Macrame

Macramé or macrame is a form of textile-making using knotting rather than weaving or knitting. Its primary knots are the square knot and forms of hitching (full hitch and double half hitches). more...

Home
Bead Art
Cake Decorating
Candle & Soap Making
Cardmaking & Scrapbooking
Ceramic & Pottery Making
Children's Crafts
Crochet
Cross Stitch
Embroidery
Fabric
Floral Supplies
Framing/ Matting
Glass Art Supplies
Hand-Crafted Items
Knitting
Lacemaking
Latch-Hook/ Rug-Making
Leathercraft
Mosaic
Other Crafts
Basket Making
Beekeeping
Calligraphy
Macrame
Metalworking/ Metal Crafts
Shellcraft
Spinning
Weaving
Painting, Drawing & Art
Paper Crafts/ Origami
Quilting
Rubber Stamping
Sewing
Tapestry & Needlepoint
Woodworking

It has been used by sailors, especially in elaborate or ornamental knotting forms to decorate anything from knife handles to bottles to parts of ships.

Cavandoli macrame is a variety of macrame that is able to form geometric patterns and/or free-form patterns like weaving.

Common materials used in macrame include cotton twine, hemp, leather or yarn. Jewelry is often made in combination of both the knots and various beads (glass, wooden, etc.), pendants or shells. Sometimes 'found' focal points are used for necklaces, such as rings or gemstones either wire-wrapped to allow for securing or captured in a net-like array of intertwining overhand knots. Leather or fabric belts are another accessory often created via macrame techniques. Most friendship bracelets exchanged among schoolchildren and teens are created using this method as well.

For larger decorative pieces such as wall hangings or window coverings, a work of macrame might be started out on a wooden or metal dowel, allowing for a spread of dozens of cords that are easy to manipulate. For smaller projects, push-pin boards are available specifically for macrame, although a simple corkboard works adequately enough. Many craft stores offer beginners' kits, work boards, beads and materials ranging in price for the casual hobbyist or ambitious craftsperson. Vendors at theme parks, malls and other public places may sell such macrame jewelry or decoration as well.

Read more at Wikipedia.org