How to make Easy Tie-dyed T-shirt Macrame Plant holders
(A fun summer craft for kids, tweens, teens, and adults too!)
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Note:
This was my very first time making macrame! I watched several videos and visited a couple of blogs for directions. I found this one from A Beautiful Mess particularly helpful! So if my directions aren't clear, be sure to check that blog out for another set of directions!
O.M.G. Isn't this craft the coolest?
Materials Needed:
- A pot with succulents
- Old tie-dyed T-shirt
- We used a child's Medium-sized t-shirt that we tie-dyed the shirt last summer using Tulip brand dye (which you can purchase through Amazon, or just get it from Michaels with one of their amazing coupons!)
- Fabric Scissors
- Masking Tape
- Ruler (or just eye-ball it, it's not rocket science)
How to Make a super easy Macrame Plant Holder:
1. Make T-shirt "yarn"
Place your shirt on a table. Cut horizontal strips around 1.5" by cutting from one of the t-shirt to the other. You'll get a bunch of t-shirt loops. Snip the loop once to create fabric strips.
You'll need 8 t-shirt strips for this project. (You can use the other strips for other projects. Braid a bracelet or necklace!)
To make the t-shirt "yarn," simply pull your strips to create lovely rounded + thin strands.
2. Trim any rough or ragged edges.
(Some of my ends were a bit odd-looking, so I snipped those.)
3. Tie a knot with all 8 strands.
See the short bit? That will be your plant holder's bottom tassel. We will make the rest of the holder with the longer bits.4. Separate your 8 strands into 4 pairs of strands.
*Optional: I found it easier to tape down my knot for this part. But you don't have to.*
5. Tie a knot about 2" from the first knot for each of your 4 pairs of strands.
(You could measure it, or just eye-ball it.)
6. Separate your pairs and create new pairs by joining neighboring strands. Then tie knots about 1.5" from your previous knot.
Here I tied 3 new knots. See the outer 2 strands? You'll also tie them together...
like this! And now you should have 4 new knots and a mesh net of sorts...
7. Tie your 3rd set of knots by repeating step 6 again. So you'll separate your pairs and tie neighboring strands together again about 1.5" from the previous knots.
(My 3rd grader saw what I was doing and wanted to help!)
8. Test out your design by shoving your pot inside your net. Adjust knots as necessary.
(Looking good!)
9. Now you'll twist your 4 pairs of t-shirt yarn together to create 4 twisty strands.
(You can tie a knot at the end, or just use masking tape them so they don't come undone.)
10. Tie all 4 pairs of twisty strands in a tight knot. (The location of the knot will depend on how long you want to make your macrame plant holder.) Then, trim off any excess t-shirt yarn.
Ta-da! You've now got yourself a gorgeous DIY handmade plant holder! (And since you upcycled an old t-shirt, you didn't spend a dime!)
