Macrame Past, Present And Future

Macrame is an age-old craft based on tying knots. It has been around for hundreds of years, and can be traced back to the thirteenth century. It is believed that the art originated with Arab weavers. Traders spread Macrame throughout Europe. Spending long months at sea, Sailors used this craft as a way to pass time. Bartering their finished crafts allowed the sailors to obtain essential supplies in port. And so the spread of macrame continued, and the art flourished.

The peak of macrame's popularity was during the Victorian era. Macrame 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 Macrame gradually diminished. Some of these crafts never return. The art of knot tying, however, keeps coming back to life.

The craze hit again in the seventies. During that decade it was hard to find a home without a macrame plant hanger or owl gracing its walls. During this revival the craft focused more on textiles and furnishings. You would routinely find macrame hammocks, chairs and decorative accessories in people's homes.

By the time the eighties rolled around, macrame had gone out of fashion. This wasn't to last, however. With the nineties came the grunge scene. Once again the craft made a comeback, this time in the form of hemp jewelry. Macrame bracelets and necklaces could be found at craft fairs. The natural earthy look of hemp was the perfect complement to the knotted art form.

We are now seeing a revival of this ancient art form, once again. The world of high fashion has begun experimenting with it. Last year it was subtly added to fashion lines, but this year we have seen macrame pieces in Spring and Summer 2010 collections. Who would have guessed that you'd find several gorgeous macrame dresses in Dianne Von Furstenberg's Spring 2010 collection, a well known fashion designer.

The world of high fashion often leads the charge in reviving crafts and techniques of yesteryear. Get out your macrame cord and start knotting!

Macrame is the beautiful art of tying knots so that the end result is a series of ornamental patterns that create a final project. Once very popular in the 1970's, macrame is now making a huge comeback for people of all ages.

Many would ask: What is the origin of Macrame? "Macrame" is an Arabic word that means "fringe" and is derived from the early practice of knotting a fringe to a solid fabric in a continuation of knotted patterns. Eventually entire pieces of knotted fabrics were created with a texture that was perfect for altar cloths, church vestments, and doilies.

The early history of Macrame is a bit vague. There is some documentation which indicates that Macrame was done in France and Italy in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. France has produced a large amount of Macrame, and historical data shows that it was considered to be an established art.

Macrame was then quite popular in the nineteenth century among British and North American sailors who spent their long hours aboard ships tying square knots and hitch knots. Sailors made fringes for wheel and bell covers, as well as netting and screens. Many of these knotted articles were then used for barter in India and China. There are many fine examples of sailor's Macrame to be found in the Seamen's Church Institute in the city of New York.

Macrame is thought to have been introduced to Great Britain in the late 1600's by Queen Mary, who herself learned the craft in Holland. During the 1780's Queen Charlotte, wife to George III, was busy knotting Macrame fringes for court adornments. Macrame continued to make itself known around the world and many cultures already had some form of knot tying in place that they used for their native art.

Through the early twentieth century many functional objects were the focus of Macrame, such as purses, belts, leashes, lanyards, light and shade pulls, and bell pulls. At the same time, in Portugal, Ecuador, and Mexico, local artists continued to produce shawls and purses as a native craft.

In North America, through the 1960's and 1970's, Macrame became a popular craft among the hippie generation and the children of the '70s. In the 1980's Macrame interest dwindled and was soon forgotten. Not so today, as Macrame is making a huge comeback among people of all ages.

One of the reasons that macrame is becoming so popular is because it's easy enough for anyone to learn. And as you learn and master macrame knots and techniques you can advance to more complicated and incredible projects.

Macrame is a great craft to pursue if you suffer from arthritis or other disabilities. This is because tying knots helps to increase your fine motor skills and bilateral dexterity. Your joints will remain loose and strong when you put them through the motions of tying Macrame knots. As well, Macrame is a great outlet for the stress of the day. After spending just a short time tying knots you'll start to feel relaxed and satisfied with the result of your handiwork.

Once you learn the basic knots and techniques of macrame you'll be ready to start your first project. The end result will be a beautiful piece of macrame that you can keep for yourself, give away as a gift, or sell to make a profit. With a little bit of time and patience your fingers will soon be working on project after project.

For more information on Macrame including some Free Macrame Patterns check out this link: www.macramelovers.com