Saturday, April 30, 2016

Parachute Cord and Hemp Twine

     Many people are familiar with macramé being used for hemp jewelry and acrylic or nylon fibers for flower pot hangers, but a new trend has arrived, using an old common square knot - parachute chord! Macramé can also be applied to this medium. The square knot is demonstated in the Square Knot Video Tutorial.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

A Brief History and Origin of Macramé

     Macramé originated as a form of textile production that utilizes knots rather than employing methods of weaving or knitting. There are three main knots: the square knot, the half hitch knot, and the double half hitch knot. Cavandoli macramé is a form that mostly uses the half hitch knot anforms geometrical patterns, and is commonly found in friendship bracelets.
     The word itself, macramé, is possibly derived from a thirteenth century Arabic word for fringe, which was "migramah", or from a similar Turkish word "makrama", which translated to napkin or towel.
     Originally used for sailing, macramé was depicted in a fancier fashion for decorative purposes in engravings of Babylonians and Assyrians, who wore garments with braids and fringes. The Moors from North Africa brought the art of macramé to Spain, where it quickly spread to France, followed  by most of continental Europe. It reached England by the seventeenth century, where Queen Mary instructed her ladies-in-waiting on macramé techniques.
     Macramé is most revered in North America as something invented and popularized by the hippy subculture. This art of knotting to create jewelry, fabric, plant hangers, candle holders, clothing, wall hangings, hammocks, etc. is actually far older than often assumed. These three amazing, yet simple knots have withstood the test of time, since the thirteenth  century, and can survive for several more generations for anyone precocious enough to learn.

Monday, April 25, 2016

   This month, on my youtube channel, I am featuring videos on basic macrame knots. You can view them and subscribe here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC9J_MBv6sT_9DsbuN2UXRbQ
     For those that do not like to do it themselves, many great handmade products can be found at https://etsy.com/shop/HippyHempShop and on hippyhempshop.ecrater.com at amazingly low prices. There, you will find beautiful hemp jewelry, tie dye, candles, soaps and more, all with hippy chic style


Saturday, April 23, 2016

Macrame and Hemp Jewelry

   
     For everyone that desires to learn how to macrame and create beautiful pieces of hemp jewelry, I will be adding step by step tutorials on basic, macrame techniques. I will also be posting links to macrame instructional youtube videos within the next week or so.
     For anyone that does not have the time and money to invest in learning macramé how to macramé, visit us at https://etsy.com/shop/HippyHempShop and hippyhempshop.ecrater.com. Thank you for viewing my post. Bookmark this site for more information on macrame, tie dye, candles, soaps, and more
   

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

     The sixties was a time for peace, love and understanding, as well as some sex, drugs, and rock and roll. It was a decade that brought about legends like Janis Joplin and the Beetles, as well as trendy fashions, such as tie dye, bell bottoms, and macramé.
     It is a lost decade, but you can reminisce with trendy, handmade hemp jewelry, tie dye, macramé, and more at the HippyHempShop on Etsy.
     Visit us today at https://etsy.com/shop/HippyHempShop