Читать книгу Macrame for Home Decor - Samantha Grenier - Страница 6

Macramé has some extensive ancient roots, but it went into dormancy after a brief craft boom in the 1970s. Sure, sure, there have always been a few knot tyers around, but the general focus turned to knitting and crochet, then onto making cute and kitschy plush toys. Only recently has macramé been creeping back onto the scene.

Fancy materials are not required for macramé. It doesn’t need to be expensive either. Cotton is a favorite material of mine and many other knot tyers out there, but it can be pricey. There are alternatives, such as poly blends, hemp, or jute. If the project is not going to bear any weight (such as with a wall hanging), yarns may be used as a substitute. In this book, I list a few alternate materials that can be used project-to-project. The main objective for this book is that something beautiful can be made with materials sourced inexpensively and locally.

NOTE TO BEGINNERS

Tackle any project! Sit down with a couple rolls of cotton crochet yarn and test out each knot. The more you practice, the easier the projects will be.

NOTE ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL

I ranked these projects from level 1 to level 3 based on the quantity of knots used and commitment time required to complete. None of the projects in this book are especially difficult to pull off because all the knots practiced on their own are straightforward.

• Knotty Level 1 = Project can be completed in a couple hours (no more than 4) and/or only requires 1 to 2 knots.

• Knotty Level 2 = Project can be completed in an afternoon (4 to 8 hours) and/or requires 2 to 4 or more knots.

• Knotty Level 3 = Project can be completed over a weekend (minimally 12 hours) or longer, and/or requires 3 or more knots.

KNOTTING WITH CORD

I use both universal yarn weights and cord diameters throughout this book. To measure the cord thickness, hold a ruler across the cord to capture the diameter.

When working with longer lengths of cord, form butterfly infinity bundles to prevent tangling. This will also shorten the length of working strands so that you’re not endlessly tugging on a piece of string to complete a single knot.

TENSILE STRENGTH

Tensile strength refers to how much weight a cord can bear before tearing. This is something to keep in mind while making plant hangers and swings. Hangers are typically suspending the weight of whatever it’s hanging. When suspending a plant, bear in mind the weight of the potted specimen when it’s watered, plus the weight of the pot. As a safety precaution, it is best to keep potted plants under 12" (30.48cm) wide. Suspending the hanger from a stable hook is a must, too. The plant hanger depends on the stability of the ceiling mount just as much as the strength of the cord itself.

Most cords purchased through hobby and craft shops don’t offer tensile weight notations, but recommendations are noted for each project in this book. Suggestions are often noted for type of cord (such as acrylic yarn or cotton braid) and either the yarn weight (worsted, bulky, etc.) or thickness measurement. Projects using thinner cords often require a number of strands that will be combined with knotting or braiding to stabilize the finished piece.