July 31, 2020
Macramé is an ancient textile craft technique. It consists of using a variety of knots, which are combined across several ends of yarn, either to create decorative fabrics and trims, or finer cords like friendship bracelets and garlands.
It is thought that it may have originated in the middle east with its earliest appearances in carvings dating from the Babylonians and Assyrians in the 14th century. Others speculate that it could have been around even earlier, starting in 3rd century China as more simplistic knotting techniques, the most famous knot being the Pan Chang Knot (or the Chinese Knot as it is commonly known in Western cultures). The Chinese even used knots of varying complicity to record events and make governmental agreements!
It has since moved its way into cultures around the world, from the Moors travelling through Northern Africa into Europe, European sailors exploring the New World, to Queen Mary II’s England. Falling in and out of fashion over the years, it still remains popular and is widely used today.
Macramé is an incredibly versatile craft and can have many applications, in a wide range of materials. We have started off with a simple project using an easy to handle, thick cotton cord and a single repetitive knot, to create these summertime coasters. Here is a list of everything you will need to follow our video and make some for yourself. We think they are the perfect accessory for a summer picnic or BBQ in the garden, for that lovely big glass of Pimms!
To create 2 coasters, you will need:
- 1 ball of Rico Cotton Cord will make 2 coasters (see measurements below).
- Sharp Scissors
- Ruler
- Fine-tooth Comb
- Darning Needle
Pre cut lengths as follows:
Main strand: 150cm
Starting strands: 5 x 75cm
Cut lengths in progress:
2nd round strands: 65cm
3rd round strands: 55cm
4th round strands: 45cm
5th round strands: 35cm
