Crochet Plant Hanger That Looks Like Macrame: 3 Easy Steps You’ll Love
The boho hanging look, made with a hook instead of knots — no macrame cord required
If you searched for a macrame plant hanger and ended up here, this is a crochet pattern, not a macrame one. But stay a minute, because it gets you almost the same look — the same open, chunky, boho hang — using a hook and yarn instead of cord and knots.
Macrame is built from knots. Crochet is built from loops. They’re different crafts, but when you use a chunky yarn and a simple open stitch, the finished hanger reads as macrame to almost anyone who glances at it. If you already crochet and don’t want to learn a second craft just to hang one plant, this pattern is for you.
It takes about an hour, uses one ball of yarn, and needs only two stitches you probably already know — a crochet plant hanger you could easily mistake for macrame from across the room.
Chunky cotton, an open stitch, and a neutral color — this is crochet, not macrame, but you’d never guess from across the room.
📋 What’s in this guide
Crochet Plant Hanger vs. Macrame — What’s Actually Different
Macrame is made by knotting cord against itself in patterns — square knots, half hitches, spirals. Macrame as a craft goes back centuries and has no hook and no loops at all. Crochet is the opposite: every stitch pulls one loop through another with a hook, building fabric row by row or chain by chain.
So a crochet hanger can’t copy macrame exactly. What it can do is borrow the parts of the look that people actually respond to: an open, airy structure, a chunky natural-toned yarn, and a wide chain mesh instead of solid fabric. Get those three things right and the hanger reads as boho hanging decor, whichever craft made it.
Nobody looking at a plant on your porch is checking whether it’s knotted or crocheted. They’re responding to the texture and the shape — and both crafts can give you that.
If you’d rather learn actual macrame knots one day, that’s a different skill entirely and worth learning on its own terms. This pattern is for the days you want the look without picking up a second craft.
What You Need
Chunky Cotton Yarn
Size 5 (bulky) cotton in natural cream, sand, or terracotta. About 150 yards. Cotton holds its shape better than acrylic for hanging weight.
Crochet Hook
6 mm (J/10). A bigger hook keeps the mesh open, which is what gives it the macrame look.
Wooden Ring
4–5 cm wide, for hanging the top. A metal curtain ring works too if that’s what you have.
Scissors & Yarn Needle
For trimming and weaving in the tails once you’re done.
Tape Measure
To keep your four cords even in length as you work.
A Pot to Test Fit
Handy to check the cradle size as you go, rather than guessing and unravelling later.
Thin yarn crochets up dense and small — closer to a doily than a hanging plant holder. Chunky cotton in a big hook does two jobs at once: it gets you to a usable length fast, and the thickness alone gives you that solid, tactile, macrame-adjacent feel. Chunky yarn falls under the Craft Yarn Council’s size 5 bulky category — check the label if you’re unsure what you’re holding. Our crochet hook size chart has more on matching hook to yarn if you want to size up or down.
Abbreviations and Gauge
US terms used in this pattern
ch = chain · sc = single crochet · sl st = slip stitch · st(s) = stitch(es) · rep = repeat · FO = fasten off
Gauge doesn’t need to be exact here. This pattern is measured by length, not stitch count — you’re checking your cords against a tape measure, not counting rows against a swatch.
The Full Free Crochet Plant Hanger Pattern
The hanger is four long crochet chains, gathered through a ring at the top, then joined into a pot cradle at the bottom with a few rows of open mesh.
🪴 Crochet Plant Hanger — Free Pattern
Materials
- Chunky cotton, ~150 yards
- 6 mm (J/10) hook
- 4–5 cm wooden ring
Finished Size
- Fits 12–18 cm pots
- Hanging length: ~70 cm
Details
- Time: about 1 hour
- Level: ⭐ Beginner
- Two stitches only
The four cords. Ch 80 for each cord — you need four separate chains, each about 55 cm long once made. Keep your tension loose and even, because a tight chain here will curl and fight the drape you want.
Attach to the ring. Fold each chain in half and loop it through the wooden ring, pulling the two ends through the folded loop to secure it — the same girth-hitch idea macrame uses, just with a chain instead of cord. You’ll now have 8 chain-ends hanging from the ring.
First mesh row. About 15 cm down from the ring, pick up two neighbouring chain-ends together. Work sc, ch 5, sc through both to join them into one open loop. Repeat around, joining each pair of neighbouring chains the same way. You’ll have 4 open loops.
Second mesh row. About 10 cm below the first row, join the chains again, but this time pair up the opposite neighbours — the ones that weren’t joined together last time. This staggered join is what creates the open diamond mesh pattern.
Test the cradle. Sit your pot inside the mesh at this point. If it sits snugly with the widest part of the pot resting on the mesh, move on. If it slips through, add one more mesh row closer together.
Gather the ends. Bring all four chain-ends together below the pot base. Work sc, ch 3, sc through all of them together to secure. Trim the ends to an even length below this point, about 8–10 cm, and unravel a few plies with a comb or your fingers for a soft tassel finish.
Longer chains and more space between the mesh rows gives you a longer hanger for taller spaces. Shorter chains with the mesh rows closer together suit a small pot on a low shelf. The method stays exactly the same — only the numbers change.
The staggered chain joins are what create this diamond mesh — the same open, airy structure people love about macrame.
Styling Your Crochet Plant Hanger Like Macrame
A few finishing choices push the look further toward boho macrame, even though the technique underneath is still crochet.
Keep the palette neutral. Cream, sand, oatmeal, and rust are macrame’s signature colours because undyed natural cord looks that way. A bright acrylic yarn breaks the illusion faster than any stitch choice will.
Fringe the ends generously. Macrame hangers almost always end in a loose, brushed-out tassel. Untwisting your chunky cotton plies at the bottom and combing them out does the same job.
Hang it against a plain wall. Macrame photography leans on negative space — white walls, natural light, one plant. The same staging makes a crochet hanger read exactly the same way.
If you want another quick hanging project in the same boho spirit, our crochet wind spinner pattern uses a similar chunky-and-simple approach and pairs beautifully on the same porch.
Choosing the Right Pot Size
| Pot diameter | Chain length per cord | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 10–12 cm | ch 60 | Small succulents, herbs |
| 12–15 cm | ch 80 | Standard houseplants (this pattern) |
| 15–18 cm | ch 90 | Larger trailing plants like pothos |
| 18cm+ | ch 100+ | Statement plants — use a sturdier hook, 7 mm |
Weight matters more than diameter here. A large pot full of wet soil is heavy, so for anything above 18 cm, double up your yarn or move to a thicker weight rather than trusting a single strand of chunky cotton.
Using It Outdoors
Cotton handles a covered porch or patio fine, but it isn’t weatherproof. Direct rain will eventually weaken the fibres and fade the colour.
Keeping it looking good outside
Hang it somewhere covered — under an eave or a covered porch — rather than fully exposed. Bring it in before heavy storms. If you want a true all-weather version, work the same pattern in outdoor-rated polyester cord instead of cotton; the method doesn’t change, only the material.
A second and third hanger at different heights is what really sells the look — one alone always reads as a single project, not a style.
Common Mistakes
Chaining too tight. A tight foundation chain curls and fights the loose drape this pattern needs. Keep your tension relaxed, or go up a hook size just for the chains.
Uneven cord lengths. Measure each of the four chains against the others before you attach them to the ring. Even a 3 cm difference will make the finished hanger sit crooked.
Skipping the fit test. Every pot is a slightly different shape. Test your pot in the mesh before you commit to the final gathering row, rather than finding out it slips through after you’ve fastened off.
Using thin yarn. This is the single biggest reason a first attempt doesn’t look like the picture. Thin yarn makes a dense little cord, not an open macrame-style mesh. Chunky yarn and a big hook are doing most of the visual work here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can crochet really look like macrame?
Not exactly the same, but close enough that most people can’t tell at a glance. Chunky natural-toned yarn, an open mesh stitch, and a loose tassel finish borrow the visual cues that make macrame recognisable — texture, colour, and structure — even though the underlying technique is different.
What yarn looks most like macrame cord?
Chunky cotton in a natural, undyed-looking shade — cream, sand, or oatmeal. Cotton has a matte, slightly textured finish similar to macrame cord. Smooth acrylic or anything with a sheen tends to look more obviously like yarn.
How much weight can a crochet plant hanger hold?
A single strand of chunky cotton comfortably holds a small to medium pot, roughly up to 2–3 kg including soil. For anything heavier, double the yarn or switch to a sturdier cord-style yarn, and always check your hanging point can bear the weight too.
Can a complete beginner make this hanger?
Yes. The entire pattern uses just two stitches — chain and single crochet — with no shaping or increases. If you can make a long chain and join stitches together, you have every skill this project needs.
Is this pattern safe to use outdoors?
Cotton yarn holds up fine in a covered spot but isn’t weatherproof, so keep it out of direct rain where possible. For a true outdoor version, work the same pattern in an outdoor-rated polyester cord instead of cotton.
Can I sell hangers made from this pattern?
Yes. This is an original CrochetEco design, and you’re welcome to sell finished hangers you make from it. Please don’t republish or resell the written pattern instructions themselves.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a second craft to get the hanging plant look you saw on Pinterest. This crochet plant hanger uses chunky yarn, an open stitch, and a neutral colour to do almost all of the work — the hook just happens to be the tool doing it.
Make one this weekend, hang it somewhere with good light, and see how close it gets. Once you’ve got the rhythm down, a second and third hanger at different heights is what actually sells the look.
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