How to Make a Plant Hanger

Co-authored by Amy Guerrero

Last Updated: February 24, 2023 References

Hanging plants are a great decoration for any room to create a cozy, boho vibe. But let's be real, hanging planters are expensive. Luckily, you don’t need to buy one! Macrame plant hangers are super easy to make yourself with just a few dollars and some rope. In a few minutes–and with a few simple knots–you’ll have your very own DIY macrame plant hangers.

1

Gather Your Materials

Get at least 25 ft (7.6 m) of thin rope or twine. For a standard planter about 10 in (25 cm) high, you’ll need each piece of rope to be 100 in (250 cm), or a little more than 8 ft (2.4 m) long. Get at least 25 ft (7.6 m) of ³⁄₁₆ in (0.48 cm) cotton rope. Most hardware or craft stores have rolls of rope for just a few dollars, so this shouldn’t be hard to find.^{[1]
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- You could also use a different type of rope for this activity. Jute or polyester are popular choices. Also look for colored rope if you want to be more decorative.
- Make sure the rope is thin enough for you to tie knots with. If it’s too thick, it won’t work for this project.

2

Cut the Rope

Cut 3 sections of rope 100 in (250 cm) long. Unroll the rope and measure out 100 in (250 cm), then cut the rope. Repeat this to get 3 equal pieces.^{[2]
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- It’s always best to cut each strand a bit longer so you have plenty of room to work. You can always trim away any excess when you’re finished.
- The original length of the rope will give you a hanger a little less than half as long. 100 in (250 cm) of rope will give you a planter about 4 ft (1.2 m) long. If you want it shorter or longer, you can adjust the rope length. 80 in (200 cm), for example, will give you a 40 in (100 cm) hanger, or a little over 3 ft (0.91 m).
- You could also use 4 strands, or even more, depending on the look you're going for. The process isn't much different. You'd just have to tie a few more knots if you have more rope.^{[3]
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3

Loop the Rope Through the Carabiner

Hold the 3 pieces of rope together and insert them through the opening in a carabiner together. Pull the pieces through until you reach the halfway point.^{[4]
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- Remember that the number of strands will be different if you use more rope.
- You could also use a plain metal ring if you don’t have a carabiner.

4

Tie a Knot

Tie a knot with all the strands just below the carabiner. Hold all 6 strands in one hand. Then loop the carabiner around them and pull it to make a knot. Make sure it’s tight so all the strands are held together.^{[5]
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- Try to get this knot as close to the carabiner as possible. Feel free to undo the knot and try again if you have to.
- If you're using more strands, then make sure you loop all of them into a knot. Don't leave any sticking out.
- For a more decorative approach, you could also tie colored string below the carabiner to hold the strands together.^{[6]
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5

Divide the Rope

Lay the strands out flat and divide them into 3 groups of 2. It’ll be much easier to work on the hanger this way. Lay the rope out on a long table or the floor. Spread each strand out straight. Then group them into 3 pairs of 2 by pairing each strand with the one next to it.^{[7]
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- For this project, the pairs would be the 1st and 2nd strands, the 3rd and 4th strands, and the 5th and 6th strands.
- You'll have more pairs if you use more pieces of rope. For example, if you used 4 pieces instead of 3, then you'll have 4 pairs.^{[8]
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- Some people prefer to work on the planter while it’s hanging. In this case, you can hang it up by the carabiner and tie the rope afterward.

6

Attach the Strands

Attach each pair of strands together 18 in (46 cm) from the top knot. Take a ruler or tape measure and measure 18 in (46 cm) down from the top knot. Then take the first pair and loop them around each other to make a simple knot. Repeat this for the other 2 pairs of rope.^{[9]
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- Make sure each knot is at the same height or your hanger will be uneven.
- These knots are where the top of your planter will rest, so you can adjust the height if you want to.

7

Tie the Strands Together

Tie the 2nd and 3rd and 4th and 5th strands together 5 in (13 cm) below the knots. Once again, take your ruler or tape measure and measure 5 in (13 cm) down from the knots you just tied. This time, don’t tie together each pair. Instead, tie the 2nd and 3rd strands together. Then tie the 4th and 5th strands together as well. This creates a tiered hanger for more support and decoration.^{[10]
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- These knots are about where the middle of the planter will sit. If you’re not liking the height for your hanger so far, you can always untie the knots and make adjustments.

8

Complete the Pattern

Join the 1st and 6th pieces of rope together. Complete this pattern by folding the 1st strand across the other strands to the 6th one. Then tie these 2 together.^{[11]
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- This pattern will be a bit different if you use more strands for your hanger. If there are 4 pieces and 8 strands, for example, then you'd tie the 1st and 8th ones together.^{[12]
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9

Make a Finishing Knot

Make a final knot with all the strands 6 in (15 cm) below that pattern. Measure 6 in (15 cm) more down from the previous knots and hold all 6 strands. Loop them around each other and pull to make a knot at the bottom of the hanger.^{[13]
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- Make sure this knot is tight. If it comes undone, the planter will fall.
- You could also use less space in between the knots and add more for decoration. You can try this if you make more than 1 hanger.

10

Trim Extra Rope

Trim the excess rope at the bottom if you don’t want it to hang. This depends on what you prefer. If you like the look of the extra rope dangling at the bottom, then leave it. If not, then trim it away with scissors.^{[14]
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- You could always wrap colored string around the excess rope to make a decorative pattern.^{[15]
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11

Install Your Hook

Install a nail or hook into the wall where you want to hang the planter. You can use either of these to mount your hanger. Find the spot where you want to hang the planter, then locate the nearest stud. Drive a nail into the stud or screw a hook into the wall where you want to mount the hanger.^{[16]
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- You could also screw a hook into the ceiling if you prefer to mount the planter like this.^{[17]
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12

Hang Your Carabiner

Put the carabiner over the nail or hook to hang it. Once the hook is mounted, then hanging the plant is easy. Start by taking the hanger and looping the carabiner over the nail or hook. Make sure the hanger is secure before putting the planter in.^{[18]
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- You can test the hook by giving the hanger a light tug to make sure it doesn’t come loose.

13

Hang Your Plant

Rest the planter inside the hanger. Once you’re sure the hanger is secure, you can mount the planter. Pick up the planter and tuck it into the hanger so it rests on the bottom knot. Adjust the strands so they wrap around the planter and hold it in place.^{[19]
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- Hold onto the planter and let it go slowly to make sure it doesn’t fall out.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you hang plants off the wall?

Amy Guerrero
Arts & Crafts Specialist
Amy Guerrero is an Arts and Crafts Specialist and the Owner of Sunshine Craft Co., a crafting studio based in Phoenix, Arizona. Amy specializes in macrame, DIY crafting, and teaching fiber arts. She offers monthly in-person and online workshops along with having developed a range of DIY craft kits for at-home projects. Amy holds a BS in Industrial Design from Philadelphia University. She worked as a graphic designer before starting her own business. Sunshine Craft Co. is a creative hub that offers a wide range of workshops, tools, and resources for any craft project to inspire creativity and community engagement.

Amy Guerrero

Arts & Crafts Specialist

Expert Answer

Use a shelf bracket! Using a shelf bracket allows you to hang your plant hanger away from your wall without having to hang it from the ceiling.