Creativity is a form of self-care.  It's the process of turning inward to manifest and connect externally. While most of my friends and family associate my creativity with music, I've also rediscovered my long lost love of macramé.

Macramé is a term of Arabic origin that refers to the ancient textile art based on knotting techniques, but the art form can be traced as far back as the Mesopotamian era. Sailors practiced this craft with textiles like twine and rope while at sea. Its popularity has risen and fallen throughout the centuries, with some of the most popular times in the past including the Victorian era and the 1970’s.  Today, the resurging popularity of macramé extends beyond millennials and modern bohemian lifestyles to include others who appreciate the warmth and beauty of this décor.

My interest in beads and knotted textile crafts began when I was kid.  I attended a few trade shows and festivals with a family member who sold beaded jackets and chokers at the time.  She taught me how to group colors and beads together while I practiced making arrowhead necklaces.  In highschool, I taught myself various macramé knots and patterns to create hemp jewelry.  I mostly sold my designs to local stores, fellow high schoolers, and college students.

As the hemp jewelry trend dwindled down a few years or so later, I held onto my jewelry supplies, occasionally practicing the various knots and patterns I had learned.  I knew I would utilize this skillset again in the future in some way. It finally happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, after the fast pace of life slowed down, and I was focused on healing from the grief I had experienced in recent years.  One bleak winter day, while staring at the unused yarn I had accumulated from my (very) brief attempt at knitting, I realized I should create something similar to the bohemian dreamcatchers and macramé designs I often admire.  I was so excited to dust off the cases of beads and cords I’ve held onto all these years.

Many macramé designs focus on the combination of the cord, yarn or rope material with knotted or weaved patterns, sometimes including a few wood beads. My experience with jewelry making often inspires me to utilize a unique approach to macrame décor by incorporating a wider variety of beads, materials and color into the common patterns and neutral shades.   I draw on inspiration for these from nature as well as color trends from interior decorating and even fashion.  I am also intentional when combining colors or focusing on a main color for its symbolic value. Several of the wall hangings I make use local, natural materials such as driftwood, fallen tree branches, or bamboo. Macramé has become an outlet for self-expression; it’s a ritual to help me focus on the present, like a creative meditation.

To view additional pieces I've made, visit the store on this website.