Macramé Cord Length Calculator

How it works

cord length = finished length × multiplier (× 2 if folded for a lark's head) + 10 cm · total = length × number of cords · multipliers: fringe 1.5, open 3, wall hanging 4, plant hanger/bracelet 5, dense 6, keychain 8 · weight = metres × g/m

Every knot folds cord back on itself, so a finished piece contains several times its own length in rope, and how many times depends on how tightly it is knotted: an open pattern with long unknotted stretches needs about four times the drop, dense clove-hitch work six, and tiny pieces where nearly everything is knot eight or more. Most cords are attached to the dowel folded in half with a lark's head, which doubles the cut length again. Because a cord that runs out cannot be invisibly extended, makers cut long, add an allowance for the fringe and the final trim, and buy a margin over the total — leftover cord becomes the next keychain.

Worked example

An 80 cm wall hanging with 24 cords of 3 mm cotton folded onto the dowel: 80 × 4 × 2 + 10 = 650 cm per cord, 6.5 m each and 156 m in total. With a 15% margin that is about 180 m — roughly 1 kg of cord at 5.5 g/m, or one 200 m spool, costing around $22 at $12 per 100 m. A dense spiral design would push it to about 233 m.

Frequently asked questions