Best Macrame Cord & Supplies // Beginners Guide

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Are you looking for good quality macrame supplies? They can be tricky to find! To help you out, I put together this ultimate macrame supply guide with everything you need.

macrame supplies on a white table

All you really need to do macrame is some cord, right? Well, yes… but which kind of cord? Or is it rope? String?

There are several different kinds of macrame cord, rope, and string, plus accessories like dowels, metal rings, beads, and more.

If you’re just starting out, the most important macrame supplies you’ll need is some macrame rope and a place to hang it (for larger projects) or a board to pin it down (for micro-macrame, like jewelry).

Want to remember this? Post this list of the best Macrame Supplies to your favorite DIY Pinterest board!

Pinterest pin for macrame supplies post

Once you get started, you’ll quickly realize how awesome and fun macrame is, and most likely want to try new techniques and need a few more supplies and accessories.

Speaking of getting started, be sure to check out this Basic Macrame Knots post and grab your copy of my free printable guide to the 5 Basic Macrame Knots!

Be sure to pin and bookmark this list so you can find it easily!

(This post contains affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read the disclaimer here. Thank you for your support!)

Macrame Cord, Rope and String: What’s the Difference?

The most important supply you’ll need for macrame is some sort of cord, rope, or string!

Let me take a moment to explain the difference between cord, rope, and string.

  • Macrame cord: This is tightly braided six-strand (or sometimes more) cord. Sturdy, but not good if you want to brush out the ends for fringe.
  • Macrame rope: Two, three, or sometimes four strand twisted rope. It’s usually harder than macrame cord or string. You can unwind the ends and brush it out for a pretty, wavy fringe.
  • Macrame string: Single strand twisted string. This is lots of individual threads of (usually) cotton, bundled together and twisted so it holds together. Very soft to work with and brushes out to make a beautiful fringe. Can be tricky for beginners because it likes to untwist on you which can make your work look messy if you don’t twist it back up as you go.
gold and natural macrame rope and string
Mustard 3 mm macrame string and natural 4 mm macrame rope

All of these come in different thicknesses which is measured in mm (millimeters). The higher the number, the thicker the cord.

Where to Get Cotton Macrame Cord, Rope & String

Cotton string, rope and cord are the most commonly used materials for making macrame wall hangings, plant hanger, and other knotty projects.

Wondering where to buy cotton macrame cord, rope, string, and all the other macrame supplies?

Here are my two favorite places to stock up on macrame supplies in the US, and I’ve got links to shops in other countries as well down below:

US Based Macrame Supply Shops

  • Niroma Studio – this is one of my favorite places to stock up on cotton macrame rope and string, especially when there’s a sale! She has a bulk buy option where you can get 3 big spools of certain natural rope and string and save a little extra, which is really nice.
  • Ganxxet – this shop sells one of the softest 4mm cotton strings, plus lots of other types of macrame rope and cord.
    >>You can get 10% off your purchase at Ganxxet with the coupon code MARCHNORTH at checkout!.

There are lots of other great shops in the US as well, here’s a list of some that come to mind:

Here are some shops in other countries that I’ve seen recommended by other macrame artists.

Canada

Australia

UK

New Zealand

Italy

Spain

Portugal

Finland

Netherlands

Sweden

Greece

China

Related: DIY Macrame Market Bag // Tutorial + Video!

Other Macrame Materials

There are many other types of rope and cord you can use for your macrame projects. Here are some popular choices and where you can pick some up!

Jute Macrame Rope

Jute macrame rope

Jute is a strong, natural fiber that’s been around forever. It’s great for making rugs, plant hangers, coasters, and more.

Hemp Macrame Cord

hemp macrame rope

Hemp rope and twine is another strong, natural fiber that works great for macrame.

  • This hemp twine is great for making chunky macrame bracelets and jewelry.

Raffia

Add amazing texture and style to your macraweave projects, baskets, and more with raffia!

Synthetic Rope and Cord

green paracord for macrame

If you want to make an outdoor macrame project, like a plant hanger that’ll be on your porch, or an outdoor hammock, synthetic rope is your best bet.

It’ll stand up to the elements and you won’t have to worry about what will happen if your macrame gets wet.

Metal Shapes and Frames

metal macrame shapes

You can use metal shapes in your macrame projects to create wreaths, mandalas, and other wall hangings.

Small metal rings are great for making plant hanger loops and other hanging macrame designs.

If you’re going to be hanging anything heavy, be sure the ring you choose is welded closed so it’s strong enough to hold the weight.

There are lots of different metal shapes with sizes and colors to suit your needs. Here are some of my favorites:

Join the Macrame for Beginners and Beyond Facebook Group!

If you’re new to macrame or if you’ve been knotting for a while, connecting with other macrame lovers is always a great idea!

Come check out our Facebook group, Macrame for Beginners and Beyond. It’s a friendly community where you can ask questions, get inspiration, and share your awesome work with other macrame lovers! Come join the conversation today!

Wooden Rings

You’ll often see wooden rings used for the top of plant hangers.

Be careful with what kind of wooden rings you use, some of them are cheap and snap right in half! (Ask me how I know…)

If you’ll be using one for the top of a plant hanger, be sure to get a sturdy one. These wooden rings have worked really well for me and I haven’t had one break yet.

These wooden rings from Niroma Studio should be pretty sturdy, they sell good quality supplies!

That being said, the cheaper ones are great as a base for macrame Christmas ornaments, small mandalas, and other decorative macrame purposes.

Beads

Adding beads to your macrame designs really adds a new level of creativity and texture.

There are so many different kinds of beads to choose from! The only limitation is making sure they’re large enough to string onto your cord.

Dowels, Driftwood, and More for Macrame Wall Hangings

Most macrame wall hangings start with a dowel or branch of some sort as the base. Here are some options for your wall hangings and where you can find them.

Driftwood

So, you want to make a macrame wall hanging and you’ve been drooling over the gorgeous ones on Pinterest using driftwood as a base. But you live in the middle of the country! Bummer, right?

Luckily, there are people who do live near the coast that go out and collect beautiful pieces of driftwood and sell them in their online shops!

Yes, my husband laughed at me when I told him I ordered a stick online, but it was totally worth it.

Wooden Dowels

Wooden dowels for macrame

Wooden dowels are a great choice for macrame wall hangings or wall plant hangers.

They come in different diameters and lengths and they’re affordable. You can stain them or paint them if you like, or just leave them natural.

Check out these high quality wooden dowels that are perfect for your next macrame project.

Copper Dowels

copper pipes for macrame
Set of copper pipes of different diameter lying in one heap

Another option for macrame wall hangings is a copper dowel. These are lengths of hollow copper pipe and they come in different lengths and diameters just like wooden dowels.

Using a copper dowel is a great way to upgrade the look and change the style of your macrame decor.

Macrame Boards, Cork Boards and Pins

Cork board for macrame

When you’re making small macrame projects like flowers, leaves, and jewelry, a macrame board or a corkboard and some push pins are super helpful.

Hanging Racks

For larger macrame projects, it’s a lot easier to work on them if you have a rack of some sort to hang it on.

Garment racks are commonly used for this (that’s what I have), and they’re a great choice because they’re usually lightweight and easy to find.

Related: How to Set Up Your Perfect Macrame Workstation!

Macrame Rope Storage

Once you start doing macrame, you discover a major issue. Storage.

Just like every other fiber art, you end up with string and rope taking over your whole house! Between rope and yarn, it can get out of hand very quickly.

This handmade vertical macrame rope stand is a perfect solution! Not only does it safely store your rope and string, it’s also a work of art in itself. Love.

Brush for Fringe

dog brush for macrame fringe

The best brush I’ve used for brushing out macrame fringe is a pet brush with wire bristles.

Hand-Held Steamer

A hand-held steamer is so helpful when you’re brushing out fringe and you want it to lay nice and smooth.

Sharp Scissors

I know you’re probably thinking come on, I already have scissors. THESE SCISSORS are not your everyday Fiskars.

These are professional scissors. They’re crazy sharp and cut through rope, cord, fabric, you name it like butter.

Once you go to cut the fringe on a big macrame wall hanging with dull scissors, you’ll see why sharp scissors are so important. (It took me a while to catch on to this fact, but it makes a world of difference!)

PS- don’t let your kids use these, and be sure everyone else in the house knows there will be hell to pay if you see them cutting paper with them!

Related: The Best Scissors for Macrame, Yarn, Sewing, and Other Fiber Arts!

In Summary

I hope this list of macrame supplies (and where to find them) helps you out.

There are so many options available out there, it can be overwhelming to know what all you need and what is good quality.

What are your favorite shops to stock up on macrame supplies? Let us know down below!

Where to Get GOOD Macrame Supplies and Materials

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5 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for sharing. Your video is so easy to follow. I am a macrame newbie but feel I can do this. I will be following your posts. Thanks again.

  2. thank you so much for all your help with supplies. Has been a tremendous help. I am looking for a place to purchase LARGE HOOPS for making large swings for the indoors. 42″ to 48″. Thought maybe you could help me out.
    Thank you so much, Vivian

  3. Here’s a tip I got from a seamstress friend. She got extremely annoyed with husband and kids using her very expensive scissors to cut out paper dolls, give the dog a pedicure and so on. Her solution was to buy a combination padlock for each pair of her good scissors. Oh, and refuse to divulge the combination AND ignore the whining.

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