Want to learn how to macrame? Then you came to the right place!!
I will show you how to macrame a belt in just a few hours using the following basic macrame knots.
Square Knot (SK)
Alternating Square Knot (ASK)
Reverse Lark’s Head (RLH)
Half Hitch (HH)
Double Half Hitch (DHH)
OK… now go and gather up the supplies and tools you will need to make your macrame belt. I have mine ready.
Supplies & Tools needed to make Macrame Belt
- 50 yards 3 1/2mm BRAIDED Macrame cord
- One belt buckle, 2 1/4″ minimum opening to insert cords
- Knotting board or ceiling tile
- T-Pins
- Tape measure, ruler or yardstick
- Scissors
- Craft glue
Macrame Cord: I am using 3 1/2mm BRAIDED macrame cord since that is what I prefer when making belts. You can use any cord millimeter you wish allowing for cord “doubled” to fit on both buckle ends.
Belt Buckle: Buckle doesn’t have to be exactly like mine but the opening for the cord should be at least 2 1/4″ length if using 3 1/2mm cord. That is the size opening needed to double half hitch all cords to the buckle when finished knotting.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1:
Cut six 7 yard cords (Yardage depends on how long you want belt to be. I used 7 yard cords since I wanted belt to be long. I’m a big girl. 😀 )
Step 2:
Find the center of one of the 7 yard cords and Reverse Lark’s Head (RLH) it onto one side of the belt buckle. Follow the illustration in the picture.
Pull Reverse Lark’s Head (RLH) tight against belt buckle.
Step 3:
Number the cords 1-12 left to right. (Up to this point, I know you only have one cord mounted. That one cord will now be Cord #’s 1 & 2. Label the rest once they are mounted to the belt buckle.)
Step 4:
Tie a Half Hitch (HH) knot with Cord #2. Bring this cord up, over and through the buckle opening.
Bring cord down and pull tight against the Reverse Lark’s Head.
Tie a Half Hitch (HH) with Cord #1. Bring up, over and through the buckle opening. Pull down and tighten.
Congratulations!!
You have now completed your first Reverse Lark’s Head and Half Hitched both sides of it.
Push knot to the left side of your belt buckle. Continue mounting all cords the same as you did this one.
This is how your belt should look after all cords have been added to one end of your belt buckle using Reverse Lark’s Head knots combined with Half Hitch knots.
And this is how the backside should look. The “bumps” were created by the half hitches. Make sure to turn belt over to the smooth side before continuing.
Step 5/Row 1:
Now you are ready to begin tying a row of Square Knots (SK) using all 12 cords.
Left Side Row 1: Tie one Square Knot with cords 1- 4. Push knot up close to the top and tighten. Look at the illustrations for help.
Center Row 1: Tie one Square Knot in the center with cords 5 through 8. Push knot up close to the top and tighten. Make sure knot is lined up with the knot on the left.
Right Side Row 1: Tie one Square Knot on the right side with cords 9-12. Push knot up close to the top and tighten. Make sure knot is lined up with the other knots in this row.
This completes Row 1. Pat yourself on the back. You have just mastered the Square Knot. The Square Knot is THE main knot for most macrame projects.
Step 6/Row 2:
You will now tie a row of Alternating Square Knots (ASK) with cords 3-10. This row consists of just two square knots. One SK tied with cords 3 through 6 and one SK tied with cords 7 through 10. (This row is called an Alternating Square Knot row because you are tying knots with different cords than the previous row.)
Tie a row of Square Knots using all 12 cords. You will tie these knots the same as you did in Row 1 but with one exception. Don’t push up too close to the knot above. You will drop down slightly (about 1/4″) when tying the knots on the left and right so a little peephole is formed along the edges. This creates an open airy design along the belt edges. Use a ruler until you can judge by sight how much to drop down. Look at the pictures to gauge the distance I used.
Step 8:
Continue tying rows of Alternating Square Knots (ASK) and Square Knots (SK) in the following order until you either reach your desired belt length or you run out of cord. 😀
- Row 4. Row of ASK’s
- Row 5. Row of SK’s
- Row 6. Row of ASK’s
- Row 7. Row of SK’s
- And so forth….
- Last row should be a row of three SK’s.
Leave at least 8-10 inches of cord after tying your last row of knots. You will need about this much cord to “comfortably” double half hitch cords onto the other side of your belt buckle.
Step 9:
Once you are finished tying knots, you are ready to Double Half Hitch (DHH) all 12 cords to the other end of your belt buckle. I apologize but my photo for this step turned out fuzzy and I was way past this step to retake it. So I double half hitched a few cords onto a metal ring so you would have a picture illustration.
This may be a struggle to get all cords on the buckle end but slide the cords down as far left as you can to free up some space along the buckle opening. After double half hitching all cords to the buckle end, pull each cord as tight as you can to create a smooth appearance. (See why I told you what type opening to use.)
Step 10:
Yippee!! You are almost finished. The end is in sight and a new belt will soon be hanging around your waist!! How does your belt look? This is how mine looks after double half hitching the 12 cords to the other side of the belt buckle.
This is the backside showing where the cords will need to be trimmed.
Make sure you are satisfied with the belt length and are indeed finished knotting. Once cords are trimmed there is no turning back. BEFORE TRIMMING CORDS….. Lightly apply craft glue to the underside of the knots on the backside of the knotting. Straighten cords. Press flat with your hands. Set aside and allow to dry.
Step 11:
Ready to trim cords. Leaving about 1/2″ from the top, cut all 12 cords. Look at picture illustration. Melt the CUT cord edges with a cigarette lighter or match to keep cords from fraying. Don’t hold fire very long to the cord, just a split second. Don’t want to ruin or burn your beautiful creation.
Here are pictures of my finished belt. Including the belt buckle, my belt measures 40″ and has 119 rows. It took me 3 hours to complete.
Hope you are happy with your new belt. Feel free to send me photos of your finished belt. Send to don_mae2@yahoo.com. Enjoy!!
Here is your Certificate of Completion. 😀
My related articles:
https://thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/how-to-tie-a-macrame-square-knot/
https://thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/how-to-macrame-a-purse/
https://thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/how-to-macrame-a-basket/
https://thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/macrame-sewing-baskets/
https://thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com/2008/05/01/may-is-macrame-month/
Macrame Cord Suppliers
Need more help tying knots? Go here. Click to enlarge the chart.
http://thingsyourgrandmotherknew.blogspot.com/2009/01/basic-macrame-knots.html
This Year's Dozen 
Not even a “big girl” can measure 7 yards around the middle!!! 😀
So what multiplier (eg. 2.5, 3, 3.5, etc) do you use to work out what length of cord to cut to make the length of belt you want?
😀 LOL!! 8 to 1 ratio usually. BUT it depends on the knots being tied. Some knots require more cord than others, for example, a sinnet will use up the tying cords quickly. And it also depends on the cord millimeter. Fatter cord such as 8mm or higher will use up cord fast.
Normally you would multiply the desired belt length (before adding buckle) by 8. So a 30″ waist would require cutting (30 x 8 divided by 36) six cords of 6 2/3 yards each.
So.. following this guide, my 38″ belt (before adding buckle) would require cutting six cords of 8 1/2 yards each. But since my design isn’t all tight knots, it used less cord.
When in doubt, cut longer cords. Longer is better than coming up short. Can always use leftover cords for smaller projects.
Great question!! Thanks for asking.
I’m confused. Where does the 36 come into the equation? I get that you take the desired length times 8 but why divide by 36?
I’m wondering about that too. Does someone have an answer?
36 inches in a yard.
Thanks for the answer. 🙂
I might just try my hand at one… but not just now. It is a good tutorial with clear instructions and great photos. A good photo is worth a thousand words, they say (whoever they are) and certainly makes it all much easier to follow.
You are welcome. I am working on a page with just knots and tying instructions. Hope to post it soon. And I plan to do more tutorials. If you need help when the time comes, let me know.
Do you know someone who can do my housework while I am so engrossed that I neglect everything but the project I am working on? That would be a very big help. 😀
A tute on knots and tying them would be very good to have as a “ready reference”. Good idea. 🙂
merci beaucoup pour ce tuto
les photos sont tres belles 🙂
Thank you!! Please do come back. I am going to do more macrame tutorials.
merci 🙂
Great looking belt! Can you tell me where I can find that type of buckle? Thank so much for the awesome tutorial!
try buckleguy.com or creative design works (cdwplus.com) that type of buckle is also used for horses especially blankets
Thank you!! Are you going to make this belt? I have had the buckle for years. I wish I could remember where I purchased it. I like how it connects together.
Yes I plan on making that belt, just waiting on my materials to get here! I really love it.
Leea, let me know if you have any questions once you get started.
Hi, nice tutorial.. How is your website comming along?
What do i do if i wanna make more of a pattern in the belt?
Thanks
Thanks!! I get a LOT of views on my tutorials. I am happy about that.
I am sure I have more belt patterns. Let me look through my macrame books. Either check back here in Comments later today or e-mail me with your e-mail addy at don_mae2@yahoo.com.
Casper, I found 5 belt patterns in my macrame books, all different. Not sure what you are looking for. Simple/easy? A bit more for the experienced knotter?
Casper, how are you coming on your belt?
Leea, did you start on yours yet?
Can you give me a clue how to attach more cord if one runs out? DD has started making macrame necklaces, and tho I have been poking the web for a while, I can’t seem to find a tut. And its been SO long for Mom, I can’t remember how! Waaaahhh.
Incidentally, your tut is wonderful for the belt. Great pics, easy instructions! (walk away from the computer…. walk away from the computer, you don’t need another started project…….)
Hi there. Here are two ways to add more cord I have used successfully. Melt the ends and pinch together being careful not to burn your hands. Also do same, melt both ends to prevent from fraying or unraveling AND sew ends together TIP-TO-TIP with matching thread. Bury this added on section within the knots. Let me know how this works for you.
Thanks for the compliments on my work. Appreciate it.
Hi, looking at the belt, it seems simple but I do not understand how cord #2 becomes connected to cord #1. Between step 2 and step 4, they seem to be connected, but how?
Hi there. I am counting what is “dangling” down. That one cord once mounted to something with a larks head knot ends up with two cords to work with. So when cutting that cord, for example, you cut one. But once mounted, it is worked as 2. Does this make sense? Let me know if you still have questions.
how do u make a bag out of hemp
I love the belt and your easy to follow directions. Do you have a pattern for a guys belt. This one looks feminine.
thanks
hey kari, i found that by tightening the knots instead of leaving them loose it becomes more of a male friendly pattern. i made one for myself and i love how it looks. i even replaced a few of the chords with other colors to add different style to it. by tightening the chords it may be more expensive because you will need more chord but definatley worth it. 🙂
We need a lot more inhstigs like this!
Skartan08 La saison est terminée pour l’OL, sa serait bien que l’on garde cette 4 ème place même si elle ne nous apportera rien au niveau sportif, sa serait bien que Garde fasse tourner en faisant jouer les jeunes, et ainsi pré »parer la saison prochaine.
Hi Kari, sorry but I only have patterns for ladies’ belts. I bet you could find one by searching the net. Good luck.
Thanks for the pattern! I used it to make a guitar strap last year and it turned out great… I just wish i knew some more complicated knots to use…
Hi Kyle. Thank you so much for letting me know. I have lots of patterns with more complicated knots. I may try a belt using several sometime this month. I’ll e-mail you if I do. Thanks again for the update.
Please do! I would love to learn that half hitch row thingy…
Any patterns for a regular belt arrangement like on a leather belt. A rounded end (the ??? starting point of the run of macrame and a buckle at the end point) with buckle fastened by tying off at that end. I have one made my a favorite aunt in the ’70’s and would lkie to recreate it.. Thanks Russ
Hi Russ. I have a few macrame patterns for belts. I’ll look through my books for those with belt buckles like a leather belt. Can you send me a picture of your belt and I’ll see if I can make it? Thanks!!
Hi! I love your belts! I am just starting. Is it mandatory to use macrame cord to make a belt? For example, I have some really pretty Angel Hair in the color scheme I want to do, but i’m afraid it would be too weak, especially if I choose to hang additional pieces off the belt to hang down as a belly dancing belt.
Thanks!
Hi Cyndi. You can use whatever you want to make a belt. I use macrame cord because I have lots of it. I plan to crochet one with yarn in the future. Try your Angel Hair. I bet it will work.
I used hemp chord and it was awesome!!:)
Very nice belt. Macrame is such a funn craft. Well done on the tutorial very infomational. THanks Captain
Love the belt. I recently had a D-ring belt fall apart on me, and was going to macrame myself one using medium thickness hemp string. I cut myself 6 7yd strings. I’m now about a foot into the belt, and just realized that 7 yards may not be enough length. I’m using the exact pattern you are in your tutorial. So here’s the question:
You said your belt was 38″ in one of the comments. Given my materials and your pattern, do you believe I will have enough for a belt 44″ in length? or should I start over with longer length before I get much further?
BTW, your tutorial rocks!
Hi Eric, I have never used hemp so don’t know how I would extend the cords when they run short. I would have to say try it to see how close you come to 44″. You could give it away as a gift.
IF you were using regular macrame cord, there are several ways to add on to the cord. Go here.
Thanks for the compliments on my work. Appreciate it.
Yeah, I don’t know how I’d extend the cords either, being that I’m using hemp. Unfortunately hemp is kind of unpredictable to work with, as the string width varies some. Mine is around 5 mm in diameter. Well thanks for the great tut and the time. Your work (I saw the purse you did too, might make one for my gf, cause it’s pretty cool) is excellent.
Hey Eric, I just saw this while looking for something else. This might work.
[…] de basistechniek te oefenen knoop je eerst een macrame ceintuur met de stap voor stap uitleg bij thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com Voor het vloerkleed gebruik je dus voor de opzet een stuk rond hout iets breder dan dat jij het […]
Hi,
It’s so nice of you to share this with us, thank you. My son asked that for Christmas I make a guitar strap for him. I use to make friendship bracelets out of embroidery thread but decided that would be WAY too much work. I would like to use your belt pattern for a guitar strap but with more than one color. I have never done this before. Do you think it would look too feminine for a guy’s strap and do you have any advice for me? Thanks! ( :
Hi Kimberly, not at all. Look “up” at the comment from July 11, 2009 from Kyle. He made a guitar strap using these directions. Go for it!!
Hi Donna!
I use cotton cord so i can t melt the edges at the end. what do you suggest?
(Sorry, my english is horrible!!!! 🙂 )
Hi Gabriela. I haven’t tried making this belt in cotton cord. But I am thinking you just need to prevent the cord from unraveling.
You could apply glue to the ends.
You could hand sew stitches on the ends.
You could machine sew across the ends.
You could tie an overhand knot in each cord.
Just reinforce the area where you ended the cord. Hope this helps. Let me know what you do. Thanks!!
Thanks, My macrame queen!!
Great ideas!
I`ll send you a picture of the finished work! 🙂
Besooos!!
thank you so much for this, it saved my life. actually i had submissions the day after and i had no idea how to do an alternating square knot swatch. i believe you have more tutorials which i will look into, but please feel free to forward me any links or references on different materials and techniques. (thanks again ^_^)
Hi there I have recently started a Creative Textiles course and you have inspired me to add this magical craft to my work. Oh the possibilities!!! Thank you!
I found this to be a great with one exception… I used 9 yard long strands each because i was using a smaller diameter material & it’s going to turn out to be way too short
I found the cutest macrame belt at Express but they’ve completely sold out. I want to try my hand at making my own (bet it’ll be lots cheaper too!). My problem is that I don’t know enough about leather or macrame to have any idea what kind or width of leather cord to use. Could you offer any suggestions? You can see the belt here: http://www.express.com/assets/cms/look-book/2011/03/index.html. It’s the belt on the 1st and 4th pages of the ad. Thanks so much for any advice you can give!
[…] https://thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/how-to-macrame-a-belt/ This website should get you started. Have fun.References : […]
[…] Źródło zdjęć https://thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/how-to-macrame-a-belt/ […]
[…] Macrame Belt (via This Year’s Dozen) […]
Skype has opened up its online-dependent buyer beta to the world,
right after establishing it generally from the Usa and
U.K. previously this calendar month. Skype for Website also
now can handle Chromebook and Linux for instant text messaging conversation (no voice and video yet, these demand a connect-in installment).
The increase from the beta adds help for an extended list of dialects to assist reinforce that
global user friendliness
[…] Macrame Belt Design […]
Excellent tutorial. Thank you!!!
Great tutorial. It gave me the urge to make a camera strap from this. If I wanted to make a 2″ wide belt could I use 5 strands rather than 6?
Nice simple pattern. I’m making this using homespun wool, so I have to account for significant shrinkage, but so far so good.
[…] Knot the green macrame chosen in the desired thickness to craft this enticing macrame belt design! Finish the belt with a cool buckle closure! Make your work easier using a knotting board, and you need to work with the 3 1/2 mm braided macrame cord to do this project! Work in a square knot, reverse lark’s head, half hitch, and double half hitch to macrame this beauty! Tutorial here thisyearsdozen […]
I am not able to see the pictures. Is there some way to view them? I see some comments from 2022 so I assume others can see them.