Keepin’ It Super Simple!
My friend TJ from Studio Mailbox shares my love for reclaiming and when she saw my 1st post for the covered hangers, she emailed me photos of hers. I just fell in love and asked her to share her “how to”.
This project is for all levels.
Skill Level- 1 Button
Materials:
- old wire hangers
- tape
- 2 small baseball-sized balls of left-over yarn
*Notes from TJ on these hangers-
I come from a long line of altered hanger makers. That big pile of covered hangers is evidence of many years of great-grandma and grandma using up their yarn scraps. Every year at Christmas I’d get another half-dozen for my collection. Now I have a closet full of them, and anybody who ever uses one wants to know where I got them because they are so functional. (Everything you hang on them stays hung up unlike cheap plastic hangers or even the expensive slippery wood ones that take up so much room on the closet rod). This craft uses the same basic macrame half-knot that I shared in the friendship bracelet. Except this time, you’re working the knots around the hanger instead of anchored ribbons. And this time instead of working from left to right alternately, you’ll work three left and then three right alternately.
Basic Instructions:
- Tape together two hangers together in a few places to keep them in place.
- Starting at the very nose of the hook. I find it easiest to hold the hangers in between my knees and work with both hands.
- Tuck the yarn ends in between the two hangers that are taped together.
- Just like in the friendship bracelet, work one ball of yarn from the left side by bringing it OVER the hanger and then back through itself UNDER the hanger. Make your macrame knots over the loose ends, covering them and securing them into place. (Much like how you begin in cross stitch).
- Make three knots from the left and then reverse the process to make three knots from the ball of yarn on the right. Continue to work your knots all the way around the hanger.
- When you meet your knots back at the beginning by the neck, cut a long end piece from each ball of yarn. (18″- 2′ long)
- Coil and stack little figure 8’s with these ends. To secure, tie a smaller piece of yarn in the center of the 8’s to create a bow.
TJ tells me that covering these hangers is time consuming. That depending on how fast you are, it can take between 3-4 hours to cover one, so this project is perfect for if you’re sick in bed and bored! Personally, I think it is perfect for my daughter on a rainy afternoon. (she loves to play with yarn!)
Remember, Keep It Super Simple!!
Happy Crafting!
~Heather
**So, stop by Studio Mailbox on Facebook and let TJ know you “spied” her on The Sewing Loft.
Comments & Reviews
Hi! These covered hangers are even better with bias. I think it is a polyester fabric, but probably available at Dollar Stores and maybe Hobby Lobby. Use the same technique, but there is better padding with the bias fabric.
Take care, Leslie
That is a great idea Leslie. Do you have any photos? I would love to see. I’ll bet they have a nice texture to them.
Wow bias is a great idea! I’m going to have to try that… thanks Leslie!!
I just stumbled upon your blog today and so happy to find you! PLUS!!! These hangers have brought back happy memories from my childhood and my grandma teaching me how to cover hangers such as these. Wire hangers are not as common as they once were, so it was neat to see you having it on your blog! Thanks for the memories! <3
Genee, I am so glad you enjoyed it and it brought back fond memories!
~Heather
Sweet blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo News. Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Thank you
I used to do macramé all the time but now I cant remember how to do the knots
So this is just what I was looking for Thank you so much
I have a pile of wire hangers that I was going to toss, but not anymore.
Hi there! I have begun taking time for myself and am looking for craft ideas to work on. A friend of mine and I used to cover wire hangers with rayon strips but I’ve long since forgotten how to do this. I’m am going to try this pattern and hopefully will be able to recycle some to lovely hangers for our closets. Thanks very much!
OMG! These are exactly what I remember making with my Grandmother, but I couldn’t remember how. And, you are so right about things not slipping off.