SQUARE KNOT 101
A Beginner’s Adventure in Macrame Square Knot
Master Basic Knots with Hemptique’s
Step-by-Step Guide
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One of the basic macrame knots is a square knot. This beginner-friendly tutorial will show you how to make it in a long, continuous strand that is ideal for making friendship bracelets or plant hangers. Although not shown in this particular tutorial, you can easily incorporate beads into the strand using the square knot. Here is an illustrated guide to square knot macrame.
Macrame Square Knot Instructions
You will need:
- #20 Hemp cord in color "Shades of Topaz" – you can choose whatever colors you prefer.
- Scissors
- Tape
1) Start by cutting three strands of cord (we have chosen yellow, blue, and red from the palette). You can choose whatever length you want.
2) Tie a simple overhand knot and secure it with tape to the base.
3) Take the far right strand (in our case, a blue one) and put it over the one in the middle (in our case, red) to form a loop.
4) Take the far left strand (in this case yellow) and put it over the blue one.
5) Send the yellow strand through the loop that the blue strand formed.
6) Tighten the cords, and you will get a half-square knot.
7) Take the blue cord and put it in front of the red cord to form a loop.
8) Take the yellow cord and put it over the blue one.
9) Send the yellow strand behind the red and blue ones, and through the loop.
10) Pull it tight, and the first square knot is finished.
11) Take the blue cord again, put it over the red one in the middle, and behind the yellow one to form a loop.
12) Take the yellow one, put it over the blue, behind the red one, and again through the loop.
13) Pull everything tight.
14) Again take the blue strand, and put it over the red one and behind the yellow one to form the loop. Take the yellow one, put it over the blue one, send it behind the red one and tighten everything.
15) Repeat the same process until you run out of strands.
More Ideas for Practicing
Larger macrame projects like wall hangings, plant hangers, dream catchers, and other home décor pieces start with four cords attached to the dowel, ring, or hoop with the lark’s head knot.
Two cords in the middle act as filler cords, while two to the left and right are working cords.
You can also incorporate a different color by wrapping the filler cords with another type of cord using square knots.
Square Knot Variations
Once you master the square knot, you will easily learn spiral, berry, and butterfly knots. They are simply variations of the square knot, so it should not be a problem for you.
The Spiral Knot
The spiral knot is simply the square knot that repeats on the same side (you do not change the sides, you always start with the same cords). As you proceed with your project, you will notice that the cord begins twisting.
The Butterfly Knot
This variation of the square knot is very easy to make – you only need to make a little space between the adjacent square knots and gently slide the lower knot to the upper one to create a butterfly shape.
The Berry Knot
This knot is a little more complicated, so you need to follow the instructions carefully. Once you master it, it is a piece of cake, and you can make it in less time. The first thing you need to do is to make four square knots underneath each other. Then you take the two middle ropes and pull them through the small open space you left above the first knot. Pull those two cords, and you will get a cute berry/button-shaped knot.
Macrame Square Knot Patterns
When it comes to patterns, we have already said that a square knot is very versatile and looks very nice no matter whether it is in a sinnet or in a pattern. It is obvious that when tied in a pattern, it can add many different styles to your projects.
The alternating square knot pattern
Square knot circle pattern
Fishbone pattern
Overlapping square knot pattern
Useful Tips on How to Make a Square Knot Macrame
Although it might seem intimidating and hard, learning macrame is pretty easy. By learning only a few basic knots, you will be able to make stunning pieces. The only thing you need to do is to practice regularly. Do not get frustrated when you see the instructor going very fast – speed will come eventually, so do not worry.
- Keep practicing and focus on not making mistakes and switching from the left to the right side, as it can sometimes be very confusing at first. Practice makes everything perfect.
- We recommend that you always start on either the left or right side. As you continue practicing, you will quickly notice that you will develop a preference for one side. Always start on the preferred side to prevent mistakes further down in sections.
If you get confused about which side of the square knot you are working on, you can check which side has a loop. If you start a knot on the left side, the first loop must appear on the right side, so you need to continue the knot on the right side. If you finished the square knot on the right side, the last loop must appear on the left, so you need to continue knotting on the left side.
You need to secure the knots by drawing them tight to make them even, so you end up having a pattern that looks more consistent.
