Pick 2 to 3 skeins in neutral, earthy tones — cream, tan, and rust is the classic boho combo, and it’s exactly what makes the piece look curated instead of thrown together. You’ll want roughly 40 to 50 strands total once everything is cut, so a chunkier yarn stretches further and fills in the stick faster than thin craft yarn.

This is the one step where “imperfect” is the goal. A gnarled backyard branch gives you a one-of-a-kind piece for free, but a smooth wooden dowel works just as well and hangs perfectly level if you’d rather skip the yard hunt. Either way, look for something 12 to 24 inches long depending on how wide you want the finished piece.

You’re going to be trimming a dense bundle of yarn into a shape freehand, so dull scissors will fight you and leave a ragged, uneven line. Sharp fabric shears glide through a thick bundle in one pass, which matters most on the final shaping cut where a clean edge makes the whole piece look intentional.

Combing out the trimmed ends is what gives a wall hanging that soft, frayed, boutique texture instead of looking like a stiff bundle of cut cord. A wide-tooth comb or a pet slicker brush both separate the plies quickly — and if you want a section to stay put instead of fraying, a dab from a mini hot glue gun (optional) locks it in place.

The hanging cord is doing structural work, so skip anything flimsy. A natural jute or cotton twine holds the stick’s weight, blends into the boho palette instead of fighting it, and looks intentional even where it’s visible above the stick.

Cut a bunch of strands roughly double the length you want the finished piece to be. Don’t measure too precisely — a little variation is what gives it that lived-in boho texture. Aim for about 40 to 50 strands total, mixing your colors randomly as you go rather than sorting them first.

Fold each strand in half, then attach it to the stick with a simple lark’s head knot: fold the strand into a loop, place the loop over the stick, then pull the two tail ends through the loop and tighten. Repeat that across the entire stick, alternating colors as you go or grouping them into solid blocks — either reads as intentional once it’s finished.

Lay the whole piece flat and trim the bottom into a shape — angled, a deep triangle, a wavy edge, or a soft V. Use sharp scissors and commit to the cut; freehand shaping always looks more even once it’s hanging vertically than it does lying flat on the table.

Gently comb the yarn tails if you want a frayed, fringe-like look, or leave them intact for something more polished. This is also the step to braid a few strands, tie off random sections for character, or wrap a contrasting yarn around a bundle as an accent.

Tie a piece of twine to both ends of the stick and hang it on the wall. That’s the whole process — step back, admire it, and wonder why you ever considered buying one.

Swap the soft V-shape for a straight-across cut, a deep single triangle, or an asymmetrical wave. The shape is the fastest way to make the exact same materials read as a completely different project.

Use a shorter stick and fewer strands for a small shelf-sized accent piece, or hang a second, longer stick beneath the first for a layered, two-tier wall hanging with real presence.

Cream, tan, and rust reads classic boho, but the same technique works in dusty blue and cream for a coastal room, or blush and terracotta for something warmer.

Thread a few wooden beads onto strands before looping them onto the stick, or tuck dried pampas grass or baby’s breath in along the top for a finished, styled-shelf look.

This loop-and-trim technique is not real macrame — it won’t give you the tight, structured knot-work of a chevron or diamond-lattice pattern. If that specific look is what you’re after, you’ll need to actually learn macrame knotting; this project is a faster, easier stand-in, not a shortcut to the same result.