Macrame is a popular craft that can produce various designs, including fashion accessories, decorative arts, and even large home products such as macrame hammocks and rugs. It’s impressive how simply wrapping and knotting lengths of cord together helps create amazing wall art and home decor items. In this article, we review the best macrame cords and supplies for beginners.
Thanks to social media and the internet, seeing amazing macrame and agreeing to start this incredible craft has never been simpler! Many women worldwide are turning their passion into a company and earning money by sharing their talent. Every day, new macrame artists create decoration objects to sell online and open their first shops.
Best Macrame Cord and Supplies – Product Reviews
#1 Smij Macrame Cord
The SMIJ Natural Cotton Macrame Cord is our top choice in this category. Natural cotton rope is an ideal choice for macrame designs as it is gentle, sleek, long-lasting, and attractive to the eye. This piece is a 3 mm twisted rope with four thin enough threads to make intricate macrame patterns but sturdy enough to carry weight, perfect for making plant holders or hanging shelves.
If you’re a novice, a cotton robe would be a good idea for your first project; just keep in mind that the twisted rope will fray quickly. You can avoid fraying by dipping your cords’ ends in transparent wax before beginning and then combing the wax out until your job is complete.
This cord is recommended because it is not only simple to work with, particularly for beginners, but it also produces beautiful macrame items that are worthy of Pinterest. If you make an error, the cotton string is still effortless to undo.
This cord is better made of odorless and tintless natural cotton, which is suitable for the climate. This cord can be used in many ways, but we prefer using it in bohemian-inspired looks because of its color and texture.
Pros
- Natural cotton rope
- Attractive design
- Very easy to undo
- High durability
- Budget-friendly product
Cons
- Heavyweight
#2 XKDOUS Macrame Cord
The XKDOUS Natural Cotton Macrame Cord is our second pick. Like the SMIJ cord, this natural cotton thread is popular among macrame enthusiasts for its soft and smooth texture, toughness, and ease of use.
This 100% natural cotton is biodegradable and eco-friendly and has the ideal off-white hue to go with the bohemian look. It is almost similar in composition and material to the SMIJ cord.
However, it is available in a broader variety of cord sizes, lengths, and colors, making it ideal for almost any macrame project. While the smaller ropes are suitable for making small tapestry art or jewelry, the larger ropes will be fantastic for making huge rugs or hammocks.
This twisted rope fringes beautifully for designs that need it, but be careful not to fray it when operating because the twist will unravel quickly after a few twists. Natural cotton is strong and long-lasting, but it’s still forgiving to beginners because it unravels quickly if you make a mistake. Choose this cord if you want to use several colors in your design or a thicker cotton rope but don’t want to sacrifice consistency or appearance.
Pros
- 100% natural cotton
- Biodegradable
- Strong and long-lasting
- Soft and smooth texture
- Ideal for making small tapestry
Cons
- Fragile
#3 Bonnie Macrame Cord
This luxuriously smooth and lustrous cord is perfect for large projects. The material is bulky, long-lasting, and non-stretchy, but it’s still adaptable to almost any macrame style. The rope is made up of many braided strands that won’t fray when you’re working. Its hard material and bulky construction provide excellent protection for heavy items, making it ideal for large projects such as a hammock or mirror hanger.
Since the cord is made of polyolefin thread, it can retain its colors and form for a long time without being washed or preserved. Since the cord can easily bend to any shape and pattern, working with this material is particularly simple and beginner-friendly. When applying length to the working rope, you can even use heat to connect the cords’ ends, which is very handy.
The only disadvantage of this content is that since it is shiny, the finished result does not have the rustic macrame aesthetic you find in macrame painting. On the other hand, this cable is ideal for those looking for a low-cost, high-quality practice cord.
Pros
- Non-Stretchy
- Hard Material and Bulky Construction
- Excellent Protection
- Beginner-Friendly
- Polyolefin Thread
Cons
- No rustic macrame aesthetic
#4 Tenn Well Braided Macrame Cord
For those who like the matte, raw look of cotton for their macrame designs, this braided natural cotton and polyester blend cord is a perfect alternative. Because of the eight-strand braid, the rope is more stable and less likely to fray, making it more user-friendly. The braided look allows the final style more depth and stiffness, which is more challenging to do with a twisted robe.
This Tenn Well braided cord is more robust and can keep its shape and colors for a long time thanks to the cotton and polyester mix. Please remember that the braid makes the cord heavier and more challenging to manipulate and gives the commodity a more formal appearance. Plant hangers, tapestries, and rugs are the best choices.
If your project needs fringe, the strands can be combed out, but they will take on a wavy, textured form rather than the easy fringe of twisted ropes. Overall, this cord is convenient to deal with and adaptable to a wide variety of macrame designs. However, if you want to build fringes in your project, this is not the best choice.
Pros
- Eight-strand braid
- Highly durable
- Budget-friendly
- User-friendly
- Polyester blend cord
Cons
- Heavyweight
#5 MB Cordas Macrame Cord
If your pattern calls for fringe, this single twisted cotton rope unravels quickly with a large comb. The finished result has a soft, bohemian look due to the 3 mm width and single twist style, suitable for decorative projects.
If you are a total beginner, though, this single twisted rope can fray quickly, making it more challenging to deal with. When you’re working, seal the ends with clear wax and comb it out when you’re about to make the fringes.
The finished product would have a delicate, flowy appearance, adding a gentle touch to your house. The MB Cordas is made of natural cotton, which absorbs dye well if your style needs several colors. One point to keep in mind is that if the cotton is warm, it can oxidize somewhat. To stop the colors from appearing different and uneven in your final product, you’ll need to stain the whole spool.
Overall, this is a high-quality cotton cord that can be played with specific macrame skills. However, the end product would have a sleek, beautiful bohemian aesthetic that is well worth the time and effort spent.
Pros
- Unravels quickly
- Natural cotton
- High-quality cotton cord
- Beautiful bohemian aesthetic
- Flowy appearance
Cons
- Single twisted cord
#6 Wrapables Cotton Bakers Twine
Although made of 100% natural cotton, this cord has the appearance of jute twine, giving your project a durable, rugged look. This twine comprises 12 strands of cotton woven together, including its limited diameter of 2 mm. As a result, it is very dense and sturdy, making it ideal for projects that could carry a lot of weight.
This twine’s rugged, rustic nature is suitable for making furniture pieces that add a beautiful, gentle touch to the farmhouse chic aesthetic. Since the thin twine splits quickly and is difficult to knot, jute twine is often used in gardening and crafting. If you like the look of jute twine for your macrame project, this cotton twine is a perfect alternative.
If you’re new to macrame, we don’t like using this cord because it’s rigid and has a tight curl that makes it more challenging to deal with. Since it can carry a lot of weight, this material will be suitable for plant hangers or market bags. The fluffy twine brings color to the finished design, which can be a sweet touch to give it more dimension.
Pros
- 100% natural cotton
- Rugged look
- It can carry a lot of weight
- Farmhouse chic aesthetic
- 12 strands of cotton woven
Cons
- Thinner and weaker thread
#7 Hemptique Hemp Cord
While hemp isn’t the first material that comes to mind when most people think of macrame, it is an excellent choice. When you’ve mastered macrame, it’s a material worth playing with. Since this cord is shorter, it can’t be used to produce larger parts, but it’s sturdy and long-lasting enough to make small plant hangers, pot plant huggers, or hanging shelves.
The rope is intricately woven to keep knots in place without stretching out. However, considering its small diameter, it is a little stiffer than cotton strings, so knotting macrame patterns can take a little more time.
Hemp is a renewable, biodegradable, and environmentally sustainable material. Your finished product will have a rustic-chic appearance that will go well with earthy, green homes. Once you’ve mastered macrame techniques and cotton ropes, we suggest playing with this material because it will enable you to branch out with new designs and make more exciting projects.
Hemp is pricier than most macrame fabrics, and it’s also more challenging to unravel if you make a mistake. So, before you start a hemp macrame project, make sure you’re confident in your abilities and design.
Pros
- Sturdy and long-lasting
- Intricately woven
- Environmentally sustainable
- Biodegradable
Cons
- The price is quite high
Best Macrame Cord and Supplies for Beginners – Things to Consider
Choosing the correct fiber is a crucial first step before starting a new weaving project. Since there are so many possibilities, this can be a fun and exciting process, but it can also be daunting if you don’t know where to start- so let’s break it down a bit.
Composition
It’s crucial to know what kind of composition the macrame cord is made of. Hemp and jute fibers were once very common with macrame artists. However, the increase in popularity of macrame cords made of nylon and satin rayon was affected by their availability on the market. As a beginner, I prefer using nylon because it is quick to unravel if you make a knitting mistake.
Twist
If the material’s strands are twisted or braided during the manufacturing process, it defines the cord’s strength. Braided macrame cords unravel more slowly than twisted macrame cords. Often handle the ends of a cord before starting a macrame project to keep the stands from splitting. Dip the ends in molten transparent wax if necessary. If you try to make a fringe, tie the fringe’s top to prevent the threads from unraveling more than the fringe’s length.
Stiffness
A cord should be able to stretch and curve in compliance with the pattern’s specifications. A thinner macrame cord is preferred for making a bracelet or necklace. An embroidery cord made of cotton, for example, is smooth and flexible. You may still use leather, so it must be no wider than 2 mm.
Texture
Some macrame cords are rough to the touch and can irritate the skin. Necklaces and bracelets should not be made from hemp or silver strings. The fabrics proposed for use were acrylic, linen, satin rayon, and cotton. Leather should also be used when it softens for a bit.
Fiber Content
If you’re looking for a thread, chain, string, or yarn, you’ll need to pick between natural and synthetic fibers. Cotton, linen, jute, fur, and hemp are natural fabrics that are perfect for indoor designs, home decor, clothing, shoes, gift wrap, and textiles.
They’re also biodegradable, making them an environmentally sustainable option for crafting. Synthetic fabrics, such as polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and rubber, are suitable for outdoor projects because they will withstand the elements, rain or shine, and will not break down over time.
Best Macrame Cord and Supplies for Beginners FAQs
Which cord is highly recommended?
I prefer a 3mm-4mm Single Strand Cotton Thread. Single-strand cord might be right for you if you’ve tried a few projects with cheaper cords and now feel like investing in some nicer cords for higher-quality projects. If you are a complete beginner who wants to start using the perfect cord right now, you should do so.
I consider using a single-strand cord because it will make your macrame experience more enjoyable. Knotting and unraveling knots would be a lot easier. Cutting cords and fringing will no longer be a chore, and the macrame creations will be more aesthetically appealing as a result.
Which cord is best for beginners?
Start with a medium size (4-7mm) cotton rope if you’re new to the art of macrame. It’s tough, quick to deal with, and makes a lot of different knots. Wall hangings and plant hangers and rugs, and wide curtains can all be made with a medium cord. Single-strand macrame string is more complex to deal with and can result in untwisting by mistake when knotting.
Which type of cotton cord is strong?
The kind of cord you choose should be both sturdy and capable of supporting bulky plant pots and weights. They are not weatherproof, though, since they are made of cotton. A greenhouse jute plant hanger will be much cooler if you’re trying to hold plants outdoors!
You can shop my macrame cord collection here, but if you have a particular project in mind and aren’t sure what size cord to order, please contact me. Then, to assist you in your decision-making, I’ve built a rough buying table below.Â
What is the most preferred thickness of cord?
While any cord can be used for any project, these comments focus on what the cords are typically used for. For example, using a 3mm macrame cord for XL parts is undoubtedly feasible but incredibly time-consuming!
What does single ply mean?
The term “single-ply” refers to a rope that is made up of just one continuous strand. It’s also known as a single strand or unpled thread. Three different threads are woven together to create a three-ply rope. Both are ideal for macrame and come in a range of thicknesses.
Best Macrame Cord and Supplies for Beginners – Summary
As you can see, there are several choices and factors to weigh before selecting the best macrame cord for your needs. I hope this article helps you appreciate the macrame cord a little more. Have fun macrame-ing!