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How To Make An Easy DIY Hanging Planter Without Macrame

Growing up in the tropical splendour of a home without traditional ceiling beams and the white underside of roof tiles, I was always fascinated by the lush hanging planters that dangled gracefully from above.

While those were macrame creations my mom expertly crafted, my take on DIY hanging plant holders is made in different ways. Inspired by necessity and creativity, I’ve made unique hanging planters out of recycled materials (instead of the traditional rope plant hanger)—specifically denim and leather.

These are not your typical macrame knots hanging from the ceiling but a blend of upcycled sophistication that elevates any indoor environment. Recently, I transformed a worn-out leather sofa and used denim from old jeans to craft these bespoke DIY hanging plant holders, perfect for anyone looking to add a touch of boho vibe to their space without the complexity of traditional macrame techniques.

I also used some of that leather sofa to make a boho leather DIY vase.

You probably don’t have an old leather sofa to cut up. However, you don’t need much leather for this project. An old leather handbag or jacket (real or faux) would also work.

Upcycled Hanging Pot Holders

Crafting your own DIY hanging plant holder from recycled denim and leather is an easy project and a fantastic way to infuse your living space with a bit of greenery and style. Whether you opt for all-denim, all-leather, or a combination, these hanging planters offer a unique and personalized touch to house your favourite plants.

They accommodate different sizes of plant pots, making them versatile for any indoor environment. To keep with the upcycling vibe I used tin can planters for my DIY plant hanger. This project allows you to creatively repurpose old materials like a tattered leather jacket or worn jeans and contributes positively to sustainable living practices by reducing waste.

So, grab those simple materials, and let’s give those small plants a charming new home with your DIY touch! This is an easy way to engage your green thumb and enhance your indoor plant collection, providing a great way to integrate more live plants into your home.

recycled hanging planters

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Materials Used

  • An old piece of leather (real or faux). A piece from an old leather jacket, sofa or bag will do. You will need a piece approximately 20 cm in diameter. For a denim recycled hanging planter, you will need a piece of denim of the same sort of size.
  • Denim seams from an old pair of jeans
  • Tin can or another planter
  • Leather hole puncher or Crop-A-Dile
  • Superglue or needle and thread
  • Wooden curtain ring
  • Xacto knife and cutting mat
  • Cutting pattern, free to download here.
  • Fabric glue for the denim hanging planter only.
What you need to make indoor recycled hanging planters

How To Make A Leather Indoor Hanging Pot Holder

Step 1: First, download and print out the cutting template. This template is designed for a planter the size of a standard tin can. To make a larger or smaller hanging planter adjust the size of the pattern before printing.

Indoor recycled hanging planter cutting template

Step 2: Next, tape the template to the leather piece. Place this on top of a cutting mat. Using an Xacto knife, cut out the pattern. Cut from the centre circle out, just cutting the solid lines.

Setting cutting pattern on leather

Step 3: The dots on the template highlight where to punch the holes. Use either a leather hole punch or a Crop-A-Dile to punch holes in the leather. Leave the holes as they are or add coloured eyelets.

Hole punching the leather

Step 4: To hang the recycled hanging planters use denim seams from an old pair of jeans. However, a leather thong or twine would work just as well.

Cut four denim seams so they are all the same length. Thread one seam through the hole in the leather and then either sew or glue it in place. Repeat with the other three seams and holes.

Attaching the denim seams to the plant holders

Step 5: Secure the other end of each denim seam to the wooden curtain ring. Again, use a needle and thread or superglue to hold it in place.

Attaching denim seams to wooden curtain ring

Step 6: Finally, you only need to add the tin can planter. Putting pebbles in the bottom of the tin can planter will not only help with drainage. The weight will also help the indoor recycled planter hanger hang well.

indoor recycled hanging planters

To add the Boho look to these recycled indoor hanging planters, how about adding tassels? Here, you can see how to make denim tassels.

Indoor leather recycled hanging planters

How To Make Denim Recycled Hanging Planters

I also made some recycled hanging pot holders out of denim scraps and leather. To prevent the denim from fraying, I covered it with fabric glue. Once the glue has dried, I cut out the denim plant holders in the same way as the leather pot holders.

I cut strips of leather for the denim plant holders to use as the hanging string. Again, you can use denim seams or twine for this.

how to make denim recycled hanger planters

Again, I added an upcycled denim tassel to the bottom of the recycled hanging planters.

upcycled denim hanging plant holder
Recycled leather hanging plant pot

The velvet upcycled planters I made also look good with these hanging plant pot holders.

velvet hanging tin can planters

Other Planter Ideas

You could also use other upcycled fabrics, such as old t-shirts and sweaters, to make these hanging plants.

I used real plants in these upcycled planters; however, if you don’t have green fingers, I have a great tutorial for DIY tropical paper leaf plants that will look just as good in these planters. You also can make a fun embroidered canvas of a hanging plant.

For other wall-hanging vase ideas, check out these broken China teacup DIY wall vases and these cute plastic bottle planters.

If you liked these Boho recycled hanging planters, you will probably like these other Boho and leather craft ideas.

Interior Design

Sunday 10th of January 2021

Thank you so much. It is really so simple to make it. I loved boho vibe to much!

Claire Armstrong

Monday 11th of January 2021

Thank you, yes very quick and easy to make.

Puppy Foodie

Tuesday 14th of April 2020

i will try from an old pair of jeans

Claire Armstrong

Tuesday 14th of April 2020

Good luck and have fun.

Cecilia

Monday 6th of May 2019

Such a fun planter, Claire! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!

Claire Armstrong

Tuesday 7th of May 2019

Thank you, Cecilia. I'm pleased you liked them.

Maria

Monday 6th of May 2019

Great diy project and love the recycling! And the fact that it offers another way to display plants makes my heart sing! Thanks for sharing.

Claire Armstrong

Monday 6th of May 2019

Thank you, Maria. You can never have too many plants.

Julie

Sunday 5th of May 2019

Very cool, I saved our old leather sofa too, I've been able to use it for all sorts of things! These are a really fun twist on traditional macrame.

Chona Doria

Friday 8th of March 2024

@Julie,

Claire Armstrong

Sunday 5th of May 2019

Thank you, and a lot easier than macrame.