Macrame Appreciation Thread
Hello everybody!
Macramé is the middle of a resurgence in the arts and crafts world and I wanted to create a little thread for fellow macramé-enjoyers. Whether you have a lifetime of macramé crafting yourself, have loved ones who used to enjoy the craft, or if you just think it's generally a pleasant vibe - please share it here.
Maybe we can share photos of creations we enjoy (with credit to the artist) or something - it depends on what the mods of this subcommunity think would be appropriate, but what do you all think? 😊
I had no idea this resurgence was going on.
What I do these days may or may not count as macramé as I don't tie too many knots...for me it's a kind of therapeutic practice more than anything else. Were I capable of meditation, this might count. Here's a couple snapshots of a belt I've been working on:
@slowdecline48
I think this is super cool! Yeah, macramé has a long history of appearing in a variety of forms. I don't see why this couldn't be included. Great job!
@GermanZebraCupcake Thanks! It isn't quite done yet...the belt is about 95% complete at this point. If or when I make another one, I plan to do it a little differently.
Now that my posts have broken the ice, let's see what others here are doing. C'mon, folks...there's gotta be other people in this community who mess around with cordage!
Yeah I see a ton of macramé items on etsy and elsewhere nowadays. I have a macramé table runner at my desk area and also a valance. The overall effect is very relaxing to me, and I actually feel happier after making those changes in my space. Fiber art has a way of softening and warming the whole feeling of the room 😄
Somethin' else I did, way back in 2018:
I bought a parer for food prep/kitchen fun. It worked well enough, but then the rubber coating on the handle started coming off. The handle itself is plastic...I didn't feel like replacing the whole thing. That would've been a bit much. But I did peel off the cheap coating. Then I grabbed a blue 4-strand braid I made even earlier & epoxied it on. It didn't cover the whole handle so I did a 3-strand one out of dyed black hemp, & put that on. Over five years later, the handle is intact after plenty of peeling & chopping of vegetables & fruits.
@GermanZebraCupcake
I haven't done macrame in a few decades now.
Although I have recently been looking at making myself a set of handfasting cords and one of the designs I considered was Celtic knots, though I am more partial to a Celtic braid pattern I found instead of knotting. Either way I may end up with some cord in the house so I'm sure macrame will ensue.
Thanks for reminding me I need to get some cord, and sharing this topic! 😂
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
What are handfasting cords?
@slowdecline48
Basically they can be any form of long decorative ribbon or cording used for a handfasting ceremony. (Handfasting is an ancient Celtic ritual in which the hands are tied together to symbolize the binding of two lives.)
Interesting. I didn't know about this, @EmotionsListener...
After you've made these handfasting cords, we gotta see some pics!
My first attempt at macramé was this small wall-hanging that took a bit of a bewildering turn. Like I have no idea why on earth it got wider at the bottom, haha! I think that it still looks pleasant when I hang it from a door knob.
This is your first attempt, Zebra?? 😳 Moses on a friggin' pogo stick...
You're an ambitious man, I'll give you that much. The first thing I ever did was a four-strand flat braid, self-taught...
It looks fantastic for a first effort, too. The widening at the bottom is a typical hazard for macrame, IME...all you can do is keep the whole thing snug with equal tension on every cord you're working with.