Macramé is an age-old craft based on tying knots using fibre cords. This craft has been around for hundreds of years, and can be traced back to the thirteenth century.The art was believed to have originated with the Arab weavers who travel through the desert and trade the products of their craftsmanship with town dwellers.
In time, the craftsmanship of macramé spread throughout Europe, attracting the fascination of everyone across the social classes. In fact, manly sailors have been known to macramé to pass away the time while spending long months at sea.
When at port, the sailors bartered their finished crafts so they could buy essential supplies before going back to their ships. And so, the art of macramé continued to flourish.
Massacre's popularity peaked during the Victorian era. Macramé lace was all the rage, and could be found on curtains, women's sleeves, dress hems, pillowcases and anywhere else that could use a little lacy embellishment.
Over the centuries, the popularity of Macramé gradually diminished. Some of the more elaborate knotting techniques were soon forgotten, leaving behind no record of their patterns and designs. The art of knot tying, however, keeps coming back to life, the passion for knotting burning continuously under the surface.
The passion for macramé heated up in the seventies. During that decade, macramé pieces were always seen everywhere. There was never a home without a macramé plant hanger or macramé owl hanging gracing its walls. During this revival period, the craft focused more on textiles and furnishings, such as macramé hammocks, chairs and decorative macramé accessories used at home. By the time the rocking and rolling eighties came, macramé had faded from people's memories.
This disappearance did not last long, however. With the nineties came the grunge scene, and once again, the age-old craft experienced a revival of sorts, although this time in the form of hemp jewellery. Macramé bracelets and necklaces could be found at craft fairs and shops. The natural earthy look of hemp was the perfect complement to the knotted art form.
Now, this ancient art form is again being resurrected, but with a bigger audience in mind. The world of Haute Couture has begun experimenting with it. Last year, it was subtly added to clothing lines from famous houses. This year we have seen macramé accessories in the Spring and Summer 2010 collections. Who would have guessed that several gorgeous macramé dresses would be seen in the Spring 2010 collection of Dianne Von Furstenberg, a well known fashion designer?
The world of Haute Couture often leads the cavalry in reviving crafts and techniques of yesteryear. The potential of macramé as a sophisticated art form in fashion is undeniable. Macramé artists are slowly being recognized as artisans of the highest order. So whip out your macramé cord and start knotting!
About the author:
Melissa Cordstone is a passionate macramé lover for more than 20 years. She loves to write about macramé knots, macramé patterns, and macramé cords to use in making macramé jewellery and macramé plant hangers.
Melissa also wrote an macramé guide called: "One Stop Macramé Shop: The How To Guide"
which you can download for a small fee
which you can download for a small fee
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