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A macrame coaster is one of the best first projects in macrame. It is small, quick and uses only two knots. This one from Soulful Notions puts a small twist on the classic square-knot coaster: as the rows alternate, little X crossings form between them, which gives the coaster a woven look. You need ten pieces of 5 mm single twist cotton string, a dowel, scissors and a comb.
Single twist cotton is one bundle of fibers twisted together. It combs out into a soft, fluffy fringe, which is what gives these coasters their finished look. Braided cord will not comb out, and 3-ply rope gives a wavier fringe. A 5 mm cord makes a chunky coaster that sits flat under a mug. A thinner 3 mm cord works too, but plan on more cords and more rows for the same size.
Soulful Notions is upfront about this. Because the rows alternate, some cords get used more than others, so you finish with a few short ends and a few long ones. If you are tight on cord, a plain square-knot coaster wastes less. Save the long leftovers. They are the right length for a small keychain or a tassel.
Ten cords and eight rows give a coaster about 10 cm (4 inches) square before the fringe, which fits a mug or a glass. Add cords in pairs of two, and rows two at a time, to make it bigger. Twelve cords and ten rows make a small trivet for a teapot. Each extra cord needs the full 122 cm length, so cut a test cord first.
Coasters come in sets of four or six. Cut all the cords for the whole set at once so they match, and tie the same number of rows on every coaster. Count your rows out loud. A set in one natural color looks calm and modern. For a gift, tie each coaster in a different shade and stack them with a ribbon around the middle.
Cotton coasters soak up drips, which is the point. Hand wash them in cool water with a little mild soap, press out the water, lay them flat to dry and comb the fringe again once dry. Avoid the dryer. It frizzes the fringe and can shrink the cotton.
New to the knots? Start with macrame basics. Use your leftover cord on a keychain, or step up to a plant hanger and a wall hanging.
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Learn how to make macrame coasters with lark's head and alternating square knots, then trim and comb a soft fringe. An easy project: about 45 minutes. Materials cost about $2 to $4. You need 5 things, including wooden dowel, scissors and fine-tooth comb. The 10 steps start with attach the Macrame Cords to a Dowel With Lark's Head Knots, start a Square Knot With a Figure Four and finish the Square Knot From the Right Side.
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Cut ten cords, each 122 cm (4 ft) long. Fold one cord in half, lay the loop over the dowel, then pull the two cord ends down through the loop and tighten. That is a lark's head knot. Attach all ten cords side by side the same way. You now have 20 strands hanging down. The dowel keeps your rows straight.
Hang the dowel from a hook or tape it to a table edge so both hands are free.
Take the first four strands on the left. The two in the middle stay still. Lay the left outer strand over the two center strands so it makes a figure four. Then take the right outer strand over the tail of the left one, behind the center strands and up through the loop on the left. Pull both outer strands to snug the half knot.
Keep the two center strands straight and taut. They are the core the knot wraps around.
Now repeat the move from the opposite side. Lay the right outer strand over the two center strands. Take the left outer strand over it, behind the center strands and out through the loop on the right. Pull it snug. Starting from opposite sides is what makes it a flat square knot instead of a twisting spiral.
If the knot starts to twist, you started both halves from the same side.
Move to the next four strands and tie another square knot the same way. Keep going across until all 20 strands are used. That gives you five square knots in a neat row under the dowel. Push each knot up so it sits close to the lark's head knots, and keep the tension even from knot to knot.
Snug every knot to the same height. A straight first row keeps the whole coaster square.
The second row shifts over. Instead of using the same four strands, drop the fourth strand of the first knot and pick up the first strand of the next knot over. Tie a regular square knot with those four. Soulful Notions starts her second row this way right at the left edge, so no strands are skipped.
Think of it as sharing strands between neighbours. That is what links the rows together.
Work across the row the same way. For each knot, take the strand you dropped from the previous knot, use the two center strands, drop the fourth and borrow the first strand of the next knot. At the end of the row, use the strand you dropped and the very last strand. The pattern repeats on every row.
Lay the dropped strand to one side as you go so you can find it again.
Look closely between your rows. You should see small X shapes where the strands cross from one knot to the next. In each X the top strand goes behind and the bottom one comes over. If the crossings look the same all the way across, your pattern is right. If one is missing, untie that knot and redo it.
Check the X shapes after each row. Fixing one knot early is easier than fixing three.
Keep tying rows in the same pattern until you have eight rows of square knots with the criss-crosses between them. Count them from the top. You will notice the strands are now different lengths. Some are quite short and some still have plenty left. That is normal for this pattern, so do not worry about it.
For a bigger coaster, add rows two at a time so the pattern ends the same way.
Slide the knotted square off the end of the dowel and lay it flat. The lark's head knots now sit at the top as loops. Pull those loops out so the cords hang free at both ends. Then go over every square knot and tighten it again so the coaster is firm and lies flat on the table.
Press the coaster flat under a heavy book for an hour if it curls.
Decide how long you want the fringe. Soulful Notions keeps hers short. Cut the cords straight across on both ends. Then comb out each strand with a fine comb until it turns soft and fluffy, and trim again to tidy it. Trim, comb, trim. It is the slow part, so put on some music.
Spritz the fringe with a little water before combing. It untwists more easily.
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How to Make Macrame Coasters - Easy Square Knot Coaster
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