Fiber Artist Sally England Shows You How to Make A Minimalist Macramé Plant Hanger
What makes this crown knot DIY so special is its simple elegance and versatility — think plant hanger, fruit bowl hanger, or snack hanger. Or all the above…
Sally England is a fiber artist currently living and working in Ojai, California. Raised in the midwest, she received her BA in Communication Arts from Grand Valley State University in West Michigan, and later attended PNCA’s Applied Craft & Design MFA program in Portland, Oregon. During her time in graduate school in 2011 she was inspired to further her work in soft sculpture and explore a new form of macramé (knot-based textile construction) for who we are today. Her ensuing large-scale modern macramé work using thick cotton rope became a catalyst for the recent revival of the craft, inspiring many to learn or relearn the art of knotting.
Sally England’s Minimal Macramé Crown Knot Planter
What You’ll Need:
- (4) 16’ lengths of 5/16” cotton solid braid rope (can be purchased here)
- (2) approximately 12” lengths of 5/16” cotton solid braid rope for adding to fringe
- Wood ring for indoor use (can be purchased here) or brass ring for outdoor use (can be purchased at ACE Hardware, or found online)
- 2 zip ties
- Measuring tape
- Masking tape
- Heavy duty scissors for cutting rope
Instruction:
Step 1
Loop your 4 16′ lengths through either your brass or wooden ring, matching the ends so the lengths are split in half evenly. Gather the strands at the top under the ring and secure with a zip tie. Trim the ‘tail’ of the zip tie so it’s not in the way while you are knotting.
Step 2
While sitting down with the ring between your knees, separate the strands into 4 sections of
2 strands each, using the strands that are next to each other. Tape the ends of each section together so they stay paired while knotting.
Step 3
With the 4 sections splayed out and separated, loop one section ( it doesn’t matter which one you start with) over the section next to it in a clockwise direction. Then, take the section you just looped over and loop that section over the section next to it, continuing in a clockwise motion.
Once you get to the last (4th) section, pull it through the loop made with the first section.
Pull and tighten each section one by one, and you have your first crown knot!
Step 4
Carefully cut the zip tie off and re-tighten the sections.
Step 5
Repeat step 3 until desired length is achieved. Approximately 10” of crown knotting is suggested. Careful that your ropes don’t get twisted!
Step 6
Now you are ready to knot the smaller bottom portion of the hanger that will sit under your vessel. Loosely attach a zip tie where you want the knotting to start (generally around 20” from the bottom of the upper knotted section is a good length). Make sure the rope lengths aren’t twisted and that they are hanging straight, and separate the corresponding sections once again with the tightened zip tie between your knees. Begin with Step 3 again until you’ve reached desired length (approximately 3” of knotting looks nice). Cut zip tie off.
Step 7
Determine the length of fringe you would like, keeping in mind that once you unravel the ropes, approximately 2” of length will be added. Trim the ropes and start unraveling by pulling apart the individual threads of each rope. This step is time-consuming which makes it a good activity to do while watching a movie :)
Slip the 12“ lengths through the last knot, then re-tighten the knot and unravel. For extra security you can add a dab of glue within the knot to keep the 12” strands in place.
AND you are finished! Hang it up and enjoy!
Pro Tips:
If you finish (or almost finish) your hanger and realize that your vertical ropes are twisted, don’t assume you have to start over! Simply twist your ropes into the right position underneath the top base knot, and your vessel should hide the twist!
Pots: If you are in the LA area, a good place to find a large selection of pots at a good price is Pottery Manufacturing Co. in Gardena. If your pot has a drainage hole at the bottom you can put a plastic plant tray inside and fill it with small pebbles for drainage. It shouldn’t leak!
My favorite hard-to-kill plants are Devil’s Ivy and Snake Plant. These do well in low-light situations, and you can purchase them at Lowe’s.
Disclaimers
Please respect the artist’s design. This tutorial is intended for you to create plant hangers for your personal/gift use only. Please do not recreate with the intention to sell! Thank you!
I realize that cotton is not the most sustainable choice for this plant hanger. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a more appropriate material for this design. You can use hemp rope, but hemp rope is mostly available in twisted ropes, which does not hold the crown knot as well.
Lead image by Thayer Allyson Gowdy.
Shop macramé-inspired pieces here.