Make a Boho Beaded Macramé Curtain With a Built-In Planter Hanger

Turn on the lava lamp and get groovy with this retro hanging curtain (woven directly onto a tension rod!) by the Crafty Lumberjacks.

Beaded Boho Curtain Hangs in Window With Potted Plant in Middle

Boho Macrame Beaded Curtain: Finished

The Crafty Lumberjacks teach you how to make a funky, macrame beaded curtain with a plant holder in the middle. To start, you will need navy rope cording, wooden ball spacer beads, orange and teal acrylic paint, a tension rod, scissors, painter's tape, tape measure and a piece of sandpaper.

and HGTV Handmade

Photo by: Caitlin Dabbs

Caitlin Dabbs

Remember those funky macramé beaded curtains that always seemed to be hanging beside a basement record player? Secretly want to make your own? Turns out, creating a modern and stylish macramé curtain isn’t as complicated as it looks. The Crafty Lumberjacks show you how to make this copacetic curtain with a bonus knot-tying refresher. Read on for the how-to and braid your very own.

Macramé Beaded Curtain
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Materials Needed:

  • navy macramé rope cord
  • wooden ball spacer beads
  • orange acrylic paint
  • teal acrylic paint
  • tension rod
  • scissors
  • painter's tape
  • tape measure
  • sandpaper

Note: When purchasing a tension rod, take note of the weight limitation. It's best to use a heavy-duty tension rod for this project, especially when adding the built-in planter. Do not exceed the weight-bearing limitation of the curtain rod or it could cause damage or personal injury.

Knots You'll Need to Know

Before you begin, you'll need to learn two different knot-tying methods:

Lark Head's Knot: Fold the cord in half (Image 1). Then, push the folded side of the loop away from you and wrap over the edge of the tension rod (Image 2). Push the ends of the cord through the loop and pull tightly (Image 3).

Square Knot: Place four cords in front of you. Cross the leftmost cord over the two middle cords so that it forms an “L” shape (Image 1). Then guide the rightmost cord under the end of the "L" shaped piece (Image 2), behind the two middle cords, and then through the middle of the “L” shape (Image 3). Pull to tighten the cords (Image 4).

Repeat the steps from above, starting with the leftmost cord and passing it behind the middle two cords and through the “L” shape of the rightmost cord (Image 1). Tighten the knot (Image 2).

Step 1: Measure + Cut Cords

Using a tape measure, measure 20, 100-inch pieces of cord and cut with scissors. Tip: Wrap painter’s tape at each 100-inch mark and cut in half to prevent the cord from fraying.

Step 2: Paint Beads

Set aside 11 natural-colored beads. Paint 15 beads with orange acrylic paint (Image 1). Paint 11 beads with teal acrylic paint. Let the painted beads dry thoroughly (Image 2). Once the beads are dry, lightly rub each one with sandpaper to create a weathered, vintage look.

Step 3: Add Cords + Tie Knots

Add all 20 pieces of cord to the tension rod using a Lark's Head Knot (Image 1). Then, tape the tension rod to a firm surface so that each knot will be tight when you pull the cords (Image 2).

Step 4: Braid the Curtain

Measure 3 inches down from the top of the tension rod and tie 10 Square Knots across the row (Image 1). Then, add a spacer bead around the center ropes of the square knots and slide up the cords (Image 2). Be sure to alternate color beads with natural beads as you work across. Next, tie 10 square knots directly below the beads to keep them in place (Image 3). Tie 10 more square knots across the row. Then, measure 3 inches down from the last Square Knot. Start with the third cord and tie nine Square Knots. Add a color spacer bead around the two center ropes and slide them up (Image 4). On the next row down, tie nine Square Knots directly below the bead. Then, measure 3 inches down from the last square knot. On the next row, start with the first cord and tie four Square Knots. This knot pattern continues alternating beads and adding spacers on every row until you reach the planter pattern.

Step 5: Create the Planter Hanger + Trim Cords

To create the planter pattern, start with the eight center cords. On row two, divide the cords into four groups of two (Image 1). Tie a basic knot in each pair. You will then have four knots that line up horizontally. Measure 2 inches down. On row three, take one string from two adjacent knotted pairs and tie together in a simple, basic knot creating a basket-like zigzag (Image 2). Measure 2 inches down. On row four, tie all pieces of the cording together to create one large final knot (Image 3). Place a small pot directly above the large knot. Pull the cords evenly around the pot for a snug fit.

Using scissors, trim any uneven cord ends to complete the look.

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