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A macrame snowflake is a small ornament made by knotting cotton cord around a wooden ring, with six pointed arms and a soft brushed fringe. It looks detailed, but it uses only two knots. This tutorial follows Crystal Martin of Marching North, who ties hers on a 2 inch ring with six wooden beads and 2 mm cotton rope. Make a set in an afternoon and hang them on the tree, tie one to a gift or string a few into a garland.
Use 2 mm twisted cotton cord. It is thin enough for small knots and brushes out into fluffy fringe without unravelling first. Thicker 3 mm cord works but makes a bigger, chunkier snowflake, so cut the cords a few inches longer. The ring is about 2 inches across. The beads are around 5/16 inch with a large hole, since two cords have to pass through each one. Any color works. A cream snowflake with natural wood beads looks classic, and red beads read more like Christmas.
Pin the ring to a macrame board, or tape it to the table, so it stays put while you pull. Some lark's head knots will sit looser than others at first. That is normal. The double half hitch rows pull everything snug. Pick one direction for the center knot of each point and keep it the same on all six. Small changes like that are what make the finished snowflake look neat.
A brushed snowflake is soft and a little floppy. To keep the points crisp, spray it with fabric stiffener, or brush on watered down school glue and let it dry flat. An ornament hook through one point is the quick way to hang it. For a neater look, thread a loop of matching cord through a point and tie it off.
Tie one to the ribbon on a wrapped present in place of a bow. Hang three at different heights in a window. Glue a pin back on one for a winter brooch, or make a small one on a 1 inch ring for earrings. They also make a quick craft to do with older grandchildren, since each knot is easy to repeat.
Brush up on the lark's head knot and the half hitch before you start. For more holiday knotting, make a macrame Christmas tree, or see our other Christmas ornaments.
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Learn how to make a macrame snowflake ornament with two easy knots, a wooden ring and six beads. An easy project: about 1 hour 15 minutes. Materials cost about $2 to $5. You need 8 things, including 2 mm cotton macrame cord, 2 inch wooden ring and ornament hook. The 10 steps start with cut the Cotton Cords for the Macrame Snowflake and attach the Long Cords to the Wooden Ring With Lark's Head Knots.
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Gather 2 mm cotton cord, a 2 inch wooden ring, six wooden beads and sharp scissors. Cut 24 pieces at 20 inches long and 12 pieces at 10 inches long. Keep the two lengths in separate piles so you grab the right one later. A large eye needle helps with the beads but is optional.
Cut a few spare cords. If a knot goes wrong, you can swap one in without measuring again.
Fold one 20 inch cord in half. Push the loop under the ring, bring the two ends over and through the loop, and pull it snug. That is a lark's head knot. Repeat with all 24 long cords until the ring is covered. Some will sit tighter than others. Do not worry; the knots later even them out. Pin the ring to your board.
Slide the knots around the ring so they are spaced evenly before you pin it.
Pick two neighbouring center cords and slide a wooden bead up them until it sits against the ring. If the hole is tight, twist the two cord ends together and feed them through, or use a large eye needle. This bead marks the center of your first snowflake point, so take your time placing it.
Put a bead on every fourth pair of cords now, all six, so you can see where each point goes.
Take the cord to the left of the bead as your filler cord. Hold it angled down to the right. Use the next cord to wrap around it twice, tightening after each wrap. That is one double half hitch. The row of knots curves down along the side of the bead and starts to frame it.
Keep the filler cord taut. A slack filler cord makes lumpy knots.
Fold one 10 inch cord in half. Attach it to the filler cord with a cow hitch, which is a lark's head turned the other way, so it blends in with the knots. Slide it down snug. Then tie the next double half hitch with the left center cord from the bead. Repeat on the right side, mirroring each move, and join the two center cords with one last knot.
The short cords add fringe and fill out the points. Do not skip them.
Count four cords from the first bead and add the next bead. Keep counting four and adding beads until all six are on. Then tie the same first row of knots around each one, with a short cord added on each side. When you finish, the ring has six little framed beads spaced evenly around it.
Rotate the board as you go so you always tie in the same comfortable direction.
Between each pair of points there are two unused center cords. The right one of the left pair and the left one of the right pair become filler cords. Tie five double half hitch knots down to the right on one side and five down to the left on the other. Cross the two fillers and tie one knot to close the point.
Crystal ties the closing knot the opposite way from the first row. It gives each tip a neat finish.
With all six points done, cut the extra cord. Follow the angle of each side of the point and leave about half an inch of fringe. Short fringe is easier to comb and keeps the shape crisp, but you can leave it longer if you like a softer look. Work around one point at a time.
Cut a little long at first. You can always trim more after combing.
Use the fine side of a macrame comb to brush the fringe. With 2 mm cord you do not need to untwist it first; it brushes right out. Comb carefully from the knots outward, then fluff each point with your fingers. Trim any strands that stick out. For crisper points, spray with fabric stiffener and let it dry flat.
Hold the knots firmly with your other hand so the comb does not pull them loose.
Slip an ornament hook through the knots at the top of one point. Be gentle so you do not pull a knot out. On a green tree the hook disappears. If you would rather not see it, thread a short loop of matching cord through a point and tie it. Then make a few more and hang the set together.
Store finished snowflakes flat between tissue paper so the fringe stays fluffy next year.
Keep going
How to Tie a Macrame Square Knot
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How to Make a Macrame Snowflake Ornament
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