Macrame is an ancient art of decorative knotting, weaving and plaiting dating back as early as the Babylonian period. It was used in history worldwide for practical purposes, fishermen used macrame to make netting material used for holding objects.
Macrame comes from the Arabic word
“migramah.” Migramah is the detailed decorative fringe on camels and horses. It
also came from the Turkish word “makrama” which meant the way in which towels
and fabric was secured at the edges.
Macrame became more of a decorative art and was especially popular in 16th century
Italy, where knotted lace became a specialty art in Genoa. Detailed fringe tassels and lace-like knotting adorned the edges of furniture.
Macrame became popular in the Western world around the 1960s
and 70s. It was a decorative and functional way to make clothing and furniture like plant holders and hammocks.
Another subgroup of macrame is micro-macrame,
which involves intricate beading and smaller materials used for making jewelry.
Macrame is most popular now as jewelry, clothing, and
accessories.
Macrame is a meticulous art that requires personal creativity and innovation. It can be used to make one of a kind detailed pieces using beads and precious stones. Macrame is fun for both beginners and experts and uses relatively inexpensive materials.
XOXO,
Deanna
Historical information courtesy of: http://macramecollective.com/news/?p=553
Images courtesy of the following sites, in order of appearance:
http://thetextileblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/macrame-decorative-work.html
http://italian-needlework.blogspot.com/2010/04/tassels-and-macrame.html
http://smittenbyaknot.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Monsoon-Ombre-Macrame-Crossbody-Bag.jpg
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