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I turned an old shelf into a… better shelf! The wood for this DIY macrame shelf has been repurposed from some old shelves in our garage. We cut them down and gave them a good sand to remove the yellowish varnish. I think the natural wood tone looks great and suits our interior décor so decided to make a new set of shelves for a blank spot in our living room.
This is the first macrame project I’ve taken on so the knotting technique is as simple as it gets. The knots I used are a gathering knot and a square knot. You can watch video tutorials for these basic macrame knots over on my Instagram story highlights. You could of course follow my process but swap out the knots to change the look of the hanging shelf to suit your own style.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
5mm macrame cord:
· 8 x 4m cords
· 2 x 60cm cords
2 x Macrame rings
2 x Wall hooks
2 x Wooden shelves
Drill
Spade drill bit
Tape measure
Sticky tape
For reference, my shelves measure 65cm from the macrame ring to the bottom shelf. Each shelf is 60cm x 20cm.
STEP 1
Using a spade bit, drill holes in the four corners of your shelf approx. 2.5cm in from the edge.
STEP 2
Cut 8 macrame cords at 4m long, and 2 cords at 60cm long.
Take 4 of the 4m cords, thread them through the first ring so the lengths are halved and you have 8 cords to work with.
Using one of the 60cm cords secure the 8 cords with a gathering knot. Repeat with the second 4 cords and ring.
From each ring you will create a front and back section, each with 4 cords.
For the back sections:
Starting with the first ring, take the 4 back-most cords, leave an 8 cm gap from the base of the gathering knot and tie 8 square knots.
Thread the 4 cords through the back hole in the top shelf. TIP: tape the ends of your cord to make it easier to thread through.
Tie the 4 cords in a knot below the shelf leaving an 11cm gap between the base of the square knot section and the top of the shelf.
Repeat with the second set of cords to make the opposite side.
Leave an 8cm gap before tying another 8 square knots.
Thread the 4 cords through the back hole of the bottom shelf. Tie the 4 cords in a knot below the bottom shelf leaving an 8cm gap between base of the second square knot section and top of the bottom shelf.
Repeat with the second set of cords on the opposite side.
For the front sections:
Starting again at the top of the ring, take the remaining 4 front cords, leave an 8cm gap from the base of the gathering knot and tie 8 square knots.
Thread the 4 cords through the front hole in the top shelf leaving a 13cm gap between base of the square knot section and top of the shelf. The top-front macrame section needs to be longer to ensure your top shelf sits level.
Repeat with the second set of cords on the opposite side.
Leave an 8cm gap before tying another 8 square knots. Thread the 4 cords through the front hole of the bottom shelf leaving an 8cm gap between base of the second square knot section and top of the bottom shelf.
Repeat with the second set of cords on the opposite side.
STEP 3
Mount your shelf on the wall using appropriate fixtures. Once hanging you can now adjust the knots below the shelves to ensure everything is level. Trim the ends of the macrame cords.
STEP 4
Finally the fun part… style with your favourite décor!
For more DIY and upcycling ideas be sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest
Hi @marliemakesit,
This is such a perfect crafty project for the weekend! Were your shelves pre-treated or did you stain them that stunning colour? Any tricky parts to creating this project?
Katie
