Macramé, the hottest trend that everyone is talking about... but when and where did it all begin? It’s not as new as you might think! Macramé has been around for hundreds upon hundreds of years – well, at least in the form of the art of decorative knot-tying. It’s been found through multiple cultures across different countries and times, and dates back to at least the third century.
The Origins
It’s believed that “13th-century Arabic weaving inspired the decoration we know today, while others trace the art back to third-century China,” according to Timeline. Once the Europeans began to set sail, they started to create knots that were essential to the maritime trade during the 17-1800s, popularizing the different knot ties. Still, they did this without attributing this to any particular source, and knots “...were considered ’common property,’ and grew into a worldly folk tradition.” The English sailors, of course, were not the only ones to introduce this style to the world, as Hunker explains,
“The Moors introduced the Arabic knot-tying technique to Spain, which they occupied up until the 15th century, and it eventually made its way to France and Italy. In the 17th century, Queen Mary II of England taught her ladies-in-waiting how to macramé; nearly 200 years later, during the reign of Queen Victoria...the art form was all the rage.”
The Macramé style fell silent over the next couple hundreds of years, but became all the rage again in the 1970s. The bohemian, vintage era was perfect for this style to come back, and in this time, “just about everything you could imagine could be and was made from macramé,” because who doesn’t love knots shaped in unique designs to fit your favorite things and beautiful decor?
After falling silent once again for some 30-40 years, Macramé is back again! Over the past couple of years, the hobby has found itself all over social media, including Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube, and Etsy, of course. As Hunker writes, this style has come back because “Modern bohemianism not only encompasses fashion and home decor, but an entire lifestyle focused on personal growth, spiritual development, and the importance, particularly for women, of practicing ‘self-care.’” Creative expression, the satisfaction of making things, and the fun of sharing one's creations all contribute meaningfully to this modern ethos.
At Solid Oak Inc., we have our own selection of DIY Macramé kits, which include everything you need to create beautiful wall decor pieces and are perfect for beginners and experts in macramé alike. Macramé is the perfect hobby. You can enjoy the meditative qualities by yourself or bond over the craft with your friends and family members. All you need are some scissors, a little bit of time, and the will to create something beautiful. We’ve also most recently added our newest collection of Macramé Plant Hanger Kits, which are easy to make, and are perfectly designed to hold your favorite plants. You can find our entire Macramé collection here: https://bsyl.ink/macrame
Of course, if you have photos of your beautiful macramé creations, especially ones with our products, be sure to tag and follow us @solidoakinc and use #solidoakinc, and we might even share it!