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Friday, July 15, 2005

MacrameSuperStore: Macrame Books

MacrameSuperStore: Macrame Books: "Macrame Books



The Weekend Crafter

Item #JG5799 Includes 20 great projects. Create beautiful and charming projects from decorative home accents to jewelry. Includes the best knot guide we've ever seen ! A full 80 pages of great information. Published by Lark Books Author Jim Gentry."


Oooooh same site has some awesome Macrame books - check em out if you haven't already.....:)

Plant Hanger Pattern - Simply Sweet

Macrame Super Store - Macrame Project: Plant Hanger: "Basic Plant Hanger Macrame Project


Materials:
44 yards of either 4mm or 6mm Bonnie Braid Cord
One 2' brass ring
Four 22 x 32mm oval wood beads
Sixteen 16mm round wood beads

Instructions:
1. Cut 8 cords at 5 yards each, and two cords at 1 yard each.

2. Center the eight 5 yard cords through the 2' ring. Using one of the 1 yard cords, tie a wrap knot around all cords directly under the ring.

3. Divide the long cords into four groups of four cords each. With each group:

Tie 9' of Half Square Knots, put all four cords through a 22 x 32mm bead, and using the longest cords for tying, tie another 9' of Square Knots.

4. Drop down approximately 5' and tie on row of Alternating Square Knots. (This joins all 4 sinnets). Drop down 3' and tie another row of alternating Square Knots. Drop down approximately 3' and using the last one yard cord, tie a wrap knot around the cords.

5. Put a 16mm wood bead on each cord end at desired length, tie an overhand knot to secure under each bead. Cut, seal ends with lighter

I thought this might be fun for those looking for a relatively simple Macrame Pattern....thanks to Macrame Super Store
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Moorish Macrame Stands The Test Of Time

Crafts, Traditions and Art of the Sea: "A Short History of Macrame
Macrame, the modern art of decorating with knots, is believed to have originated with 13th-century Arabian weavers. They knotted the excess thread and yam along the edges of hand-loomed fabrics into decorative fringes on bath towels, shawls, and veils. The original meaning of the Arabic Migramah, from which the word macrame is derived, is variously rendered as 'striped towel,' 'ornamental fringe,' and 'embroidered veil.' As a result of the Moorish conquest the art of macrame was taken to Spain, and from there it spread throughout Europe. It was first introduced into England at the court of Queen Mary, the wife of William of Orange, in the late 17th century.

Sailors played an important part in keeping alive and spreading this exported Arab art. From China to the New World they sold or bartered their own novel macrame objects made during the long months at sea. Macrame remained a popular pastime with 19th- century British and American seamen, who called it square knotting after the knot they most preferred in making their hammocks, bell fringes, and belts.

Macrame reached its zenith during the Victorian era. Sylvia's Book of Macrame Lace, a favorite at that time, urged its readers 'to work rich trimmings for black and coloured costumes, both for home wear, garden parties, seaside ramblings, "

I had no idea Macrame had such auspicious beginnings and colourful history - I am off on the hunt for Slyvia's Book....... :)

How to Make Money From Macrame

How To Start and Run a Profitable Craft Business: "CHANGING THEMES FOR BETTER SALES: THREE EXAMPLES

Example 1:

Macrame items are generally sold in plant shops, and sometimes in furniture stores. One clever artist, with declining sales, decided to work his macrame craft into a different marketing theme. This artist drilled holes in wooden 'ABC' baby blocks, which he used as beads in his macrame to make a plant hanger for a baby's room. He sold this idea to an exclusive department store that displayed his product with baby furniture rather than in the plant section. He thus transformed his macrame work into a new product and fitted it into a new marketing theme, where it found its natural outlet with other baby accessories."

How's this for a great idea? Gets you thinking....how many of you are interested to learn more about how to make money through your Macrame? Thank you to Mother Earth News for providing the article.......

Johnny Depp's Macrame Owl Fascination!

USATODAY.com - A shared taste for the surreal: "'At times, it's as if our brains are connected by some invisible hot wire that can shoot sparks at any second,' says Depp, who became close friends with Burton after Scissorhands. 'Growing up, we weren't all that dissimilar. We both have an odd fascination with things that were considered supernormal in the '70s. We can talk for hours about how people had resin grapes on their dinner tables. Macrame owls were widely accepted as normal. But as kids, we were both going, 'Ew, really gross.' '"

He must have seen the blog, read it then spoke to USA today - how freaky is that - on the same day as I post a link to Macrame Owls, Johnny Depp refers to his fascination with Macrame Owls....we'll just choose to ignore the 'really gross' comment now wont we - he he :)