Sarah Durant - Macramè: A Complete Guide To Macramè, Including Unique And Updated Patterns, Illustrated Projects For Beginners And Advanced, And Exclusive Ideas For Your Home & Garden

Macram

A Complete Guide To Macram, Including Unique And Updated Patterns, Illustrated Projects For Beginners And Advanced, And Exclusive Ideas For Your Home & Garden

Text Copyright [Sarah Durant]
All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Legal & Disclaimer

The information contained in this book and its contents is not designed to replace or take the place of any form of medical or professional advice; and is not meant to replace the need for independent medical, financial, legal or other professional advice or services, as may be required. The content and information in this book has been provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.

The content and information contained in this book has been compiled from sources deemed reliable, and it is accurate to the best of the Author's knowledge, information and belief. However, the Author cannot guarantee its accuracy and validity and cannot be held liable for any errors and/or omissions. Further, changes are periodically made to this book as and when needed. Where appropriate and/or necessary, you must consult a professional (including but not limited to your doctor, attorney, financial advisor or such other professional advisor) before using any of the suggested remedies, techniques, or information in this book.

Upon using the contents and information contained in this book, you agree to hold harmless the Author from and against any damages, costs, and expenses, including any legal fees potentially resulting from the application of any of the information provided by this book. This disclaimer applies to any loss, damages or injury caused by the use and application, whether directly or indirectly, of any advice or information presented, whether for breach of contract, tort, negligence, personal injury, criminal intent, or under any other cause of action.

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INTRODUCTION

Taking a typical everyday space is the vision of most homeowners, and turning it into a space that will amaze tourists. The use of art made of macram knots is a perfect way to make this dream come true. The art you put in your house should tell you all about yourself and your personality. With so many artwork options made with macram ties, there's no doubt you will find anything that fits your personality and style. The best thing is that all these artworks are handmade, so they are all one-of-a-kind creations, and will definitely delight your visitor the next time they enter your home.

These pieces of art can be found online, and whoever can tie knots can also make them. Now I know that most of you think of the macram your grandmothers used to make. I know that if I think about macram, the first thing that comes to my mind is the plant hangers from the early '80s of the late '70s. But the art that I'm talking about is made from materials that include cotton, hemp, nylon, and manila cord. Such various materials are used by the artist, making this art to seal bottles, create floor mats, bell ringers, coasters, needle cases, etc ... It's not difficult to find things made with macram knots to match with any decor you have in your house with the range of materials used. These pieces of art can then be placed in your home, particularly any room with nautical decor, to add some special touches.

Decorations that can accentuate any shelf, wall, or bar are good to have. Wouldn't a Rum bottle decorated with macram knots look 100 times better than the same old, drab bottle sitting in a bar or shelf? Imagine pouring a drink from a rope-covered bottle for a friend, then handing them their drink to put on a coaster made of rope, all this after they came into your house and also rubbed their feet on your rope-covered floor mat. Finally, a home decor that is really one of a kind, and now, instead of the other way around, the Jones will keep to you. What we all want is a space with a lovely focal point, and art created with macram knots will build the focal point in any space. Having these complex artworks will bring an aura to your space, and people will want to know where you got them from. The next time you buy pieces of art to decorate your house note that Macram Knots are no longer your grandmother's art.

Contents

Macrame is a textile-making process that does not involve the traditional weaving or knitting system, but rather a series of knots. It is assumed that the Arab Weavers started in the Western Hemisphere as early as the 13th century. They would tie the excess yarn and threads into decorative fringes on the ends of hand-loomed fabrics for sheets, veils, and shawls. What I find fascinating is that sailors were the ones who really made this popular and were credited with spreading this art form across the ports they would stop at to various countries. The handles of knives, bottles, and other things available on the ship would be painted and used to barter for anything they wanted or needed when they reached land. Also, sailors made belts and hammocks with a method called "square knotting" in the nineteenth century.

Commonly used fabrics for macrame are cotton twine, hemp, leather, or yarn. The main knots are the square knot, full hitch, and double half hitches, but there are variations. Jewelry is mostly created by mixing beads, shells, rings, or gemstones with knots. When you look at several of the friendship bracelets worn by school kids, you'll find they were made using macrame.

I came across the Cavandoli Macrame when I was reading up on the simple knots that are widely used to construct macrame. This design is made of two colors' consisting of two simple knots reversed to make a stiffer kind of fabric that works well for table mats, purses, book covers, and so on. Cavandoli Macrame is named after Valentina Cavandoli, who was awarded a gold medal of appreciation in 1961 before she died in 1969 at the age of 97. In Italy, this particular lady became the headmistress of a house for the poor and/or orphaned children in Turin at the end of the First World War. It was an area where up to 100 children between the ages of 3 and 15 could be housed. She taught them an art she had learned from her great grandmother, macrame, to help keep the kids occupied. The kids would create things to be sold in charity markets, and accurate records of each child's income would be kept and distributed when they left home. Sadly, the home where she was Casa del Sole only lasted until 1936 when it was too difficult for the home's benefactors to proceed because of the political situation in Italy.

The passion for macrame appeared to disappear for a while, but the American neo-hippies and grunge crowd made jewelry popular again in the 1970s. Through handmade necklaces, anklets, and bracelets adorned with handmade glass beads and natural objects such as bone and stone, this craft has also been featured.

Macrame is an enjoyable craft to try, and with a limited budget, you can continue. There are plenty of free or affordable patterns and some great ways to get books started. That would be a great craft to include your kids, grandkids, or anyone else.