How to Make a Macrame Santa Ornament with a Wooden Ring and Yarn

Marie Overton

8 hours ago

10 min read

If you’ve got a wooden ring, some leftover yarn, and an empty toilet paper roll, you’re already most of the way to an adorable handmade Santa ornament. This is one of those crafts that looks much fancier than it is. The beard is just simple macrame knots, the hat is made on a cardboard tube, and the fluffy finish comes from brushing everything out at the end.

This little Santa is sweet on a Christmas tree, tied onto a wrapped gift, hung from a cabinet knob, or used as part of a handmade garland. It’s also a great project if you’re new to macrame because you only need one knot: the lark’s head knot.

Below, I’ll walk you through the full process, including how to make the beard, build the yarn hat, attach the nose, and trim everything so your Santa looks fluffy and finished.

Gather your supplies before you start

This ornament uses small amounts of cord and yarn, so it’s a perfect scrap-buster if you already have craft supplies around the house. The cardboard tube forms the base of the hat, while the wooden ring gives the ornament its shape and helps the beard hang neatly.

Supply	Amount	Notes
Wooden ring	1	About 2.16 inches wide
Cardboard tube	1 piece	Cut from a toilet paper roll, about 1 inch wide
White macrame cord	10 pieces	3 mm cord, each piece 8 inches long
Dark red yarn	60 pieces	Each piece 14 inches long
Small wooden bead	1	For Santa’s nose
Extra red yarn	2 small pieces	For tying the top of the hat and securing the nose
Craft glue or hot glue	Small amount	For securing the hat and nose
Comb or knitting needle	1	For fluffing the beard and hat
Scissors	1 pair	Sharp scissors make trimming easier

A quick note on the yarn: dark red gives the hat a classic Santa look, but you can absolutely use burgundy, cranberry, deep green, cream, or even blush pink if you want a softer style.

For the nose, a natural wood bead looks cute and simple. If the bead hole is large enough to thread yarn through, that makes it easier to position. If not, you can glue it directly in place later.

Prep the pieces so the ornament comes together smoothly

Before you tie anything, cut all your pieces. This part is a little repetitive, but it makes the actual assembly much easier.

You’ll need:

10 pieces of white macrame cord, each 8 inches long
60 pieces of dark red yarn, each 14 inches long
1 cardboard tube section, about 1 inch wide
2 short pieces of red yarn to tie the hat top closed and for the nose

To cut the cardboard tube, flatten it gently and snip a ring that’s about 1 inch wide. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfectly even. Once the yarn is tied on and fluffed, you won’t see the cardboard.

If your macrame cord is twisted or kinked, run your fingers over each piece to smooth it a bit. You don’t need it perfect. In fact, the beard will look better once it’s brushed out later.

For the red yarn, try to keep the pieces close to the same length. The hat will be trimmed into a pom-pom shape at the end, so small differences are fine.

Tip: Wrap the yarn around a piece of cardboard that’s 7 inches wide, then cut one side of the loops. That gives you 14-inch pieces quickly without measuring every strand.

Make the white macrame beard on the wooden ring

Start with the wooden ring and your 10 pieces of white macrame cord. You’re going to attach each cord using a lark’s head knot. This creates the beard and gives the ornament its classic macrame look.

Here’s how to make each knot:

Hands tying white rope into a knot on a dark wooden table, with a red-and-cream tassel craft nearby.

Fold one piece of white cord in half.
The folded end will make a loop.
Place the loop under the wooden ring.
Hold the loop so it peeks out below or inside the ring.
Bring the two loose ends over the ring.
The ends should go across the front of the ring and toward the loop.
Pull the loose ends through the folded loop.
Keep the cord centered as you pull.
Tighten the knot.
Gently tug both tails until the knot sits snug against the wooden ring.

Repeat this with all 10 pieces of white cord. Keep the knots close together along the lower half of the ring. Once they’re all attached, you’ll have 20 cord tails hanging down.

Don’t brush the beard out yet. It’s easier to work with while the cords are still neat. You’ll fluff it later, after the hat is attached.

If the knots slide around on the ring, that’s normal. Just adjust them with your fingers so they sit evenly. The hat will cover the top area and help hold the whole ornament together.

Add the bead nose so it hangs in the center

Before making and attaching the hat, get the nose ready. The goal is to have the bead hang down near the center of the wooden ring, right where Santa’s face would be.

Take a piece of red yarn and thread the bead onto it. Slide the bead toward the middle of the yarn. When you tie this yarn onto the ornament or tuck it into the hat area, the bead should hang down into the opening of the wooden ring.

Hands thread red yarn through a white bead on a wooden table, with text reading 1/2-3/4 inch bead.

You can do this in a couple of ways:

Tie the yarn with the bead onto the upper part of the wooden ring.
Tie it around part of the hat base before gluing the hat on.
Glue the bead directly into the hat area later if that feels easier.

The main thing is placement. You want the bead to sit just under the lower edge of the hat, centered above the beard. If it hangs too low at first, don’t panic. You can shorten the yarn or secure it with a dab of glue when you attach the hat.

This little bead makes a huge difference. Without it, the ornament looks like a cute gnome or winter tassel. With it, it instantly reads as Santa.

Build the red yarn hat on the cardboard tube

Now for the most satisfying part: the yarn hat. This technique is often used for tiny yarn hats, and it works perfectly for Santa’s hat because the cardboard tube gives it shape.

You’ll use the 1-inch cardboard tube section and the 60 pieces of dark red yarn.

Instead of tying one strand at a time, hold 3 pieces of yarn together for each knot. Since you have 60 pieces total, that gives you 20 groups of yarn. Each group becomes one lark’s head knot around the cardboard tube.

Hands wrap maroon yarn around a 1-inch cardboard tube on a wooden table; text reads 1 inch cardboard tube.

Here’s how to tie the yarn onto the tube:

Pick up 3 pieces of red yarn and line them up.
Try to keep the ends fairly even.
Fold the group in half.
This creates one thick loop at the folded end.
Place the loop through the cardboard tube.
Push the loop from the inside of the tube to the outside, or place it under the tube edge, whichever feels easier in your hands.
Bring the loose ends over the cardboard tube.
Feed all the yarn ends through the loop.
Pull the knot snug.
The yarn should wrap neatly around the tube.

Repeat this with the remaining yarn groups until you have 20 knots all the way around the cardboard tube. Slide the knots together as you go so the cardboard is covered.

Hands holding a burgundy skein of yarn on a dark wooden table, suggesting a calm knitting or craft scene.

When all the yarn is tied on, the tube will look like a shaggy red cuff. One side will become the brim that sits over Santa’s face, and the long yarn tails will become the top of the hat.

Braid every other set of yarn tails for texture

This step gives the hat a fuller, more finished look. You don’t need to braid every single section. Braiding every other knot’s tails adds enough texture without making the hat bulky or stiff.

Look at the 20 knots around your cardboard tube. Pick every other knot, then braid the yarn tails from that knot.

Hands twist red yarn on a wooden tool over a dark table, showing a close-up craft scene with focused care

Since each knot was made with 3 pieces of yarn folded in half, each knot has 6 strands hanging down. Split those tails into three sections and make a simple braid.

You can secure the ends temporarily with tiny scraps of yarn if you want, but it usually isn’t necessary. Once the hat is tied at the top, everything stays together.

The mix of braided and unbraided strands gives the pom-pom top a knitted look. It makes the hat look a little more handmade and cozy, which is exactly the charm of this ornament.

Tie the top of the hat into a pom-pom shape

Once the tube is covered and every other yarn tail is braided, gather all the red yarn upward. The cardboard tube should sit at the bottom like the hat brim, and the yarn should extend above it.

Hands adjust a maroon knitted scarf on a rustic wooden table.

Use a small piece of red yarn to tie the bundle near the top. Pull it tight and knot it securely. This creates the shape of Santa’s hat.

You don’t need to tie it at the very end of the yarn. Leave enough yarn above the tie so you can trim it into a fluffy pom-pom. If you tie too close to the ends, the pom-pom may look thin. If you tie too low, the hat may look tall and floppy. A good spot is usually close to the upper third of the yarn bundle.

After tying, fan out the yarn above the knot with your fingers. It may look wild right now, and that’s fine. The final trim will clean it up.

At this stage, you should have a small red hat with a cardboard brim and a gathered pom-pom top. Now it’s ready to attach to the wooden ring.

Glue the hat onto the wooden ring

Add glue inside the lower part of the hat brim. You don’t need to coat the whole thing. A few small lines or dots of glue inside the cardboard tube are enough.

Hands tying a small red yarn doll with beige legs on a wooden table, close-up craft scene

Slide the hat over the top of the wooden ring. Push it down until it reaches about the midway point of the ring. The hat should cover the upper half of the ring and overlap the top of the white beard slightly.

Hold it in place for a moment while the glue sets. If you’re using hot glue, be careful not to burn your fingers. A craft stick or the end of a knitting needle can help press the hat down without touching the glue.

Check the front before the glue fully dries:

The hat brim should sit evenly.
The beard should hang from the bottom half of the ring.
The center opening of the ring should still show a little.
The nose should have room to sit under the hat.

If anything looks crooked, adjust it right away. Once the glue is dry, it’ll be much harder to move.

Glue the nose in place

Now place the bead nose. Add a small dot of glue to the bead or to the spot where you want it to sit. Rest the bead right under the hat portion, centered over the beard.

Hands adjust a maroon knitted tassel with white cords and beads on a dark wood table, close-up.

If you already tied the bead onto a piece of red yarn, tuck or glue that yarn into the inside of the hat. Then position the bead so it hangs naturally in the center of the ring.

Press gently until the bead feels secure. Don’t use too much glue here. A tiny amount is enough, and it keeps the finished ornament from looking messy.

The nose should peek out from under the red hat, with the white macrame beard below it. This is the moment where the whole Santa face comes together.

Fluff the beard and hat

Now comes the magic part. Use a knitting needle, comb, or your fingers to separate the white macrame cord. Start at the ends of the beard and gently pull apart the twisted strands.

Hands use a crochet hook to finish a red-and-white yarn doll on a dark wooden table, focused and careful.

If your cord is 3 mm macrame cord, it should separate into soft fibers. Work slowly so you don’t yank the knots loose. Once the strands are separated, comb through them to make the beard fluffy.

Hands hold a burgundy-and-white yarn gnome doll on a wooden table, with scissors nearby.

Do the same with the red yarn hat to form the pom-pom top.

For a neat Santa beard:

Brush downward.
Hold the knots with one hand while combing with the other.
Trim only after the fibers are fully separated.
Comb again after trimming to check the shape.

The beard may look uneven at first. That’s expected. Fluffing always makes things look bigger and messier before trimming brings it back into shape.

Trim the pom-pom and beard

Hands assemble a small yarn gnome with a red hat and white beard on a wooden table, with loose yarn nearby.

Use sharp scissors to trim the top of the hat into a rounded pom-pom. Snip a little at a time. Turn the ornament as you trim so the pom-pom looks even from the front and sides.

Hands trim a small yarn gnome with scissors on a dark wooden table, showing a burgundy hat and white beard.

Next, trim the beard. You can cut it into a rounded shape, a soft point, or a straight bottom edge. A slightly rounded beard usually looks the most Santa-like.

For a round beard, start trimming the sides first, then curve toward the center. Keep checking the overall shape as you go. It’s always better to trim in small cuts than to take off too much at once.

If you want a fuller beard, leave it a bit longer. If you want a cleaner ornament shape, trim it closer to the bottom of the ring.

Once you’re happy with the shape, give the beard and hat one last gentle comb. This helps reveal any long pieces you might have missed.

Add a hanger if you want to use it as an ornament

Depending on how your hat sits, you may already have yarn at the top that can be used for hanging. If not, add a simple hanger.

Cut a short piece of red yarn, white cord, twine, or ribbon. Thread it through the top of the hat or around the wooden ring, then tie the ends into a loop.

Keep the hanger lightweight so it doesn’t pull the hat out of shape. If the loop is hidden behind the pom-pom, even better.

You can also customize the ornament with small extras:

Add a tiny bell near the pom-pom.
Use blush or pink paint on the bead nose.
Glue a small white yarn tuft to the hat brim.
Add a name tag and use it as a gift topper.
Make several in different yarn colors for a handmade set.

This is a fun project to batch-make, too. Once you’ve made one, the next few come together much faster.

Troubleshooting little things that can go wrong

If your Santa isn’t looking quite right, it’s usually an easy fix.

The hat is too loose on the ring

Add another dot of glue inside the cardboard tube and press it against the wooden ring until it holds.

The beard looks thin

Brush the macrame cord more thoroughly. You can also add two more white cords to the ring if you want a fuller beard.

The nose keeps moving

Use a tiny dab of hot glue or craft glue behind the bead. Hold it in place until set.

The cardboard tube shows through

Push the yarn knots closer together around the tube. If there are still gaps, tie on a few extra yarn groups.

The pom-pom looks uneven

Comb it out, then trim slowly around the top and sides. Think of it like giving the hat a little haircut.

A cute handmade Santa from simple supplies

Hand holds a red-and-white yarn Santa ornament on a wooden table; Wisdom Preserved text appears at the bottom.

That’s it. With a 2.16-inch wooden ring, a small piece of cardboard tube, 6 short pieces of white macrame cord, and 60 pieces of dark red yarn, you can make a sweet macrame Santa ornament that feels cozy, handmade, and festive.

The best part is that it doesn’t need to be perfect. A slightly uneven beard or fluffy hat gives it personality. Make one for your tree, make a few for gifts, or set up a little assembly line and turn your yarn scraps into a whole crew of Santas.