The History of Macramé:
JOURNEY AROUND THE GLOBE
Macramé – def: a form of textile-making using knotting rather than weaving or knitting. Cavandoli macramé is a variety of macramé used to form geometric and free-form patterns like weaving. Macramé has been around at least 400 years BC, and may in fact be 30,000 years old as a technique. Although most texts say macrame began with Arab weavers in th
e 13th century, the art of knotting dates back to China during the Warring States period (481 to 221 BCE) or farther back during the Northern Dynasties period (581 to 317 BCE); However, the Arabs were the reason for the propagation of macrame in Europe. They traveled throughout most of the continent from the deserts in the Middle East to towns near Asia and Africa. Like the Arabs, the Chinese used decorative knots on ceremonial costumes, silk paintings, lanterns and decorative wall hangings. Eventually, sailors picked up the techniques and integrated it with their own knot tying methods. One of the earliest recorded uses of macramé-style knots as decoration appeared in the carvings of the Babylonians and Assyrians. Fringe-like plaiting and braiding adorned the costumes of the time and were captured in their stone statuary; This refers to the decorative fringes on camels and horses which help to keep the flies off the animal in the hot desert regions of northern Africa. 13th-century Arab weavers and artisans knotted excess thread and yarn along the edges of hand-loomed fabrics into decorative fringes on bath towels, shawls, and veils. The Spanish word macramé is derived from the Arabic migramah (مقرمة), believed to mean "striped towel", "ornamental fringe" or "embroidered veil." In Turkish, the word makrama means “napkin” or “towel”. Macramé traveled from northern Africa to Spain with the Moors. Under the rule of the Moors up to the 15th century, The Spaniards learned the art of macrame from the Moors. This fusion of two cultures helped spread Macrame further to France in the 15th to 16th centuries. In the 16th century, Macrame was brought to Italy and the region of Liguria. Punto a groppo (Italian for “knotted lace”) was originated in Italy. Punto a groppo is type of lace made without bobbins (weights), and is usually incorporated geometric patterns. At the same time, macrame became popular in England in the 16th century. It was introduced into England at the court of Mary II in the late 17th century. Queen Mary taught the art of macramé to her ladies-in-waiting. By the 17th to 18th centuries, Macrame was spread well-throughout Europe. Sailors made macramé objects in off hours while at sea, and sold or bartered them when they landed, thus spreading the art to places like China and the New World. Nineteenth-century British and American sailors made hammocks, bell fringes, and belts from macramé. They called the process "square knotting" after the knot they used most frequently. Sailors also called macramé "McNamara's lace". The sailors already used the reef knot, or the square knot, for rope tying. Soon, the sailors combined the square knot with other types of knots to make beautiful patterns in their works. They made useful items, like bell pulls, lanyards, rope ladders and steering wheel covers, as well as adornments like hats and belts. They sold their works at each port they stopped, bringing the art of macrame to people in different countries. At the same time, another group of travelers also exposed many countries to macrame. These were the missionaries, whose vestments were decorated with macrame. Nuns and monks made table mats, covers and religious vestments using macrame. Macramé was most popular in the Victorian era. Sylvia's Book of Macramé Lace (1882), a favorite, showed readers how "to work rich trimmings for black and colored costumes, both for home wear, garden parties, seaside ramblings, and balls—fairy-like adornments for household and under linens..." Most Victorian homes were adorned by this craft. Macramé was used to make household items such as tablecloths, bedspreads and curtains. Macramé had lost popularity as a craft in the United States by the Art Deco period (1920's-1930's), but it was still going strong in South America and Italy. Macrame regained popularity among the Americans in the 1960's and 1970's crafting scene, as a means to make: wall hangings, clothing, bedspreads, tablecloths, draperies, plant hangers and other furnishings. By the early 1980s macramé had again begun to fall out of fashion in the United States as a decoration trend; However, this new millennium, the art of knot tying has returned, in newer and more revolutionary forms, such as fashionable dresses, accessories, jewelry, hats, bags and belts. The current trend of Micro-Macrame is in one sense a throw back to the Victorian fascination with knotted lace forms, but at the same time an evolution up from the hemp-macrame of the 60’s. Macrame has evolved into, and is rapidly becoming, respected as a valid art form in it’s own right; not only for the sorts of things that were produced in the past, but for new departures in the genre. In a repeat of history, like the end of the 70’s when it was used in haute couture, it has again been used by many large designer houses like Dior, Ferragamo, Chanel, Alexander, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana etc. Macrame dresses can be seen on Rodeo Drive, the Boulevard St Michel, Es-Cana market in Ibiza, Cafe Gijon in Madrid’s Paseo Castellana /Gran Via, Shepherds Market In London’s prestigious Mayfair, the Trevi Fountain and other watering holes for the chic and fashionable. Macrame is also becoming more in evidence as a hobby with items made as presents for friends and being sold in online stores.
“Macrame”
This is “standard” macrame using some of the old 1970’s style, but usually with improved design and variety of materials.
“Micro-Macrame”
This form is where fine cords, more usually thick threads, (which were not universally recognized as appropriate for macrame in the past), are used to create very precise and well-designed pieces of jewelery, fiber art, baskets and other items. It must be said that the predominant use of micro-macrame is in jewelery, IE: bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, anklets and the like. A not too exhaustive look around this site will yield plenty of examples to show the versatility and beauty of this facet of macrame work.
“Cavandoli-Macrame”
This is another rapidly spreading type of “macrame” which owes it’s existence to weaving and basket-making, both of which use this technique of using half-hitches to create many different objects. an early exponent of cavandoli work, who has, alas, passed, is Luis Cienfuegos, who made huge wall-hanging tapestries of cavandoli work. The Kenyans, Ghanaians and Navajo Tribe in North America are extremely well-known for their cavandoli-style basket-wares.
“Macrame-Sculpture”
Yet another facet of macrame’s capacity for diversity and flexibility that is becoming more and more common. There have been exhibitions all over the world of macrame as “pure” Art. There was Japanese guy who had an exhibition of enormous masks, a lady in England using her macrame in avant-garde sculpture, free-standing abstract sculptures of all sorts abound, imitations of iconic objects like the beefburger and ice-cream sundae, chess sets and candelabra are just some of the choices modern makers are now choosing to produce.
