Quickie "faux-chet" macramé

This wall hanging is so quick and easy that I'm actually undecided about whether or not it falls under the "crafting" category. In addition to being a fast project, it's also super-cheap, very much on-trend, and only requires two materials! Wins, all around.

For this "macramé light" wall hanging, I used a crochet hoop (brass/gold-tone), which you can pick up at any crafting store. However, in order to stay true to the spirit of this blog, I found mine on Amazon – they have every size, from 4" through 19", for around $5-$12 each. I used a 14" ring, which I purchased for approximately $9.

For the hanging pieces, I used a rope-like material commonly called cotton/macramé rope, cording, or twine. I bought the 3mm width, which was $14 for approximately 100 yards. (I could make 1-2 more of these, if I used the same size hoop, or 3-4 more, if I used a smaller ring). Mine took about 40 pieces of string, cut to 30-32" long.

I had no idea when I started, but apparently the knot I used is an actual macrame/crochet knot! It's called a "Lark's Head", or a "Cow Hitch". Start by taking the ends of one rope cutting, securing it to your ring (see fancy technique below), then repeating as many times as you'd like. I chose to stop when approximately one-third of the hoop was covered, which allows the cording to drape nicely.

I'm so much happier with this piece than I thought I'd be... it's in a corner of the guest room that felt a little lacking, but is subtle enough not to overwhelm the space. Also, the delicate brass ring ties in perfectly with Gerald, because if one's decor doesn't coordinate with a gold giraffe lamp, what are you even doing with your life, anyway. 
 

MATERIALS

  • Cotton Cording, 3mm: $14

  • Crochet Hoop, 14-inch: $9
  • Time investment: 1 hour + naps (optional)
 
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make your knot

Who knew this was a real knot?! If you need a tutorial, YouTube a "Lark's Head Knot" or a "Cow Hitch Knot". Otherwise, just line up both ends of your rope and pull them through loop, around your crochet hoop.

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Cut your twine

If you know where this will hang, measure from the bottom of your hoop to where you'd like your string to end. Double that number, add 1-2 inches, then cut 30-45 pieces. Having them all the same size will all them to form a perfect arc.

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fill your hoop

You can make this as sparse or as full as you prefer; I chose to cover somewhere between 1/4-1/3 of my hoop. If you cover more than that, the cords start overlapping... I actually removed a few strings, once that happened. 

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trim it up

This step isn't necessary, but I'm a rebel and was playing pretty fast and loose while cutting twine. I chose to give my piece a little haircut, but kept the slightly imperfect ends and just trimmed off some of the serious stragglers. Voila! 

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