whole row.
How do you hide where a new cord joins?
Bring the cord in from behind the work, start it one knot before the new line begins, and leave about 10 cm of tail at the back. Knot over the tail for the first two or three knots and trim it flush at the end. If a tail still shows from the front, thread it back through the two nearest knots with a crochet hook and cut it there.
How do you create vertical lines in a silhouette?
Use the same anchor and working cords repeatedly while flipping the knot direction back and forth. That keeps the path shallow rather than travelling sideways, so the row reads as nearly vertical.
Why do my curves look jagged?
The knots aren't sliding together. Work them along the anchor cord with your thumbnail after each row rather than leaving it all to the final step — and don't be afraid to untie a curve and redo it. Everyone does, including me.
My face isn't symmetrical. Can I fix it?
If you catch it within the same phase, untie back to the last symmetrical row and mirror it. Later than that, it's usually not worth it. The way to avoid it is to build the second side by copying the first rather than counting independently — faces are far less forgiving than geometric patterns.
It doesn't look like a face up close. Is something wrong?
Almost certainly not. Silhouettes resolve at distance — three metres is about right. Judge the piece from across the room rather than from the table, and check it against your reference at that distance too.
Can I use my own drawing?
Yes, and that's the point of learning this. Choose something with strong contour lines, simplify it before you start, and break it into sections. Minimal portraits and clean silhouettes translate best; detailed photographs don't. The silhouette technique guide covers choosing and preparing an image in depth.
What images work best for macramé portraits?
Anything you'd still recognise as a thumbnail. Faces in profile, figures, animals, plants and lettering all work. Detail is the enemy — if a feature is smaller than about two knots wide, it won't read at all.
How long does this take to make?
Two to three hours if the curves cooperate. Add an hour for a first attempt, because you'll retie sections — that's normal for this technique rather than a sign anything has gone wrong.
What's the difference between this and the silhouette technique guide?
This post is one specific pattern to follow — a woman in a sun hat, twelve steps, exact cord lengths. The technique guide teaches the method itself so you can turn any drawing into macrame. Start with whichever suits you; most people do this one first and the guide second.
Can I sell macramé portraits made from this pattern?
Yes. The double half hitch is a traditional technique, so anything you make is yours to sell. If you use this exact portrait design commercially, a credit is appreciated but not required — and please don't redistribute the tutorial itself.
Where can I buy the cord and dowel used here?
The 3mm 3-ply cord, single-strand cord, 12-inch dowels, precision scissors and combs are all on Bochiknot.com, and our supplies also ship from the Bochiknot storefronts on Amazon US and Amazon Canada.
Keep Learning with Bochiknot
Silhouette Technique Guide
The method behind this pattern — turn any drawing into knot rows, with troubleshooting for jagged curves and drifting lines.
Read the technique guide
Half Mandala Wall Hanging
The same double half hitch, arranged geometrically instead of freehand. A gentler way to practise diagonal rows.
See the mandala pattern
7 Ways to Start & End a Wall Hanging
You mounted this on a dowel with a Lark's Head. Here are six other ways to begin, and how to finish a bottom edge cleanly.
See all 7 methods
How to Add Layers
A portrait is flat by design. Layering gives a wall hanging depth without making it any larger.
Learn to add layers
Double Half Hitch Tutorial
The only knot in this project, shown horizontal, diagonal and vertical. Worth a refresher before Step 2.
Learn the double half hitch
Cord Measuring Calculator
Scaling the portrait up or switching cord size? This works out every new cut length for you.
Open the calculatorYou Might Also Be Interested In
3mm 3-Ply Cord
Recommended for portraits. The twist springs back after you undo a row, so retied curves don't show a crease.
Shop 3-ply cord
3mm Single-Strand Cord
Smoother and flatter for a crisper line. Works well here — just undo rows gently, as it holds a crease.
Shop 3mm cord
12" Wooden Dowels
Five to a pack, and 12 inches is exactly the width this portrait finishes at.
Shop 12″ dowels
5" Precision Scissors
Short blades reach in behind the work to trim added cord tails flush without nicking a knot.
Shop precision scissors
Fringe Comb
For tidying the loose background cords behind the silhouette at Step 12.
Shop the fringe comb
Pattern Library
Downloadable PDF patterns you can print and keep beside you while you work.
Browse the pattern library
📸 Made one? Show us.
Tag #BochiknotPortrait on Instagram — and post your reference image beside it. Seeing what people choose to draw is the best part.
About Nicole Woo
Nicole is the founder of Bochiknot and has been teaching macrame for 5+ years to a community of 100,000+ makers across YouTube, Instagram and Patreon. She specialises in beginner-friendly cotton cord projects that feel approachable no matter your skill level.
Join her on Patreon for exclusive patterns, or explore individual ebook patterns.
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