We have all seen these macrame chandeliers taking over Instagram and Pinterest.
With the increased popularity of upcycled furnishings, there has never been a better time to try your hand at macrame.
Macrame chandeliers can set up back upwards of $70 to buy online. They are so much cheaper to make yourself, the only real expense being the cost of rope or twine.
They can be time consuming to make, but they’re the perfect activity to keep your hands busy while you are watching TV.
Knot and Tassel Design
This will make an elegant and visually interesting chandelier with knots at the top and tassels hanging down.
The total length of the finished chandelier will be around 45cm or 18 inches.
What will you need?
- An old lampshade with a diameter of 30cm (12 inches)
- Scissors
- 35m of thin cotton rope (we suggest 0.5cm of braided rope)
- An iron
Method
Your first step is to separate the 3 strands of the rope, to give you around 105 meters total of rope. If you want to miss this step, you will need to purchase 105m of rope to begin with.
Pull the covering off of the lampshade so that all you are left with is the wire framework. All you really need is the upper ring and the section that holds your lightbulb. If you wish your chandelier to have a more consistent structure, keep the bottom ring too.
Cut your rope into 3 meter lengths and then iron them so that they lay slightly more flat.
Fold each length of rope in half and attach to the ring of the lampshade with a reverse larks head knot. Continue to make these knots around the lampshade ring until the entire wire is covered in rope knots.
Create a row of half knots all the way around the ring of the lampshade. This will create the top of your chandelier.
Measure an inch down from the knots you have just made. Tie a row of square knots all the way around.
Measure 1 inch down and make another row of square knots. To ensure the visual attractiveness of the finalized chandelier, use alternating strands of rope from the row you have just completed.
Without leaving any space, create 2 rows of half knots to form a solid base of knots on the chandelier.
Create a long row of half knot spirals. If you do 15 half knots, your knotted section will be around 4 inches long. Ensure all of your spirals are the same length.
Weave 2 rows of half knots to create a solid woven border at the base of the chandelier. This will hold all of your spirals together and create a more uniform appearance.
Measure how long you want the tassels to be and cut off any excess rope.
Reverse Larks Head Knot
Fold your rope in half to make a loop at one end.
Place this looped end over the ring of the lampshade so that the rope is in front of the ring.
Pull the straight ends of the rope under the ring and over the loop in the rope.
Pull on the long ends to tighten and secure the knot.
Half Knot
This is half of a square knot. Depending on the side you start knotting, this can be left- or right-facing. To make a half knot you will need 2 looped sections of rope or 4 individual strands.
To make a left-facing half knot you will take the leftmost cord (cord 1). Pull over the middle 2 cords and underneath the rightmost cord (cord 4). Take cord 4 and pull to the left underneath the 2 middle cords and over cord 1.
Pull on the 2 outside cords, keeping the center 2 straight. Tighten and you have created a half knot. To make a right-facing knot, simply start the process with the rightmost cord.
Square Knots
This is an instruction for the left-facing square knot. To create a right-facing square knot, reverse this process.
Once you have tightened the half knot, the original left cord (cord 1) will be on the right and the original right cord (cord 4) will be on the left. Take hold of cord 1 and pull to the left over the 2 center cords, then under cord 4.
Take cord 4 and move it to the right under the 2 central cords and over cord 1. Pull both long ends and keep the central cords straight. This will tighten your knot.
Half Knot Spiral
To start creating this, make a half knot. Cord 4 will now be on the left side, and cord 1 on the right. Make another half knot the same way. Cord 4 will be the one you move first and tuck under cord 1.
Repeat this process 3 more times, always starting the half knots with the cord on the left. Tighten the cords and ensure the knots are close together as you work down the length.
Rotate the knots to the right so that the outside cords switch sides. If cord 1 was on the right, it should now be on the left. This turning action is what will create your spiral.
Tie 5 more half knots and rotate again. Continue until the desired length is reached.
Summary
It is easy and cheap to make your own DIY macrame chandelier. They are the perfect addition to your home, making it look chic and quirky.
You will also be able to proudly boast that you made it yourself to admiring guests!
All you need is an old lampshade, some scissors, some rope, and some time. It can be a difficult project to wrap your head around, but there are lots of instructional videos on the internet to guide you through the different knot processes.
With practice, you will soon be able to whip one up in no time.
They are highly customizable and can suit any design aesthetic.