Learn How To Macrame
Macrame is an ancient textile-making craft which uses knots on thread or twine or hemp instead of weaving or knitting. It was used by Arab weavers of hand-loomed fabrics in the 13th century used to knot the excess yarn along the edges of the fabric and make them into fringes on bath towels, shawls and veils to give decorative effect.
Along with the weavers products the macrame craft also traveled to Europe. Sailors picked up the craft and started using macrame to decorate the handles of knives and other objects; they used to sell or barter these articles at the ports where the ship would call.
This spread the craft to four corners of the world. In the course of time it became quite fashionable and popular. Macrame was being widely used in the fashionable circles of. Victorian England and America to provide fancy trimmings for colored and black costumes Items such as belts and hammocks also were commonly made in macrame.
In the course of time the craft of macrame fell out of fashion when mass produced goods became cheap and were easily available. Now it has become fashionable again and is gaining popularity. Macrame easily lends itself to different projects easily. A wide variety of items from and from jewelry to Christmas decorations and from plant hangers to furniture are being made in macrame.
Jewelry items such as earrings, bracelets, chokers and ankle bracelets, etc in macrame are popular as gift items. Many furnishing articles such as draperies, tablecloths, bedspreads and wall hangings in macrame are very popular and in great demand. Small jean shorts, plant hangers and flower pots are some of the other items that are very much in vogue
In sewing and knitting you use needles to achieve the result and make a design; in macrame it is determined by the knots. You use a wide variety of macrame knots. Some knots are very simple and some are quite complicated. Macrame knots determine the pattern that will emerge when you make macrame.
There are various different types of macrame knots such as larkshead knot, square knot and granny knot, etc. Sliding knot and figure-of-8 climbing knot are some other commonly used macrame knots. Tying the macrame knots is a skill which you can develop with practice.
After learning the knots you need to select suitable macrame patterns; you must select a design that will be right for what you are trying to make. There are many macrame patterns that are available. Only certain types of knots can be used successfully with a particular pattern.
The modern internet communication has made it easy for people to give and receive macrame instructions. There are many websites to tell you how to macrame. They specialize in imparting macrame instructions with detailed illustrations or photographs, many websites provide tutorials telling how to macrame so that even a novice can learn such arts and crafts easily. Basically macrame is a craft that can be learnt only by practicing it. More and more people, especially women, now want to learn this ancient craft. Some want to learn it as a hobby and some even think of making a career out of it.
