Macramé Clothes

Knotted garments have a lightness no fabric can quite match, which is why macramé tops, skirts and cover-ups keep returning every summer. Macramé Clothes is the largest guide in The Macramé Bible at 259 pages, and it is dedicated entirely to things you can wear.

Twelve macrame clothing patterns

The book is organized as a single clothes chapter that moves from fitted pieces to layers and accessories:

• Macramé crop top worked in 3 mm cotton cord, with the front and back knotted separately and then joined
• Macramé skirt and beach trousers for warm-weather dressing
• Shoulder piece, a statement layer to wear over a simple top or dress
• Boho style dress and summer top
• Sarong for the beach or pool
• Bucket hat and beanie hat
• Scarf, shawl and fingerless gloves

How the garment patterns work

Each pattern starts with a materials list giving cord thickness, the number of cords and their lengths, plus tools such as a measuring tape and tapestry needle. The crop top, for instance, specifies 36 cords of 103 inches alongside shorter cords for the band and ties. Numbered instructions and photos then take you through each stage, from the first square knots to weaving two panels together.

Garments rely on consistent rows of square knots and alternating square knots, so this is a book to reach for once those knots are second nature. Many makers start with the scarf or fingerless gloves, which are forgiving on fit, then move to the crop top or sarong.

Tips for sizing

Measure yourself before cutting cord, and knot a small test swatch to see how your tension compares with the pattern. Adding or removing pairs of cords changes width, while extra rows change length. Because the book is a PDF, you can keep it on a tablet next to your mirror for try-on checks, or print a pattern and note your adjustments in the margin.