.png)
Macrame, pronounced ‘muh-kraa-mee’ is thought to come from the Arabic word for towel, ornamental fringe, or embroidered veil. It is the recognised term for the art of using knots instead of knitting or weaving to create functional and decorative items.
Macrame consists of a series of knots particularly reef knots or hitching knots in cord. Traditionally several materials were used such as cotton twine, jute, yarn, or hemp. Today, specialise macrame cord is widely available.
Where does macramé come from?
It is generally agreed that Macrame was first brought about by Arabic weavers around the 13th century. Due to its versatility, it soon spread reaching the shores of Northern Africa, China, Europe, and the US. Helped along by the sailors of the time who used it as a way of passing the time on long voyages.
Since then, it has had many revivals in the UK; from being used by Queen Mary in the 17th Century and later in the 1970’s in the form of wall hangings.
What do you need to make Macramé?
There are 3 basic things you need for Macrame:
- 3 ply cotton rope
- Sharp scissors
- Masking tape
- Hoop or Dowl rod to hold your work
Once you get going and start to develop your skills your designs can be embellished with wooden or decorative beads. You can also expand on how you ‘hang’ or use your work but starting with a simple dowl rod is the easiest and most flexible for beginners.
What macrame cord should you use?
This is probably one of the most common questions people ask about macrame.
In modern macramé, the most popular is a twisted 3-ply cotton cord. It’s strong so suitable for most projects. Soft so is easy to work with but rigid enough to hold your work. If you’re working on a project where you’ll need to hold a lot of weight you can also get 6-ply.
Cord comes in several thicknesses usually ranging from 3-6 mm. When you’re starting out it doesn’t matter which you choose. Generally, the thickness you need will depend on the weight the macrame piece will be holding and how fine you want your work to be.
A project like a chair would need a thick macramé rope, whereas a coaster would only need 3mm 3ply.
Can you use yarn or other materials for macrame?
In essence, you could use any type of yarn or cord that you can knot. However, it all comes down to what the use will be, the look you’re trying to achieve, and how strong it needs to be.
Macramé rope - As mentioned above you can get a macrame rope which is much thicker and great for furniture projects where a great deal of strength is required.
Yarn – although it can be used you won’t get the same effects. As yarn is traditionally finer and softer than macrame cord you won’t see the definition of the knots.
String – A think household string can be a great way to try out your first knots. You won’t have the clean refined look of a specialist macrame cord but it will give you a feel of how to create the knots.
Hopefully, this has answered some of your questions.
If you’re looking for a more guided project with all the materials Craftship supplies a range of kits suitable for everyone to try