How to make a macramé plant hanger #diydaysinkorea

CityGirlSearching How To Make A Macrame Plant Holder DIY

Today's post is the first in a new DIY series #DIYDaysInKorea that my friend Storm and I are starting. Storm did all the styling for our Flower Crown Shoot a few weeks ago and is one very creative lady. I am so happy to have someone to get crafty with.

These posts are going to be about making beautiful things for your home (whether that home is in South Korea or South Africa, or any where else in the world). We hope you enjoy this series and that you leave feeling inspired.

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How to make a macramé plant hanger #diydaysinkorea

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CityGirlSearchingHowToMakeAMacramPlantHolderDIY#DIYDaysInKorea

What you need:

pot plant

string/rope/hessian string/twine

scissors

tape

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Directions

Measure your wall space and decide how long you want your plant hanger to be. Take into consideration how big your pot plant is.

CityGirlSearchingHowToMakeAMacramPlantHolderDIY#DIYDaysInKorea

For this macramé hanger, we used 21m of twine (7 x 2.5m for the structure of the hanger + 1 x 3.5m for the wrapping)

Measure out 7 pieces of string of 2.5m and measure the 8th piece of string longer, at 3.5m

Fold all the strings in half except your extra-long piece. Secure with tape to make a small loop.

CityGirlSearchingHowToMakeAMacramPlantHolderDIY#DIYDaysInKorea

To make your macrame loop

Use the longest piece of string to make a knot around the other 7 pieces of string (see pictures below). Continue making knots in this way until you complete the hanging loop.

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To secure the hanging loop, make a knot. Take the outer right string across the front, then take the outer left string in front of the right piece and then take it behind all the other pieces to the right hand side (see pictures below) and put it through the gap and tighten. Repeat this by alternating the next outer string (so taking the left in front this time, and the right behind). Repeat 6 times.

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To create the mid section using Josephine knots

Divide your strings into 4 sections, each section should have 4 pieces (16 in total). Secure 3 of the sections with tape. Using the fourth section, measure down 35cm and mark with tape (this is where your Josephine knot will start). Divide this section into 2 parts, make sure the strings are kept flush to ensure your finished knot is flat.

Start with two cords on the left and make a loop, then take the the right cords and place them over the loop. Securing with your left hand, take the right cords and place them under the bottom left cords and up and over them again.Then thread them through the loop (as in the pictures below).

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CityGirlSearchingHowToMakeAMacramPlantHolderDIY#DIYDaysInKorea

Make sure all your strings are flat and tighten to your marked off tape. Repeat with the remaining 4 sections.

To make the basket:

Split the 4 sections in half and join two cords from each section next to each other to create a new group. Tie a simple knot in these cords and continue for each new group. Make sure when making the groups they are the correct cords to ensure your basket doesn't get tangled. 

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Measure down 5cm to create new groups with simple knots again as before.

Measure another 7 cm and gather all the strings together and tie into one large knot.

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Neaten off the hanging ends to make a tassel. Place your pot in the middle of the basket. Hang up and enjoy.

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Photography Styling Challenge {LIGHT}

Photo Styling Challenge

The theme for this months photo styling challenge was Light. I had grand ideas of building a studio, light painting the beautiful cherry blossoms happening here in Korea right now, fairy lights and mason jars but the last few weeks have run away with me and I used what I had at my disposal this morning. This included a new mint green succulent I found at a strawberry festival yesterday, my windowsill, pretty early morning light and a few bamboo shoots.

This is my sixth submission for Redesigned by M's Photography Styling Challenge which she started in June last year. You can see the previous photographs here: Morning, Bedroom, OrderPatterns and Fashion. In this challenge the photographs cannot be edited, and only a maximum of five images may be posted. This is always difficult for me as I tend to take so many photographs and I always struggle to choose JUST five. Each one appeals to me in a different way. But, in essence this is exactly the point of the challenge...to better yourself as a photographer and stylist. 

I chose to use the literal interpretation of light, and catch the early morning rays that come into my little kitchen window. I also wanted to photograph my new 'green' collection of bamboo and succulents, and then thought to myself...plants need light more than anything else to survive. They are the perfect encapsulation of the theme, but also, aren't they pretty!

I used the following settings on my NIkon d300s & 35mm 1.8 lens:

-ISO 250

-Aperture variation of 2.8

-Shutter-speed 500

-I had my white balance on indoor

And for the first time I played around with my exposure (I've never really known exactly what to do with it) and got a glimpse as to how it can lighten certain elements of a photograph. That's the thing with photography, there is always new things to learn, and it's always a fun journey.

Enjoy! x

As always I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Make sure to pop on over to the other participants and see how they interpreted this theme:

Redesigned By MAt The Corner Of Happy And HarriedMy Food TapestryInge Kathleen PhotographyA Woven LifeThe Delicious World Of Chefette SpicyA Tree Grows in the BayouI Live Under A RockHooked On HomesSamta PhotographyMiss Wang Photography

And a warm welcome  to our newest participant: SimplyVegetarian 777