Beauty created by hand with needle and thread
There are a few macrame necessities that people don’t often think of, like tape and rubber bands. A really time-consuming but absolutely necessary step is shown here, where the tape is needed.
Wrapping tape around each rope end will stop it from fraying as I tie the knots. You can end up with a real mess and many tangles if you skip over this step.
As the ends are secured the different lengths of rope are stored.
With the ends all taped, the ropes await being started on the branch.
Other knotty supplies are needed. Besides the rope, an appropriate natural stick is needed to tie all the cords to at the very start. Specifically a wooden curtain rod. Luckily, we are well stocked with forest-type products outdoors here in Elk WA. 
Having an expert in forestry is always handy too. Peter, finds a perfect dead limb and cuts it to the right length for me. 
Thank goodness for the handiest man in the world. Not only is he capable of finding just what we need, but he also gets it ready without even using electricity. A green deal magician accustomed to using his common sense and old-fashioned hand tools. Move over Biden. I really scored with this keeper dude. Love him!
Tying the knot, literally, is what started this next project. Our daughter is getting married and she asked for a macrame wedding arch curtain for their ceremony. It has been decades since I did any macrame so I was a little nervous about taking on a large project like this.
1,200 linear feet of cord is needed for her wedding arch. Initially, we went into shock at the craft store when we discovered how high the price is for “macrame” cords. An average of $40 for 150 ft which works out to about .27 per lineal foot or a whopping $324. Whew! We ordered a simple “shipping rope” from Uline.com for approximately .065 per foot or $78 instead.
I bet that no one will ever guess that we did not use a macrame cord from the craft store. Besides, if they do notice I would wonder if they really had a life.
You can see my plan drawing and record of cord lengths as we pull out 23-foot long and 13-foot long cords for this project. There are two sides 2×7 and the middle 2×4 with an outlined heart shape at the center of the arch.
See how the rope stretches across the dining room and kitchen on the floor as we measure it out. It takes lots of cord, space, patience, and lots of persistence to begin this large a macrame.