Pennant after pennant to create a beautiful garland! Here you'll find our step-by-step instructions for making our simple macrame garland.
Whether it's a minimalist boho decoration, a gift tag, or a colorful garland for the next birthday: a macrame garland is quick to knot and is an exciting project for both beginners and advanced crafters. To ensure a beautiful result, we have a detailed step-by-step guide that you can download for free. Besides the right yarn, you'll only need a few accessories and a little time to knot. We'll guide you from the first knot to the finished pennant chain, explaining each step in detail. So grab your threads and unleash your creativity!
Knot your pennant chain easily
Knot away! We love the oriental knotting technique and are thrilled that the macrame trend continues, and more and more people are discovering its charm. Knotting promotes concentration, brings joy, and helps to forget everything around you and reduce everyday stress. Garlands and pennants are a wonderful way to celebrate initial successes with thread and beads while creating beautiful decorations. Whether for yourself or as a gift: Download our clear step-by-step PDF guide and decorate walls, vases, and outdoor areas in your favorite colors.
These materials you need for the macrame garland
You don't need much to knot the pennants, which makes this project ideal for newcomers who want to explore the world of macrame. Before you start with the garland, prepare these accessories:
24 threads, 0.50 m each (eight threads per pennant)
One carrier thread, 0.70 m (for a total of three pennants)
Clipboard or cork coaster, T-pins or pushpins to secure the carrier thread
The knots for the DIY project
Before you start with the threads, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the necessary knots. This way, beginners can follow our subsequent instructions more easily and complete the project faster. The macrame technique for the garland is simple to learn and doesn't involve any complex knots. You will need these basic knots:
Lark's head knot
Square knot
Clove hitch knot
In our PDF filewe explain each step comprehensively with illustrative pictures, so that you will quickly master the knots with a little practice.
Instructions: Step by step to the pennant chain
Now we will explain step by step how to knot the macrame garland. You can customize its look to your preferences, experiment with different colors, and determine the shape of the pennants. With many pictures and accompanying text, you will be guided from beginning to end. Download our PDF guidehere. If you learn better with visual content, you can also watch our garland video tutorial.
For the beginning, you need the carrier thread (0.70 m), the wooden beads, and the 24 threads (0.50 m). First, thread all wooden beads onto your carrier thread with a needle threader. Divide them into four groups, so that there are always three wooden beads together.
Secure your carrier thread to the clipboard with T-pins or tape it to your workspace. The beginning of the garland is formed by the first three wooden beads. Now fold one of the 24 threads in half and place it with the resulting loop facing upwards under your carrier thread.
Tie a backward-facing lark's head knot. To do this, fold the resulting loop forward over your carrier thread and pull the two underlying threads through.
The beginning should look like the picture. Now pull both threads tight and repeat this process with seven more threads.
Now you should have eight threads attached to the carrier thread for the first pennant. Turn your work to see the forward-facing lark's head knots.
Knot the first square knot out of a total of four in the first row of your pennant. To do this, separate two lark's head knots and place the left thread over the remaining three threads, as shown in the picture.
Now place the outermost right thread over the previously horizontally laid outermost left thread.
Then thread the end of the thread behind the two central carrier threads and pull it through the resulting left loop. A pretzel shape is formed.
Pull both thread ends until the knot tightens at the top of the lark's head knot row. Now the first half square knot is visible.
Repeat steps six to nine in reverse. Lay the outermost right thread horizontally over the remaining three threads.
Now, as shown in the picture, place the outermost left thread over it.
Now thread your thread end behind the two central carrier threads again and pull it through the resulting right loop. Your knot structure should now look like the picture.
Now pull both ends of the thread again to complete the square knot. Knot three more square knots as in steps six to thirteen, so that you have four square knots next to each other in the first row.
In the next step, a second row with three offset square knots each is knotted below the first row. To do this, set aside the two outermost left and right threads and tie a square knot between, but below, the first two square knots. You finish the row with two more offset square knots.
In the third and penultimate row, you will tie two more offset square knots below the second row.
The tip of the pennant is formed by a final offset square knot below the third row. This creates a downward-pointing triangle.
To give the pennant some stability, tie a row of half-hitch knots on both the left and right sides. To do this, lay the outermost right cord diagonally downwards along the square knots. This is your guide cord, which you must keep taut.
Then take the first cord below it and tie the first of seven half-hitch knots.
A half-hitch knot always consists of two single half-hitch knots, so you should count a total of fourteen wraps at the end of the right half-hitch knot row.
The right side of your pennant should now look like the picture. Feel free to double-check to make sure you haven't forgotten any knots.
You repeat this process on the left side of the pennant. Note that you also take the last cord of the right half-hitch knot row to finish the left side. This creates 16 wraps and a small overlap at the pennant tip.
Now roughly cut the desired length of the pennant fringes. Brush the cord ends from bottom to top towards the half-hitch knot row. Be careful not to damage the half-hitch knot row. To make your work easier, attach the pennants to your clipboard with T-pins or glue them to the carrier cord on the left and right of the wooden beads.
Always brush out the fringes on both sides so that the yarn is completely untangled and smooth in front of you. Now use the fixing spray to give the fringes long-lasting stability. You can speed up the drying process by blow-drying the fringes. Always fix both sides here too.
Once the yarn is dry, cut the fringes to the desired length and slide three more wooden beads onto the right side of the pennant. Repeat this process for each individual pennant of your DIY garland. Finally, secure the outermost row of wooden beads on the left and right with a conventional knot each and tie a hanging loop with the cord ends. Your macrame garland is ready!
Tip: You can adjust the length of the garland individually by increasing the number of pennants and the quantity of wooden beads and extending the carrier cord accordingly.
Helpful tips and tricks for macrame garlands
Our macrame instructions are meant to be fun! If you're a beginner working on your first projects and encountering challenges with various knots and techniques, we've put together some tips to make your work easier:
Make yourself comfortable while doing macrame, get some snacks and a drink ready. You should have all the necessary materials within reach so you don't have to get up while knotting.
Be patient with the process and with yourself. No one is born an expert! Also, allow enough time for your macrame project.
Take breaks in between, stretch, and walk around a bit. You can also briefly rotate your wrists and shoulders.
The beginning is always difficult. If you don't understand something and are having trouble, please contact us! We are happy to help you so that you don't lose your enthusiasm for knotting.
All materials for the macrame garland and many other macrame accessories can be found in our online shop. We wish you a lot of fun and joy with your projects!
