Want to get started with macramé? Isabella Strambio shares her five top tips for beginners.
Team Mollie should be renamed team macramé — we love everything about it, from its 70s vibe, to the texture it adds to homes, clothes and accessories. Our latest issue features swoon-worthy heart macrame bunting by Isabella Strambio of twome, so who better to share some beginner tips with us? Over to Isabella...
1. Start simple
I would recommend you start with a simple pattern, using just square knots, as your first project. Macramé bunting or a v-shaped wall hanging are both simple to make but look impressive too! Check out our basic macrame knots for a step by step guide to each knot.
2. Find your tribe
Get involved in your local making community and search for local craft shops and cafes, which usually hold meet ups. Social media is also a great platform to learn new techniques, share tips and meet other macramé fans. You can also find other makers through hashtags! We've gathered a load of hashtags for macramé so you can find your tribe.
3. Choose the right material
Rope is the best material for beginners to start with. It’s not as stretchy as wool or cotton yarns, and is ideal for trying out knots, and mastering tension and spacing.
4. Keep going
It’s all about perfecting your techniques and getting all your knots to look the same. Spacing and tension are very important, especially when using the same knot to create a pattern as you can easily see any unevenness. We've got a great beginner macrame wall hanging project for you to test your skills out on.
5. Attend a workshop
To learn all the above, extra knots and plenty of tricks, I highly recommend attending a workshop! You can save lots of time and go home with a beautiful piece, ready to show off. Two me offers macramé bunting, plant hanger or wall hanging workshops in London and Hampshire.
For even more macrame goodness check out our DIY garden chair project and learn how to make a macrame plant hanger with our tutorial.
About Isabella Strambio
Former interior designer Isabella is a self-taught maker. She started her blog, twome, in 2016, tracking her journey of learning 12 different crafts in 12 months. Isabella believes in sharing what you learn, and now she runs her own craft workshops. You can find her on Instagram.
