Make a plant hanger from a Tshirt

This project shows you how to turn an old Tshirt into a macrame plant hanger.

Disclaimer >> I am in no means a macrame expert!!! This is more about the upcycling project itself! There are loads of videos on YouTube if you search for Macrame techniques and lots of people who can show you step by step how to create something amazing from cord. In this guide, I’ve aimed to keep it as simple as possible, but if the spiral knot is too confusing, you can always skip that step.

Oh, and spot where I changed rooms in the house to take the photographs! I swear it’s the same TShirt!!! Honest.

You will need:

1 old Tshirt – the bigger the better as you’ll get more cord from it
A hanging loop – I used a keyring ring. You could also use a curtain ring or an elastic hairband
Scissors
A plant pot and a plant or a large jam jar for cut flowers

Step 1 – cutting out

At this first stage you’re making the cord from the Tshirt. Firstly, lie your TShirt out like this and cut out a rectangle of fabric as shown. You’re cutting through both layers of fabric under the armpits and trimming off the hem at the bottom.

Next, you’re going to trim through one side and open out your fabric to one long rectangle as illustrated below.

Step 2 – Making the cord

The next stage is to make the cord for you to work with. You’re going to make eight pieces (so sixteen cords) as shown below. Firstly cut about 1cm along the full length of the fabric, stopping about 2cm short at the top. Then cut again another 1cm width to complete one piece.

Step 3 – Setting up

Now you have 16 cords, you’re going to set up ready to start tying the knots. Firstly , loop the ‘pieces’ through the ring, so the 16 cords hang down.

Hanging the cord through the hanging ring

Next you need to tie a knot at the top using all the cords and pulled tight up to the hanging ring.

Using your hanging ring/loop, hang it on a hook on a wall, door or perhaps the back of a chair. Or you could even peg out on the washing line and use the pegs to keep your cords separated.

Step 4 – The Macrame bit

I’ve attempted to explain the macrame bit below. My design has some decorative ‘Spiral’ knots at the top section. Then where the pot sits, I’ve just used a simple ‘Overhand’ knot (tying it on itself). If any of this is unclear, take a look on YouTube for techniques – it might be easier to watch someone do it, rather than my images! Here goes…

First, divide the cords into fours – so you have four sets of four. You’re going to make the decorative bit first to give you the spiral knots. Work through each set of four, so you end up with four spirals.

Start making your knots about 10-15cm down. Imagine the four cords are numbered 1-4, left to right. The outside cords are 1 and 4 are the working cords and cords 2 and 3 are the filler cords. Bring cord 1 over the filler cords and under cord 4.

Now bring cord 4 under the filler cords and up between cords 1 and 2 to lay over cord 1.

Continue to repeat these steps about 20 times to create the spiral knot.
Then work on the other three sets of four cords, so you end up with four spiral sections like this.

Leave a gap down from these spiral sections of about 15cm to start the next section of the pattern.

Take 2 cords from 2 adjacent spiral sections, like this:

Take these 4 cords and tie them together in an overhand knot.

You should then end up with something like this.

Repeat the Overhand knot process another 15cm down. Sit the pot into the hanger to establish where you want the last big knot to go. Remove the pot and tie all the cords in an overhand knot (like you did at the top). Now trim the ends.