Macrame vs Weaving: Which Wall Hanging is Right for You?

If you’ve been browsing handmade wall art, you’ve probably noticed two words used almost interchangeably: macrame and weaving. Both are fibre art, both hang beautifully on a wall, and both add texture that a flat print simply can’t. But they’re made in completely different ways — and those differences matter when you’re choosing a piece for your home. Here’s a calm, practical guide to macrame vs weaving, plus the modern hybrid style that bridges the two.

Macrame vs Weaving: What’s Actually Different?

The difference comes down to technique.

Macrame is the art of knotting. I create patterns by tying cords — usually cotton rope — into decorative knots, row by row. The classic macramé look comes from those repeating knots: the larks head, the square knot, the half hitch, and the flowing fringe they leave behind. A knotted tapestry often has open, airy sections and long fringe cascading from the bottom. Pieces like Gold Cuff & Diamonds — a purely knotted fibre art wall hanging — show how expressive pure knotting can be.

Weaving is the art of interlacing. On a frame loom, I set vertical strings (the warp) and then weave horizontal fibres (the weft) with various weaving techniques, row by row. The result is a dense, continuous textile — solid where a knotted piece is open, with imagery and colour that build up like a painting made of fibre.

My Kelp Garden and Coral Sunset woven wall hangings, show what pure weaving does best: a central band of dimensional art yarns, soft colour washing above, and creamy fringe settling below — scenes that emerge layer by layer, built entirely on the loom.

Macraweave: Where the Two Techniques Meet

Macraweave is a modern fibre art style that combines macramé knotting with traditional hand weaving on the same piece. A macraweave tapestry typically starts with a knotted foundation — cords anchored in familiar macramé knots — and then weaves fibres directly into that knotted structure, adding woven bands, colour pools, and dimensional texture among the openwork.

The result gives you the best of both: the airy rhythm and fringe of macramé, with the dense colour and imagery of weaving. Pieces like Garden Flower — which blends intricate macramé knotting with softly woven macraweave sections and textured tufting — show how dimensional a hybrid piece can be. If you love the look of both styles and can’t decide, macraweave is the answer hiding in plain sight.

How Each One Looks and Feels in a Room

Choose macrame if you want: movement and airiness. Knotted pieces catch light in their openwork patterns, cast soft shadows, and bring a relaxed, bohemian warmth. Fringe moves gently when you walk past. In a bright room, a large knotted tapestry feels light — dramatic without being heavy.

Choose a woven wall hanging if you want: density and imagery, which textured wall art does well. Because the weft packs tightly together, woven pieces read more like textile paintings — landscapes, seascapes, abstract colour studies. They suit calm, modern interiors beautifully, adding depth without demanding attention. (If your home leans neutral, here’s a deeper look at the best wall art for neutral interiors.)

Choose macraweave if you want: both at once — structure and colour together, with the contrast between open knots and dense woven bands giving the piece a layered, contemporary feel.

All three hang beautifully from driftwood. Many of my pieces — knotted, macraweave, and woven — hang from foraged driftwood, which adds an organic, architectural note to any of the three styles.

Which Fibres Are Used?

One lovely thing about the macramé vs weaving question: the same sustainable fibres work in all three techniques. I use cotton rope, merino wool, silk, and art yarns whether I’m knotting, macraweaving, or weaving on the frame loom. The technique simply gives each fibre a different stage — silk ribbon can pool like water in a woven band, fuzzy vegan ribbon can catch the light like sea foam, and thick merino can settle like a sandy floor.

Which Should You Choose?

Ask yourself two questions:

1. Do you want texture and rhythm, or texture and imagery? Macramé gives you pattern and movement. Pure weaving gives you picture and depth. Macraweave gives you both, woven into one piece.
2. What does the room need? An airy, light-filled space often loves knotted openness; a calmer, more minimal room may want a woven piece’s quiet presence; a room that wants a statement without heaviness may be perfect for macraweave.

Of course, you don’t have to choose just one. A home can hold several — a knotted tapestry in the living room, a woven wall hanging in the reading corner. Handmade fibre art in any technique is worth investing in, because no two pieces will ever be exactly alike.

See All Three in Person

Photos never quite capture the texture of fibre art. This fall, you can see knotted, macraweave, and woven pieces side by side at my current exhibit at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community in Courtenay, BC — running October 1st to November 30th, 2026. Walking the hallway, you’ll feel the difference between a knot and a weave instantly.