The Art of Macrame

Macrame nearly went the way of the dodo bird, but just like shag carpet and wide leg pants, macrame is making a huge comeback from the 70's. There's a whole new generation of macrame enthusiasts, due to the growing interest in hemp jewelry making, and an interest in natural materials.

There's an elegant twist on this fun and easy craft, called micro-macrame. The difference between macrame and micro-macrame has to do with the size of the cords and beads used. Micro-macrame uses finer, delicate cords for a very modern look and feel. Due to the smaller size of the cords, it is recommended that before you get started in micro-macrame, you are familiar with the basics of macrame. The reason is because it is much easier to work with larger cords and materials, so this is the best way to learn before advancing to the micro-macrame level.

There are several basic macrame knots you need to learn first, and these are easy to learn. The overhand knot, the square knot, the half knot, the lark's head and the half hitch. Once you've mastered these basic macrame knots, you will be able to create endless variations and combinations with just these few knots. Knotting does require some practice in order to get the knots uniform and be able to make even rows, but once you have that down, you are ready to move on to the next level.

Once you have mastered the basic  macrame knots, you are ready to move on to micro-macrame, and create gorgeous jewelry using the silky cords (more like thread) and beautiful glass beads. You can also create a more natural style of jewelry using hemp. You can also use leather, silk, cotton fiber, rattail and flax to create your designs. Once you have the basic knots down, the possibilities really are endless!

One of the great benefits to this hobby is that you are able to get started with your craft with a minimal investment in tools and materials. Unlike other wire jewelry or knitting and crocheting, you can easily make macrame jewelry projects on the go. You won't need rolls of wire and assorted tools to work on your projects, you can easily work in your lap with nothing more than a padded clipboard and some very basic supplies.

Macrame is a fantastic craft and has made a big comeback for good reasons: it's easy to learn, inexpensive and simple to do. In no time at all you'll be knotting your way to stunning pieces.

Melissa Cordstone

Melissa Cordstone is a passionate macrame lover for more than 20 years. She loves to write about macrame knots, macrame patterns, and macrame cords to use in making macrame jewelry and macrame plant hangers. She owns a blog at http://www.macramelovers.com and works hard to build a strongly knotted community of macrame lovers from around the world.

Melissa also wrote an macrame guide called: "One Stop Macrame Shop: The How To Guide"
which you can download for a small fee   

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