A macramé hammock is just a few simple knots, repeated: mostly lark's head knots and rows of square knots. That's why it's such a satisfying first big macramé project. This updated list has 12 free macramé hammock tutorials, each with written steps, cord amounts and knots on the maker's own page, with no sign-up. You'll find a full-size knotted hammock, hanging hammock chairs and swings, and small hammocks for toys, fruit and the cat.
One thing to know first: free, written patterns for a full lie-down macramé hammock are rare. Most "macramé hammock" projects online are really hanging hammock chairs, and that's what most people end up making. They take less cord, fit on a porch or in a corner, and hang from a single point. Below, I've listed the cord, the knots, the finished size and anything special about each one, using what the maker states on the page.
Full-size macramé hammock
How to Macramé a Hammock — Mother Earth News. The classic, reprinted from a vintage article. Forty cords of hemp twine, each 32 yards long (about 1,300 yards in all), hang from a 5-foot pole. You knot a bed 5 to 7 feet long in alternating square knots, then finish with double half hitches onto a second pole. It uses only the most basic knots. The clever part is the tangle fix: each long tail is wound into a figure-8 bobbin while you work. The maker also tests the pole and wall eyebolts with chin-ups before a single knot is tied.
Macramé hammock chairs and swings
Hanging seats for a porch, a reading corner or a sturdy tree branch.
How to Make a Macramé Hammock — Hunker. A hanging hammock seat on a frame of 30-inch and 36-inch hardwood dowels, with a third spreader dowel above. It takes about 200 yards of 1/4-inch macramé cord, cut into sixteen 26-foot pieces, plus 8 yards of 1/2-inch rope to hang it. You knot the seat to about 45 inches in alternating square knots. The square knot is explained step by step, so it's a good first chair.
How to Make a Macramé Chair — The Chateau (Angel Strawbridge). A hoop chair built on a hula hoop, with a D-shaped plywood seat traced from the hoop. It uses 300 to 350 meters of 6mm cord in 2.1m lengths. The knots are lark's heads, an alternating square-knot mesh and a wrap knot for the hanging loop. A drilled wooden brace keeps the hanging cords apart. Angel says the two main knots make it suitable for people new to macramé.
Swinging Chair — Instructables. A ring-to-ring hammock swing. Twenty 25-yard lengths of macramé cord or jute hang from a large metal ring. You knot the body 4 to 5 feet long in alternating square knots, then gather the ends onto a second ring. It hangs from a 5-foot dowel with heavy-duty eye bolts, and the maker hangs it from a tree.
Hanging Chair — Cut Out + Keep. The Ovis chair by Christopher Stuart, shared with permission from the book DIY Furniture 2. Sixteen 6mm cotton cords, each 8.5 meters long, make a 115cm sling. It hangs from a frame of hardwood dowels and copper tube, with exact cut sizes and drill-hole sizes. Plan on about 6 hours. It's the most "designer" piece here and has the clearest hardware specs.
DIY Macramé Hammock Chair — Fish & Bull. A different take: a papasan-style chair. You knot an alternating square-knot mesh in 4–5mm cord onto a round standing frame instead of hanging it. It has eight numbered steps. In the comments, the maker suggests keeping it under about 200 pounds, because the rope stretches.
Small macramé hammocks: toys, fruit and pets
Quick projects that use the same knots on a much smaller scale. These make great first projects before you try a chair.
DIY Macramé Toy Hammock — Marching North. A wall-hung stuffed-animal hammock in 3mm cotton rope between two 48-inch dowels. It has 19 rows of alternating square knots, finished with half hitches. It hangs flat on the wall, so you don't need a corner. A cardstock spacer keeps the rows even.
Easy DIY Macramé Fruit Hammock — Marching North. Twelve 90-inch pieces of 5mm string between two 12-inch dowels: 15 rows of alternating square knots, closed with double half hitches. It hangs under a kitchen cabinet on screw-in or adhesive hooks.
Macramé Fruit Hammock Tutorial — Raising Nobles. Eight 6.5-foot cords, two dowels and four adhesive hooks, so there's no drilling, which makes it rental-friendly. The square knot is broken into small sub-steps, so it's a good place to learn it.
Under-the-Cabinet Macramé Fruit Hammock — Hearth & Vine. The simplest project on the list: eight 2-yard pieces of cotton or garden twine, worked in alternating overhand knots between two 3/8-inch dowels. It's about 18 inches long, costs around $10 and takes about an hour.
Macramé Cat Hammock — My French Twist. A hanging cat bed in 3/16-inch cotton clothesline: twenty-four 20-foot cords on a drapery rod. A row-by-row code builds a diamond pattern of square knots, and a wrapped knot gathers the bottom under an 18-inch pillow. The maker says it's easy enough for macramé beginners.
DIY Cat Bed Using Macramé Cord — Cuckoo4Design. Two 18-inch metal hoops wrapped in 4mm cotton cord, with a square-knot grid holding a round pillow. It's designed with fewer loose strands, so cats can't get tangled. It hangs in a window from a hook screwed into the wood framing.
Macramé hammock supplies
Here's what you'll need for most of these, plus the hardware to hang them safely:
- Cord. Single-strand or 3-ply cotton macramé cord in 4–6mm is the standard for chairs and pet beds. Hemp or polypropylene rope holds up better outdoors. Full-size hammocks need hundreds of yards, so buy in bulk spools.
- Spreader bars or rings. Hardwood dowels or hammock spreader bars for flat seats, and large metal or wooden rings for ring-style swings and chairs.
- Hanging hardware. A heavy-duty screw hook or eye bolt driven into a ceiling joist or beam, plus a rated swivel hook or carabiner, so the chair can turn without twisting the rope.
- Basics. Sharp scissors, a long measuring tape and masking tape to keep cord ends from fraying.
Safety tips for hanging a macramé hammock
- Anchor into structure, not drywall. Cut Out + Keep screws a threaded hook into a ceiling beam and reminds you to make sure the beam can hold the load. Never hang a seat from a curtain rod or a drywall anchor.
- Test before you trust it. Mother Earth News tests the pole and anchors with chin-ups and bouncing, and tells you to allow for more weight than you ever expect it to hold.
- Expect stretch. Hunker warns that the ropes stretch and settle the first time you sit, so lower yourself in slowly. Recheck the knots and hardware every season.
- Know the limits. These are handmade pieces with no official weight rating. Be conservative, and keep hammock chairs for adults unless an adult is right there.
More macramé and outdoor DIY
Leftover cord? Knot a quick paracord necklace with the same square and cobra knots. Hang a matching piece on the wall with our free macramé wall hanging patterns, and fill the porch with macramé plant hanger patterns. If you'd like a knotted hammock with tougher cord, see our paracord hammock designs, or try a hooked version with crochet hammock patterns. For a kids' reading nook beside the swing, add one of our DIY teepee plans, and finish the space with no-sew curtains.
Frequently asked questions
How much cord do I need for a macramé hammock?
It depends on the size. The hammock chairs here take about 200 yards (Hunker) to around 350 meters (The Chateau) of 1/4-inch or 6mm cord. A full-size lie-down hammock like the Mother Earth News version takes roughly 1,300 yards. Small fruit and toy hammocks need only 15 to 160 yards.
What is the best rope for a macramé hammock?
Soft cotton cord in 4–6mm is the most popular for indoor chairs because it's easy on the hands and looks clean. For outdoor hammocks, choose a weather-resistant rope such as polypropylene, or treated hemp, because cotton can mildew if it stays damp.
What knots do you need to make a macramé hammock?
Mostly two: the lark's head knot, to attach the cords to a dowel or ring, and the square knot, worked in alternating rows to make the mesh. Double half hitches are often used to finish onto a second bar, and a wrap or gathering knot finishes ring-style chairs.
Is a macramé hammock chair safe to sit in?
It can be, if you hang it from solid structure (a joist, beam or sturdy branch) with rated hardware, and test it before use. These tutorials don't carry formal weight ratings, so be cautious and check the knots and anchors regularly.
Pick a fruit hammock or a toy hammock to learn the square knot this weekend. Once your rows look even, you're ready for a hanging chair. When it's up, our macramé plant hangers and wall hangings will make the corner feel finished.
