Macramé

Synopsis Not just for plant holders, macramé became the handicraft of choice for the flower children decade. The hippies embraced nature, and anything hand done was considered a valuable art, as opposed to the mass commercialism of machine manufacture. The 60’s returned to handicrafts and folk-inspired fashions, and the decorative thread knotting from Arabic lands inspired a macramé revival.

An exotic textile borrowed from the East, Macramé had been a popular choice for home décor in 19th century, with delicate doilies and fringe trim on curtains and furniture. Macramé is a series of weaving and knotting, much like crochet or Chinese knotting, to create intricate textiles. Macramé could be done on a large scale, with coarse cotton or jupe rope to create hanging planters, but the real delicacy of hippie macramé was found in clothing and jewelry.

The ethnic handicraft was translated into open-weave dresses and tops (and, why not, pants and bathing suits) that played peek-a-boo with the body underneath. Intricate circles were woven together, much like the patterns of a spider’s web, to form body-hugging garments of romantic style.

Macramé also made interesting jewelry when woven as belts and bracelets or used as a foundation for beading. This interesting process incorporated beads by cradling them into the open spaces, then weaving a frame around them.

The delicate craft faded after its 60’s/70’s revival, but what citizen of those decades didn’t have a handmade macramé owl hanging on their wall, or at least a potholder?

Sub Categories girl's apparel