Want to Learn Macrame?

By: Diane Kelly

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.

Macrame craft spread to Europe when the Arab weavers' products were sold there. Sailors picked up the craft. They would use it to decorate the handles of knives and other objects and would then sell or barter these articles at the ports where the ship would call.

This gave a wider circulation to this craft and it spread to all corners of the world. In the course of time it became fashionable and macrame was then widely used in Victorian England and America to provide fancy trimmings for colored and black costumes in the fashion circles. 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.

Many articles such as draperies, wall hangings, bedspreads and tablecloths 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. Jewelry items such as earrings, bracelets, chokers and ankle bracelets, etc are popular as gift items.

In macrame you rely on a wide variety of knots to make a design and achieve the result, while in sewing and knitting you use needles for that purpose. There is a wide range of macram? knots, some are simple and some more complicated. It is the macrame knot that decides 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.

But learning to make knots in ropes is only half the story. You need select macrame patterns, select one that will be right for what you intend to make. A wide range of macrame patterns are available and each pattern can use only certain types of knots successfully.

The modern internet communication has made it easy for people to give and receive knowledge about macrame. There are many websites that will tell you how to macrame and give macrame instructions. 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. Like any other craft macrame 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.

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To learn out exactly how I learned to macrame jewelry please check my website about macrame cord for more tips and secrets.

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