DIY 001: Macrame Plant Hanger

Hey y’all– I decided to spice up the old blog with some of the fun projects I’ve taken on during quarantine. Enjoy!

In late May, I decided to take a little field trip into the heart of Los Angeles. Driving further than I had in months, I gloried in finding street parking in the very heart of the Flower District. I put on my mask and prepared to steer clear of fellow shoppers (AKA potential COVID carriers). Only, there was hardly anyone in sight. I was the only one on the sidewalk. I walked by several small shops that had corded off their entrances for shoppers, offering pick-up only. The first shop that allowed guests drew me in like a moth to a flame. It was filled with green houseplants– not a flower in sight.

I went a little crazy. I grabbed a Golden Pothos plant, then a pretty Peace Lily, followed by an interesting looking Pearls and Jade Pothos. I turned to the shopkeeper and asked, “Do you mind if I put these on the counter?” She shrugged and gestured to the empty shop. “Thank you!” I said, dumping my finds on the counter and diving back into the potted plant jungle. I added some smaller succulents to my collection, as well as a baby ZZ plant. Thankfully, the prices in the Flower District were the primary reason for my trip — my entire counter full of plants cost less than $50. After loading up the car (and splurging on a bright bouquet of spring blooms), I drove my new plant family back to my apartment.

Plants? Check.

Counter space? Umm….

I needed to hang these babies. Several of the plants came with hangers, but they were basic and rugged — more suited for a back patio than a living room. A google search ensued. Thankfully, I stumbled upon Persia Lou’s website where she offers detailed instructions for creating the perfect macrame plant hanger. I ordered the macrame cord and gold hoops on Amazon, along with a couple of swag hooks for hanging.

I quickly realized that the most difficult part was going to be customizing the distance between the knots to suit the size of each unique plant. I decided to follow the precise instructions on Persia Lou’s blog the first time around and adjust on future attempts. It took a little work to get the knots both correct and spaced appropriately, but the directions are quite clear.

Once I finished my first hanger, I turned to the plants. I had purchased some plastic containers at Home Depot, but I didn’t want to see the plants in such generic-looking pots. I decided to jazz up the containers with some gold spray paint. On the first go, the paint pooled and dripped down the side, but it turned out to be a happy accident as it gave the pot a little more texture (almost like it was made of clay). When the containers were dry, I migrated the plants to their new homes.

My first macrame hanger turned out to be perfect for the Pearls and Jade Pothos:

I went a little wild on the second hanger, trying out a new combination of knots. I thought the intricacy of the design was lovely, but when I placed the Golden Pothos in the hanger it looked constricted and awkward. The proportions were just off. I removed the pothos plant from the hanger and swapped in the String of Pearls succulent. It was a perfect match!

I made two more macrame hangers, one standard one for the pothos plant and one more unique for the Burro’s tail (see photo at the top of this entry). They both turned out quite lovely.

It’s been two months now and all the plants are growing like weeds! I’ve been trimming some of the longer pothos stems and placing the cuttings in water to propagate. We’re on a tight budget these days, so I’m excited about continuing to add plants to the collection without any additional cost!

Here’s a quick budget breakdown on this project:

4 Plants (2 Pothos x $8/each , 2 Succulents x $6/each) = $28

4 Plastic Planters (2 6″ x $1.97, 2 8″ x 2.97) = $9.88

1 Bag Indoor Potting Mix = $4.99

1 Roll Macrame Cord = $9.99

5 Metal Rings = $3.35 (15 = $10.06 on Amazon)

4 Swag Hooks = $11.96

Grand Total: $68.17

Less than $20/each! I’m obsessed with my new friends. BONUS: Pothos plants filter your air!! Can you beat that during a pandemic?

Have you adopted any plants during quarantine? I’d love to hear about them! Also, let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for reading!