How to Tie a Gathering Knot in Macramé (Step-by-Step)

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Basic Knot Tutorial · Updated May 23, 2026 · 14 min read · Phase 1

The gathering knot — also called the wrap knot — is how almost every macramé project ends. It's the finishing knot that binds a bundle of cords together at the top of a plant hanger, the bottom of a tassel, the base of a keychain, or anywhere else you need to neatly close off a section of cord.

Written by Nicole Woo

Founder of Bochiknot · Teaching macramé since 2018

This is the fourth and final basic knot I teach in beginner classes — and it's the one that takes a piece from "I made this" to "this looks finished." Before learning the gathering knot, my students' plant hangers end with messy clumps of cord at the top. After learning it, they end with that clean, polished, cylindrical wrap you see on every store-bought hanger.

Below is the complete walkthrough: what the gathering knot is, why it's also called the wrap knot, the cord setup, the 6-step technique (with diagram), all the places you'll use it, common mistakes I see in classes, troubleshooting, and a 12-question FAQ.

What Is the Gathering Knot?

The gathering knot is a finishing knot that binds a bundle of cords together using a separate working cord. The working cord wraps tightly around the bundle and locks in place using a hidden loop pulled up inside the wraps. The finished knot looks like a clean cylinder of wrapped cord — like a small rope sleeve.

It's the knot you use to:

• Finish the top of a plant hanger — where all the cords meet to form the hanging loop
• Bind the bottom of a tassel — holding the fringe together at the top of the tassel
• Clean up the base of a keychain — where the cord ends meet the key ring
• Close off any section of cord — anywhere in a piece where you need a clean transition

Unlike the other three basic knots (lark's head, square knot, double half hitch), the gathering knot doesn't decorate the body of a piece. It's purely a structural finishing knot — the period at the end of the sentence.

Also Known As: Wrap Knot, Binding Knot, Whipping Knot

The gathering knot has a few different names depending on what you're reading. They all refer to the same technique.

For the rest of this tutorial I'll use "gathering knot" since that's the most common modern macramé name — but everything I show you applies identically if you're following a sailing or scout knot guide that calls it whipping.

When and Where to Use the Gathering Knot

The gathering knot shows up at the end of more macramé projects than any other knot. Here's where you'll see it:

If your piece ends in a bundle of cord that needs to look finished, the gathering knot is what does it.

Anatomy: The Working Cord and the Bundle

The gathering knot uses a slightly different setup than the other basic knots. Two main components:

• The bundle: All the cords from your piece that you want to bind together. For a plant hanger, this is typically 8-16 cords. For a tassel, it's the folded fringe. For a keychain, it's just 2-4 cords.
• The working cord: A separate length of cord, typically 20-24 inches long, that you'll wrap around the bundle. This is the cord that does all the work.

The working cord is folded into a U-shape, laid along the bundle, then wrapped around both the bundle and the U-shape underneath. When the wrapping is done, you feed the end of the working cord through the bottom of the U-loop and pull the top tail upward — which pulls the loop and your wrapping cord end up through the wraps, locking everything in place.

What You'll Need

How to Tie a Gathering Knot (Step-by-Step)

This is the trickiest of the four basic knots to describe in writing, but the mechanic is simple. The walkthrough below covers the 6-step technique.

That's it. The finished gathering knot looks like a small rope sleeve wrapped around your bundle, with no visible start or end.

Variations: Contrasting Cord, Beads, Multi-Wrap

The basic gathering knot is plain — just wrapped cord. Three variations add visual interest.

1. Contrasting cord

Use a working cord in a different color from your main piece. The gathering knot becomes a visual accent — like a brass band wrapped around the top of a plant hanger. Common combinations: cream main piece with a tan or brown wrap knot, or natural cord with a dyed accent.

2. With a bead or charm

Thread a wooden bead, metal ring, or small charm onto the working cord before you fold it into the U-shape. The bead sits inside the wrap or just above it for a decorative detail. Common in boho-style plant hangers and feather wall hangings.

3. Multi-section wrap (rain knots)

Tie multiple small gathering knots stacked vertically down a section of cord, with small gaps between each one. This creates a "rain knot" effect — repeating bands of wrapped cord that look like droplets cascading down. Common at the bottom of contemporary wall hangings.

4. Extra-long wrap

Instead of 6-10 wraps, do 15-25. The result is a long cylindrical wrapped section that becomes a design feature in itself. Best on chunky pieces and statement plant hangers where the wrap should draw the eye.

How Many Wraps Should a Gathering Knot Have?

The number of wraps determines how the knot looks and how firmly it holds. Here's the rule of thumb:

The standard "default" is 8 wraps for most projects. Go higher only when you want the gathering knot to be a visible design element; go lower only on very small pieces where a chunky knot would look disproportionate.

Common Gathering Knot Mistakes

Five mistakes I see in beginner classes:

1. Wraps that are too loose. If you can see gaps between the wraps, the knot will slip over time. Fix: each wrap should sit snug against the previous one. Pull the working cord firmly with each new wrap.
2. Forgetting to pull the top tail hard at step 5. If you under-pull, the U-loop doesn't fully disappear inside the wraps, and the knot can come undone. Fix: pull until you feel firm resistance — the loop should fully vanish inside the wraps.
3. Working cord too short. Beginners often cut their working cord to 12-15 inches, then run out partway through wrapping. Fix: always cut working cord to at least 20-24 inches. Better to have extra to trim than to run short.
4. U-loop not long enough. If the U-loop doesn't extend below where the wraps end, you can't thread the end through at step 4. Fix: make the U-shape generous — the loop end should hang at least 1-2 inches below your final wrap.
5. Wraps slipping sideways over time. Caused by under-tight wrapping plus a slippery cord. Fix: tighter wraps, more of them, and consider a small dab of clear fabric glue inside the wraps before final trimming for permanent hold.

Troubleshooting

"My gathering knot is loose / can be pushed up and down the bundle"

The wraps aren't tight enough, or you didn't pull the top tail firmly at step 5. Untie and redo with tighter wrapping. If it still slips, add more wraps (try 10-12 instead of 6-8).

"The wraps look uneven — bunched in the middle and gappy at the edges"

You varied your tension as you wrapped. Each wrap should be the same firmness as the others. Untie and redo, focusing on consistent pull on every single wrap.

"The U-loop doesn't have enough cord sticking out at the bottom to feed through"

You made your U-shape too short, or you wrapped too far down. Untie a few wraps from the bottom to expose more of the loop, then re-thread and pull tight.

"I can see the cord tails sticking out after trimming"

Trim them flush with the wraps using sharp scissors. If they still poke out, the wraps weren't tight enough to hide them — redo with tighter wrapping. For a permanent hidden finish, add a small dab of clear fabric glue before trimming.

"My gathering knot is bulky and looks disproportionate"

Too many wraps for the size of the bundle. Try fewer wraps (6 instead of 12), or use thinner cord for the working cord. Match the working cord thickness to the project: 3mm for delicate pieces, 5mm for medium, 7mm+ for chunky statement pieces.

Projects That Use the Gathering Knot

1. Plant hanger (top wrap) — The most common use. The gathering knot binds all the cords at the top, just below the hanging loop. → See my 5 ways to start a plant hanger guide.
2. Macramé tassel — Fold a bundle of cords in half, then tie a gathering knot just below the fold to bind the fringe together. Trim the bottom flush for a finished tassel.
3. Keychain — Loop your cords through a key ring, then tie a gathering knot at the base to close off the bundle below the ring.
4. Feather wall hanging — The gathering knot forms the "spine" where the feather is bound, with cord ends extending out as the feather plumes.
5. Multi-tier plant hanger — A gathering knot at the top plus an optional second one mid-piece where the upper section transitions to the pot-holding section.
6. Decorative pull / handle pull — Top and bottom gathering knots close off both ends of a pull cord, with a sennit or twisted cord in between.

Gathering Knot FAQ

Your Next Macramé Knot

You've now learned all four basic macramé knots. Combined, they cover roughly 95% of every pattern you'll ever attempt.

• The lark's head knot · The mounting knot at the start of every project
• The square knot · The workhorse — plus spiral, alternating, and sennit variations
• The double half hitch · For diagonal lines, V-shapes, and diamond patterns
• The reverse lark's head + half hitch · The decorative mounting variation
• The berry knot — for 3D texture · Stacked square knots that form raised decorative bumps
• The endless falls knot — two-color decorative knot with a braided front and ladder-pattern back, perfect for plant hangers and bag straps.

Or take everything you've learned and start your first piece with the complete beginner's guide to macramé.

Nicole Woo — Founder, Bochiknot

Macramé educator & designer · Teaching since 2018

Nicole is a self-taught macramé artist who left a career in accounting to teach the craft full-time. Through Bochiknot, she's helped thousands of beginners take their first knot — sharing step-by-step tutorials on YouTube, premium cotton cord in the shop, and beginner-friendly kits.

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