The picks
Best Macrame Kits for Beginners
There are no tools. The cord is the whole purchase, and three-ply is the one to start with.
By Sawyer V. · Published September 9, 2026
Disclosure: we earn a commission when you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we recommend or how we rank it - read the full disclosure.
The short answer
Buy 3mm three-ply cotton cord, a dowel or ring to hang from, and a pair of sharp scissors. That is the entire equipment list - macrame uses no tools, so the cord is effectively the whole purchase and the type of cord decides how the finished piece looks.
| # | Product | Best for | Format | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photoBOCHIKNOT 3mm Macrame CordThree-ply cotton in 3mm - the thickness almost every beginner pattern is written for. | A first wall hanging or plant hanger | 3-ply cotton rope | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 2 | No photoGANXXET Recycled Cotton Rope 3mmThe same 3mm three-ply format sold in sample lengths as well as full spools. | Matching a piece to a room before committing | 3-ply recycled cotton | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 3 | No photoClover Patchwork ScissorsMacrame is knots and cuts. The cuts are half of what people see. | Cutting cord square and trimming a fringe | Scissors | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 4 | No photoLion Brand 24/7 CottonGood cotton yarn, and it is not rope - the knots will not hold their shape. | Crochet and knitting, where it belongs | Yarn | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
BOCHIKNOT 3mm Macrame Cord
BOCHIKNOT · Best for a first wall hanging or plant hanger
Three-ply cotton rope in the 3mm size almost every beginner macrame pattern is written for.
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Construction
- 3-ply twisted rope; single twist also produced
- Sizes
- 2mm through 9mm
- Length
- 330yd on the 3mm natural spool
- Suits
- Wall hangings, plant hangers, knotted bags
Who it suits
Anyone starting macrame who wants the knots to look like the tutorial.
Why it is here
100% cotton, 3-ply twisted rope, made from 2mm to 9mm, with 330yd on the 3mm natural spool. Three-ply holds a knot crisply and does not fray while you work, and 3mm is the default size in published beginner patterns - which means the yardages in those patterns are correct for it.
What you give up
Twisted rope untwists at cut ends if handled a lot, so it needs the ends secured. It also sheds cotton fluff, which is noticeable on a dark floor.
Specifications from BOCHIKNOT 3mm macrame cord listing. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
GANXXET Recycled Cotton Rope 3mm
GANXXET · Best for matching a piece to a room before committing
The same 3mm three-ply format spun from recycled cotton, sold in sample lengths so you can test a color first.
- Fiber
- 100% recycled cotton
- Construction
- 3-ply rope
- Size
- 3mm
- Sold as
- 1.8m samples and 100m spools
- Suits
- Macrame and weaving
Who it suits
Anyone buying color rather than natural, and anyone trying macrame for the first time.
Why it is here
100% recycled cotton, 3-ply, 3mm, sold in 1.8m samples and 100m spools. Macrame cord is bought by the spool, and a spool is a real commitment - being able to buy a short length of a shade first is genuinely useful.
What you give up
Recycled cotton varies slightly more between production runs than virgin cotton, so buy a whole project's worth in one order rather than topping up later.
Specifications from GANXXET recycled cotton rope 3mm. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Clover Patchwork Scissors
Clover · Best for cutting cord square and trimming a fringe
Serrated stainless blades that hold the strand instead of pushing it away - the reason a yarn end cuts square rather than skidding.
- Sizes
- Mini (493/CW), small (493/S), regular (493), large (493/L)
- Length
- 17cm (7in) for the regular size
- Blades
- Stainless steel with a finely serrated edge
- Handle and cover
- ABS resin
- Included
- Protective blade cover
Who it suits
Everyone doing macrame. A fringe is cut, and a ragged cut is visible from across a room.
Why it is here
Stainless steel blades with a finely serrated edge, made in mini, small, regular 17cm and large, with an ABS handle and a blade cover. Serration grips a round cord so it cannot roll away from the blade, which is exactly the problem with cutting rope.
What you give up
Serrated blades cannot be sharpened conventionally once dull. Keep them for cord and fabric only - see [best scissors for yarn crafts](/accessories/best-scissors-for-yarn-crafts).
Specifications from Clover USA - Patchwork Scissors. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton
Lion Brand · Best for crochet and knitting, where it belongs
Mercerized cotton with a sheen and a stiff hand. Stitch definition is the best on this page, which is why amigurumi people keep buying it.
- Fiber
- 100% mercerized cotton
- Weight
- Worsted
- Skein
- 3.5oz / 100g, 186yd / 170m
- Gauge
- 19 sts x 26 rows on 5mm (US 8)
- Hook
- 5.5mm (US I/9), 16 sc x 18 rows
- Care
- Machine wash, water not above 105F; medium heat dryer
Who it suits
Not macrame makers. It is a genuinely good mercerized cotton for a hook.
Why it is here
100% mercerized cotton, worsted weight, 186yd per 100g. It is cotton, it is smooth, and it is the obvious substitution if you already have it.
What you give up
Macrame knots hold their shape because the cord is stiff and thick. Worsted yarn is neither - the knots collapse into soft lumps, the piece has no structure, and a wall hanging made from it droops. Use rope.
Specifications from Lion Brand product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
The craft with no tools
Knitting needs needles, crochet needs a hook, weaving needs a loom. Macrame needs your hands and something to hang the work from.
That is genuinely unusual, and it has two consequences. The barrier to starting is almost nil - no tool to choose, nothing to learn to hold. And the cord carries all of the decisions, because there is nothing else to decide.
Cord types, which is the real decision
| Type | Behavior | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 3-ply twisted | Holds knots crisply; can be brushed into a fringe | The default - wall hangings, plant hangers |
| Single twist | Softer, unravels easily, brushes into a very full fringe | Fringe-heavy pieces, deliberate texture |
| Braided | Will not unravel or fringe; very smooth | Bags, straps, jewelry, anything load-bearing |
Three-ply is the beginner default because it does both jobs adequately: knots stay defined, and the ends can be combed out into a fringe. Single twist fringes beautifully and frays while you work with it; braided is the durable choice and cannot be fringed at all.
Thickness
- 3mm - the standard. Almost every beginner pattern assumes it, so published yardages are correct.
- 4mm to 5mm - faster, chunkier, uses far more cord. Good for large wall pieces.
- 2mm - fine detail, jewelry, small plant hangers. Slower and harder on the fingers.
- 6mm and up - statement pieces. Very heavy, and the knots are large enough to see from across a room.
Yardage, which catches everybody
This is the single most common beginner mistake in macrame, and the multiplier is much larger than people expect.
| Project | Finished size | Cord needed |
|---|---|---|
| Small plant hanger | 30in drop | 60-90yd |
| Large plant hanger | 40in drop | 100-140yd |
| Small wall hanging | 18in wide | 120-180yd |
| Large wall hanging | 30in wide | 300-450yd |
| Table runner | 60in long | 250-350yd |
A 330-yard spool of 3mm therefore covers one large wall hanging or several plant hangers. Buy the whole project at once - cord, like yarn, varies between production runs.
The knots you actually need
Macrame looks complicated and rests on a very short list.
- Lark's head. How a cord attaches to a dowel or ring. Every piece starts with it.
- Square knot. The workhorse. Most of any beginner piece is square knots.
- Half knot. Half a square knot, repeated - it spirals, which is where twisted plant hanger sections come from.
- Half hitch and double half hitch. Makes diagonal and horizontal lines, which is how patterns get shape.
- Gathering knot. Binds a bundle of cords, used to finish a plant hanger.
Those five make almost every beginner pattern. Everything else is a combination or a variation.
Finishing
- Comb the fringe. A pet slicker brush or a fine comb turns cut three-ply ends into a soft fringe. This is what makes a finished piece look professional.
- Trim after combing, not before. Combing makes the ends uneven; cut them level afterwards.
- Secure cut ends that are not fringe with a dab of fabric glue or a wrap - see best glue for yarn crafts.
- Steam it. A gentle steam relaxes the cord and settles the knots, in much the same way blocking settles a knitted fabric.
What we would buy
- First project: a spool of 3mm three-ply cotton cord.
- Matching a color to a room: a sample length before the spool.
- The only tool: sharp serrated scissors.
- Not: worsted yarn - the knots will not hold their shape.
Questions people actually ask
What do you need to start macrame?
Cord, something to hang it from - a dowel, branch or metal ring - and sharp scissors. Macrame uses no tools at all, so the cord is effectively the whole purchase.
What cord is best for macrame beginners?
3mm three-ply cotton. It holds knots crisply, can be combed into a fringe, and is the thickness almost every beginner pattern assumes - which means the yardages in those patterns are correct for it.
How much macrame cord do I need?
Cut each cord about four times the intended finished length, then fold it in half over the dowel - so eight times the finished length per doubled cord. A small plant hanger is 60 to 90 yards of 3mm; a large wall hanging is 300 to 450.
Can you use yarn for macrame?
Not usefully. Macrame knots hold their shape because the cord is stiff and thick, and worsted yarn is neither - the knots collapse into soft lumps and a wall hanging droops. Use rope.
What is the difference between 3-ply and single twist macrame cord?
Three-ply holds a knot crisply and can still be combed into a fringe. Single twist is softer, frays while you work and combs into a much fuller fringe. Braided cord will not fray at all and cannot be fringed.