FAQ

Materials

Where does your rope come from?

We source our rope from an ethically run factory in southern Turkey. Emily visited there in May of 2017 and was pleased to meet the people who make our materials!

The factory workers all make a fair and living wage, get time off, and are treated very well. You can read more about our rope over on our blog. We also source from a family run factory in Sweden, as well as other manufacuters around the globe.

Our rope is 100% Oeko-Tex certified cotton. This is a certification used mostly for children's clothing to make sure no chemicals are used in the processing. Since you will be using the materials with your hands this is deeply important to us.

We also supply 100% GOTS certified Organic Cotton, and are working on bringing in more recycled and sustainable offerings to our catalog soon.

Is there a difference between rope and cord?

The terms are definitely interchanged often and there isn't a huge difference. Cord is a more overarching term that can be applied to a variety of materials that come in long strands. They may or may not be twisted, braided, or woven.

Rope falls under the category of cord and involves many fibers being twisted, braided, or woven together to create a workable cord. We use 3-ply twisted ropes for our 5mm and up, 2-ply twisted ropes for our thinner 3mm ropes, and our string is made of 1 strand of twisted fibers. In our book, we differentiate ropes as being the material before it is cut, and cords as the material after it is cut, as in your "working cords" or "filler cords" for when you are making your project. Otherwise it is just up to you what you want to call it!

What material should I use for my macramé project?

The material you use should be determined by function of your piece, the size of the project and your own personal style. What is the intended use of your piece? Is it an indoor or outdoor object? If it is for outdoors you may want something weather resistant like polypropylene rope. If it is for inside you can use cotton.

Is it decorative or practical? If it is decorative and won’t be touched, you can use a material that is delicate but if you are crafting an object for everyday use you may want a thicker, sturdier rope. Questions like these will help you determine the function of your project and help to narrow down your options.

The size of your finished piece will help you to decide the diameter of your rope or string. If you are making a 6 foot by 10 foot wedding arbor, for example, you might choose a 5mm rope which creates a fairly large knot, thus saving you time and knots in the long run.

You can, of course, make something that size out of 2mm string but that would require at least 10 times as many knots! Lastly choose a material that appeals to your own personal style. Let color and texture inform your decision. Your craft is an expression of your taste and your taste is entirely your own. Embrace it!

I purchased two bundles of the same color. Why aren’t they an exact match to each other or match the image in the product description?

Even though we do our very best to display our colors as accurately as possible, actual colors may vary slightly from what you see on your screen. In addition there may be slight color variation between different manufacturing batches of rope; exact color-matching of older rope and newer rope may not be possible.

Also, each dye lot is different. If you plan to make a large project, we can't always ensure that the colors will match unless you purchase enough for your project.

I purchased two spools (or bundles) and it appears there is way more rope on one than the other.

We work with our factories to ensure that you are not getting less than you ordered, but as these spools and bundles are wound by hand, human error is possible. Each item is sold to us by weight. Some of the colors weigh more than others due to the dye! Fascinating! But hard to QC.

We do our very best to make sure that our products are consistent. Please contact customer service and we are happy to help resolve it for you.

How To

How do I hang my work while I am knotting?

A movable clothing rack or closet bar works wonderfully. Hang a couple of S hooks from the rack or bar and suspend your dowel or driftwood branch from the hooks and then attach your knotting cords to the dowel/branch.

What is macramé made of?

Anything you can tie a knot with can be used to make macramé. This includes yarn, paracord, cloth strips, rubber cording, shoe laces, leather, embroidery floss--just about anything!

However, macramé is most commonly made from rope or string and what that rope or string is composed of varies. The natural variants are usually cotton, jute, hemp, linen and wool. The synthetic fibers commonly used are polypropylene, acrylic or nylon.

How much rope do I cut?

This is our most frequently asked question and does not have a straightforward answer because of these factors that will vary from project to project: the desired length of your finished piece, knot density, the width of the material you are using and your own personal knot tension.

The general rule is to cut your knotting cord 4 to 6 times longer than the length you wish your piece to be. To understand where in that range your cord length lies will depend on knot density. If the project is very densely knotted you will need to cut your cords at least 6 times the length of your finished piece, and even longer if it is composed mainly of horizontal double half hitches which consume more rope than square knots.

If your project will have lots of fringe and otherwise unknotted areas you can get away with 4 times the length or maybe less. The width of your material also plays a part. If you are working with a very girthy rope you will use up more length more quickly and the opposite is true of a very fine material which will not eat up quite as much length.

The best way to get a more accurate estimate is to make a swatch with the material you intend to use and when the sample is finished take out the last few knots and measure exactly how much rope one square knot, for example, uses. This will determine your tension, the tightness or looseness, of the knot as tied by your specific hand. Lastly, it is always best to err on the side of more rope rather than less so that you don’t find yourself running out of rope in the middle of your project.

How do I add rope if I run out?

Running out of material when you still need a few or many more knots can be frustrating but it doesn’t mean you have to start all over again. It will, however, require you to improvise, adjust and be creative. Every macramé project is different, from the material selected to make the piece to the knots used to compose the pattern.

The knot which is in use when the cord runs out will inform the method by which a new cord is reattached. If it is a square knot sinnet maybe the new rope is concealed within the sinnet above. If it runs out where more horizontal double half hitches are needed maybe you attach new cords by way of a lark's head around the filler cord and hide the tails of the short ropes on the backside of the piece.

Sometimes you will need to add fringe where you hadn’t previously intended. Sometimes it means working a row of horizontal or vertical double half-hitches where the pattern had not called for one. The important thing is to be flexible and forgiving of the work and of yourself. Try to focus on flexibility rather than perfectionism and allow your material to inform the piece. It is when we are open to the nature of the materials in use and craft itself that innovation and creativity can truly shine through.

How do I hang my macramé project when it is completed?

The most important thing to take into account when hanging your macramé project is that the hardware you use is anchored to a stable point in your wall or ceiling. Finding a stud in your wall using a stud finder or a beam or rafter in ceiling is best. If you cannot find a stud or ceiling beam consider using drywall screws for walls or toggle wing fasteners for ceilings.

Workshops

Do you teach online workshops?

YES, we do!

During Covid, we have been teaching a few courses via Zoom. Head to our WORKSHOP page to see if we have a class happening soon.

Or join our CRAFT CLUB for monthly video tutorials. You can also learn basic knots and techniques on our YOUTUBE channel. Click on the Tutorials link for links to our IGTV and Youtube channel.

How do you choose what cities to teach in?

We select our locations based on interest and demand. If you want us to come to your city please contact us!

What is your refund policy for workshops?

If you cancel more than 30 days in advance you will receive a full refund. All cancellations within 30 days of the event will be transferred to store credit. Please contact us if you need to cancel.

Do you host private workshops for teams?

Yes, we do! We offer private workshops for a flat fee. At this time we are only offering events online, once shelter in place orders have been lifted we’ll resume in person events. If you’d like to have Emily lead a team building event for your company, please contact us to discuss.

I have a conflict with the online or in-person workshop I registered for. Can I cancel or transfer my registration?

We understand that life comes up. While we are unable to provide refunds for workshops less than 30-days prior to the class, we are happy to transfer your registration to a future workshop date.

Workshop Cancellation Policy

Workshop cancellations will be fully refunded If canceled 30 days prior to the workshop. If cancelled less than 30 days before the workshop; an online store credit will be given. To cancel a workshop please contact customer service.

Wholesale and Bulk Ordering

I’m ordering A LOT of rope! Can I receive a discount or purchase it at a wholesale rate?

If you are a maker and looking to stock up or are working on a large project, here are some great everyday deals for you!

Get 12 and save up to 30% with our mix and match option for our 5mm Cotton Rope. Many of our products automatically offer a bulk discount automatically based on the order quantity. If there is a product you are needing a specific quantity of, please contact us to discuss.

Do you sell to retailers?

We offer wholesale rates on limited inventory items to brick and mortar shops for resale. If this is you, please contact us for more details. Please note, we are not able to accommodate all wholesale order requests.

Shipping and Returns

Do you ship internationally? How much will it cost?

We do ship worldwide! Every order is a little different from the next. We are unable to give an estimate on how much your order will cost to ship internationally. You can figure out your shipping costs by placing all the items you’d like to purchase in your cart.

Click the “check out” button and start moving through the check out process. You are able to exit the ordering process before adding in your payment information.

Duties and customs fees for international shipments are the responsibility of the purchaser. Please note that during Covid-19, not all countries are accepting inbound deliveries. Please read more here to see if we are able to ship to you.

When will my order arrive?

We ship 5 days a week, Monday-Friday, except for major holidays. All orders receive a shipping confirmation email with a tracking number for your convenience. Orders placed over the weekend will begin being processed on Mondays.

Please add 1-2 days for processing time from when your order is placed to when your order is shipped. Unless an order has been expedited, we use USPS Priority Mail or UPS Ground for all Domestic and International orders.

We make sure to ship every item in the most economical way. Shipping rope is expensive because it is HEAVY. We do our best to offer the best rates and most sustainable way to get your package to you. USPS Priority Mail can take 1-3 days depending on your location within the US. UPS ground takes 5-10 business days.

All orders that qualify for free shipping will be sent out UPS Ground. We have no control over USPS or UPS delays. If your package is missing or stolen please let us know within 3 days.

Do you accept returns?

We want you to be happy with your order from us. However, since we are a small business, we are unable to offer refunds if you change your mind about an order for any reason.

We are happy to offer store credit or exchanges for products returned unused & without damage. If you would like to exchange or receive store credit for your item, please contact us within 7 days of receipt to be eligible for exchange or store credit. If you decide to return something to us, you will be responsible for return shipping cost and the replacement shipping cost. Packing materials must be used for return shipment to prevent damage in transit.

Any custom made items, used items or discounted items are not available for exchange.

Damaged merchandise

Sometimes these things happen! We will happily replace any defective or broken merchandise. Please contact us within 30 days of receipt of item to qualify for repair or exchange. In order to qualify for an exchange, please include the date and place of purchase (i.e. on our website, in a store, etc.) and an image of the defective item.

If the item was purchased from a store other than our online shop, at this time we are unable to exchange it. If your item arrived damaged during shipping, please send an image when you contact us for repair or replacement. If you contact us after 30 days, we cannot guarantee repair or replacement. (Please take care when mailing any items back to us. We cannot be responsible for any further damage which occurs during transit.)

We will cover the shipping cost for the replacement item.

Can I do a local or curbside pick up?

YES! We are so happy to offer this to our customers from our Portland, Oregon studio. We look forward to meeting you in person!

Select "Pickup" as the option at checkout, and contact us to set a time to get your items.

My Order

You're having a sale, but I just placed an order, will you refund me the difference?

Unfortunately we do not offer price adjustments. If you made a purchase before a sale, discounts cannot be retroactively applied.

Can I change my order?

We have a 60 minute window after your order is placed to make any changes. If the order is placed within our business hours and your request is received by our team within that 60 minute time frame, then we should be able to change it for you.

Our business hours are Monday - Friday 8am - 4pm PST, but shipping occurs between 7am-3pm PST. (disclaimer: Please note that we are a small team, not all requests will be approved.)

Can I make a payment in person or over the phone?

Since we are a small team, we do prefer if you place your order online. We have a goal to open a retail location and can't wait to welcome you when that happens in person!

We occasionally have in person events and pop ups, please join our mailing list to be the first to know about any sales or in person events. If you need help with ordering, please give us a call and someone will help you place your order over the phone.

Call Us 503-288-ROPE