The macrame gathering knot is a wrap knot used to bundle multiple cords together at one point, most commonly at the top of a plant hanger or the bottom of a tassel. It looks like a tight cylindrical wrap around a group of cords and is the cleanest, most professional way to finish these projects. Also called a wrap knot, hidden knot, or finishing knot, it is one of the easiest macrame techniques to learn and one of the most useful. This tutorial walks through every step.
What You Will Need
- A bundle of cords to gather (usually 8 to 16 cords from a finished project)
- One additional cord for the wrap, about 50 to 80cm long
- Sharp scissors
- About 5 minutes
If you are gathering cords for a plant hanger, see our step-by-step plant hanger tutorial for the full project context.
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What a Gathering Knot Looks Like
A gathering knot is essentially a cord wrapped tightly around other cords, with the wrap cord secured inside itself so the wrap cannot unravel. The finished knot looks like a small cylindrical band around the cord bundle, similar to the binding at the top of a paintbrush or the wrap on a tassel.
The structure has 3 parts:
- The cord bundle being gathered
- The wrap cord that wraps around the bundle
- The hidden tail that secures everything inside the wrap
How to Tie a Gathering Knot Step by Step
Step 1: Bundle Your Cords Together
Hold all the cords you want to gather in one hand. Make sure they are aligned and not twisted around each other. For a plant hanger, this is usually the top section right below the ring or the bottom of the basket.
Step 2: Cut the Wrap Cord
Cut a separate piece of cord, about 50 to 80cm long. This will be your wrap cord. It does not need to match the bundle cords, but matching looks cleanest.
Step 3: Form a U-Shape with the Wrap Cord
Take the wrap cord and fold it into a U-shape, with the bottom of the U facing downward. Lay the U against the cord bundle so the loop of the U points toward the bottom of where you want the wrap to end. The two loose ends of the U should point upward.
Step 4: Wrap Tightly Around the Bundle
Now take the longer end of the wrap cord (the side that will do the wrapping) and start wrapping it around the bundle, going downward. Each wrap should sit tightly next to the previous one. Cover the U-shape as you wrap, so the loop and the short upward-pointing tail are both hidden inside.
Wrap 6 to 10 times for a small gathering knot, or 12 to 15 times for a larger one. Keep the wraps tight and even.
Step 5: Thread the End Through the Bottom Loop
When you finish wrapping, you should still see the small loop of the U sticking out at the very bottom of the wrap. Thread the wrapping end of the cord through that loop.
Step 6: Pull the Top Tail Upward
Pull the short upward-pointing tail at the top of the wrap. This pulls the loop (and the threaded end) up into the wrap, locking it in place. Pull until the loop disappears completely inside the wrap.
Step 7: Trim Both Tails Flush
Trim the top and bottom tails as close to the wrap as possible. The cleaner the trim, the more invisible the secured ends become. A sharp pair of scissors is essential here.
That is it. You have a finished gathering knot.
Where to Use Gathering Knots
Top of a Plant Hanger
The most common use. The gathering knot binds all the cords together right below the top ring, creating the clean transition from ring to plant hanger arms. Without a gathering knot, the top of a plant hanger looks unfinished.
Bottom of a Plant Hanger Basket
After the basket is woven, the leftover cord ends are gathered into a tassel using a gathering knot at the top of the tassel.
Top of Tassels and Fringe Bundles
Any time you bundle cord ends together for a tassel, a gathering knot is what holds the bundle and creates the rounded top of the tassel.
Decorative Bands on Wall Hangings
Some wall hangings use gathering knots as visual accents along vertical cord columns, breaking up the plain cord with banded sections.
Curtain Tiebacks
A gathering knot at each end of a curtain tieback gives it a clean finished look.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- Wraps coming loose? You did not pull the locking tail tight enough. Pull until the loop completely disappears inside the wrap.
- Wrap looks lumpy? Your wraps are uneven. Try to keep each wrap directly next to the previous one, with no gaps.
- Tails not hiding cleanly? Trim closer to the wrap, almost touching it. Use small precision scissors for the cleanest cuts.
- Wrap cord too thin? A wrap cord that matches the bundle thickness wraps cleanest. If your wrap cord is thinner, use more wraps to compensate.
- Want a chunkier wrap? Use more wraps (15 to 20) and tie them slightly looser.
What's Next
Now that you can finish a plant hanger cleanly, try the full build with our step-by-step plant hanger tutorial. For more knot techniques, see our berry knot tutorial and spiral knot tutorial. Or jump back to our 5 essential macrame knots for a refresher on the basics.
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