Make Your Own Macramé Leaf Decoration

The main material for today's crafting is cord. We'll leave the color and thickness up to you. We chose 2 mm green cord, which suits the leaf design. Feel free to choose from our selection of macramé cords.

Tip: You can weave your decoration onto a wooden dowel or a ring. We found our little branch in the forest. :)

Photo: ARTMiE

First, cut a cord that will be the base of our decoration. Attach it to the wooden base so both loose ends hang down. Then cut the cords you’ll knot onto it. Since the leaf gradually narrows, we prepared long, medium, and short cords, all in the same quantity (the length depends on the size of your decoration; for example, 10 cords each of 35 cm, 30 cm, and 25 cm).

Photo: ARTMiE

You need two cords of the same length to make one row. Fold both in half. Place the first cord under the base cord, with its loop sticking out on the opposite side. Lay the second cord over the top, then thread its loose ends through the loop of the cord underneath. In the same way, thread the loose ends of the first cord through the open loop. Check the photo to make sure you’ve followed the steps correctly (your decoration should now look exactly like this).

Tip: Remember to place the cords in exactly opposite directions. Each side should have a loop and a loose end.

Photo: ARTMiE

If the cords are positioned correctly, pulling both ends will create a knot around the base cord. Since we’ll be pushing the remaining knots up against the first one, leave plenty of space between the wood and the first knot (so it looks neat).
If your first knot turned out well, you can move on to the next ones. Since the leaf is wide at the top, start with the longest cords, then move on to the medium ones, and finish with the short ones.

Tip: Each time you make a new knot, slowly push it against the previous one to prevent unsightly gaps.

Photo: ARTMiE

Once you’ve tied all the cords, your decoration should look something like this:

Photo: ARTMiE

We’ve finished the most challenging part, but now comes the patient work of combing out the cords. Professionals use a special brush, but we chose a regular comb, which you can find in any home. As you comb, remember to hold one side of the decoration so the cords don’t come untied.

Tip: Comb gently, starting from the ends of the cords. This will make the job go faster. :)

Photo: ARTMiE

How well the cords comb out depends on the type of cord. Once the individual strands are separated, the decoration gains volume that you can then work with.

Photo: ARTMiE

After combing out both sides of the macramé decoration, simply trim it into shape with scissors. We trimmed our monstera leaf and shaped it with a comb. Don’t forget to comb out the base cord and trim it along with the others. Finally, we set the decoration with hairspray.

Tip: Hairspray worked really well for us in the final step. ;)

Photo: ARTMiE

Watch the video to see how we made the leaf, along with other macramé decorations:

The macramé technique is really simple and well suited to creative activities with children. All you need is a few knots to create anything from leaves and feathers to intricate dreamcatchers and wall hangings. Join us and give it a try!

Lea