DIY Macrame: Instructions for a Pennant Chain

August 13 2024, by Nicole Hellstern
12 min reading time

Bunting on bunting for a beautiful garland! Here you'll find our step-by-step instructions for 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 an exciting project for beginners and advanced macrame enthusiasts alike. To ensure the results are impressive, we have detailed step-by-step instructions for you, which you can download for free. Apart from the right yarn, all you need to knot it is a few accessories and a bit of time. We'll guide you from the first knot to the finished bunting, explaining every step in great detail. So get to work and unleash your creativity!

Easily tie your bunting

Knot like you're supposed to! We love this oriental knotting technique and are delighted that the macramé trend is continuing and that more and more people are catching on. Knotting promotes concentration, is enjoyable, and helps you forget everything around you and relieve everyday stress. Garlands and pennants are a wonderful way to celebrate your first successes with thread and beads and create beautiful decorations. Whether for yourself or as a gift: Download our clear, step-by-step PDF instructions and decorate walls, vases, and outdoor areas in your favorite colors.

You need these materials for the macrame garland

You don't need much to knot the bunting, making this project ideal for beginners who want to get a taste of the macramé world. Before you begin, gather these supplies:

24 threads of 0.50 m each (eight threads per pennant)
A carrier thread of 0.70 m (for a total of three pennants)
Scissors
Macrame brush
threader
Fixing spray
12 untreated wooden balls
Clipboard or cork coaster, T-pins or pins for attaching the carrier thread

The knots for the DIY project

Before you start working on the threads, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the necessary knots. This will make it easier for beginners to follow our instructions below and complete the project faster. The macrame technique for the garland is easy to learn and doesn't involve any complicated knots. You'll need these basic knots:

Anchor knot
reef knot
rib knot

In our PDF file We explain each step comprehensively with clear pictures, so that with a little practice you will quickly be able to tie the knots.

Instructions: Step by step to the pennant chain

Now we'll explain step by step how to make the macramé garland. You can customize its look to your liking, experiment with different colors, and determine the shape of the pennants. With plenty of pictures and accompanying text, we'll guide you from start to finish. Download our PDF instructions. If you learn better with visual content, you can also watch our garland video tutorial .

To begin, you'll need the carrier thread (0.70 m), the wooden beads, and the 24 strands (0.50 m). First, thread all the wooden beads onto your carrier thread using a threader. Divide each of them into four groups, so that there are always three wooden beads together.
Attach your backing thread to the clipboard with T-pins or glue it to your work surface. The first three wooden balls will form the beginning of the garland. Now fold one of the 24 threads in half and place it under your backing thread with the resulting loop facing up.
Tie a backward anchor knot. To do this, fold the resulting loop forward over your carrier thread and pull the two threads underneath through each of them.
The beginning should look like the picture. Now pull the two threads tight and repeat this process with seven more threads.
You should now have eight threads attached to the backing thread for the first pennant. Turn your work over to see the forward-facing anchor knots.
Tie the first of four square knots in the first row of your pennants. To do this, separate two anchor knots and place the left thread over the remaining three threads, as shown in the picture.
Now place the outermost right thread over the outer left thread that you previously placed horizontally.
Then thread the end of the yarn behind the two middle support threads and pull it through the resulting left loop. This creates a pretzel-like shape.
Pull on both ends of the thread until the knot at the top of the anchor knot row tightens. The first half reef knot is now visible.
Repeat steps six through nine in reverse. Place the rightmost thread horizontally over the remaining three threads.
Now place the outermost left thread over it as shown in the picture.
Now thread your yarn end back behind the two middle support threads and pull it through the resulting right loop. Your knot should now look like the one shown in the picture.
Now pull on both ends of the thread again to complete the square knot. Now tie three more square knots as in steps six through thirteen, so that you have four square knots next to each other in the first row.
In the next step, tie a second row below the first one, each with three offset reef knots. To do this, set the two outermost left and right threads aside and tie a reef knot between, but below, the first two reef knots. Finish the row with two more offset reef knots.
In the third and penultimate row, tie two offset square knots below the second row.
The pennant's tip is finished with a final offset reef knot below the third row, creating a downward-pointing triangle.
To give the pennant a certain degree of stability, tie a row of reef knots on both the left and right sides. To do this, place the rightmost thread diagonally downwards along the reef knots. This will be your guide thread, and you must keep it taut.
Then take the first upper thread underneath and tie the first of seven rib knots.
A rib knot always consists of two half rib knots, so that at the end of the right row of rib knots you can count a total of fourteen wraps.
The right side of your pennant should now look like the picture. Feel free to count again so you don't miss any knots.
Repeat this process on the left side of the pennant. Make sure you also use the last thread of the right row of rib knots to complete the left side. This creates 16 wraps and a small overlap at the top of the pennant.
Now roughly cut the desired length of pennant fringe. Brush out the thread ends, starting at the bottom and working up to the rib knot row. Be careful not to damage the rib knot row.

To make your work easier, attach the pennants to your clipboard using the T-pins or glue them to the carrier thread to the left and right of the wooden balls.
Always brush the fringe on both sides so that the yarn is completely untangled and lies flat in front of you. Now use the setting spray to give the fringe long-lasting stability. You can speed up the drying process by blow-drying the fringe. Always fix both sides here, too.
Once the yarn is dry, trim the fringe to the desired length and slide three more wooden beads onto the right side of the pennants. 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 traditional knot and tie a hanging loop with the ends of the yarn. Your macrame garland is finished!

Tip: You can customize the length of the garland by increasing the number of pennants and the number of wooden beads and lengthening the carrier thread accordingly.

Helpful tips and tricks for macrame garlands

Our macrame tutorials are meant to be fun! If you're a beginner tackling your first projects and are finding it difficult to master various knots and techniques, we've put together some tips to make your work easier:

Make yourself comfortable while you work on macramé, gather some snacks and a drink, and have all the necessary materials within easy reach so you don't have to get up while you're knotting.
Be patient with the process and with yourself. No one is born an expert! Also, plan enough time for your macrame project.
Give yourself breaks in between, stretch, and walk a few steps. You can also briefly circle your wrists and shoulders.
The beginning is always difficult. If you don't understand something or are having difficulties, please contact us! We'll be happy to help you so that you don't lose the desire to knot.

You can find all the materials for the macrame garland and many other macrame accessories in our online shop. We wish you lots of fun and enjoyment with your projects!