Macramé cord can shrink, particularly when it is made from cotton or another natural fibre and becomes wet.
The amount of shrinkage varies between products. It can be affected by things like the cord material, how it was made and whether it was washed or treated before being sold to you.
Synthetic cords such as polypropylene are generally less likely to shrink under normal conditions.
Will Cotton Macramé Cord Shrink?
Cotton cord may become slightly shorter or change shape after it’s washed. Heat and vigorous washing can make this even more noticeable.
A finished macramé project might also look uneven while it’s wet. Knots can tighten, fringe can become tangled and different sections may dry in slightly different positions.
This doesn’t that every cotton project will shrink significantly, but it is worth checking the cord manufacturer’s care instructions before you attempt to wash it.
How Can You Reduce Shrinkage?
Use cool or lukewarm water and avoid a hot tumble dryer unless the cord supplier says that this is okay.
Hand-washing is usually gentler than putting a macramé item through a normal washing-machine cycle. Reshape the project carefully while it’s damp, straighten the fringe and let it air-dry.
For a project in which the final measurements are important, wet and dry a short sample of the cord first. You can then measure it again to see whether it has actually changed at all.
Macramé cord doesn’t always shrink, but natural cotton cord is more likely to change than a weather-resistant synthetic cord. Testing a sample is the safest way to find out how your particular cord will behave before you commit to a project and find out the hard way!