Taking Inspiration from Macramé

I believe that looking at other crafts can really inspire and inform our knitting and crocheting, just as knitting and crochet inspire other crafts. When you look at traditional lace-making, you may be inspired to replicate some of that look with filet crochet. Sewing might inform us of a certain way to construct a knitted garment. Sometimes yarncrafts inspire other crafts too, like with these fabric prints I wrote about a little while ago, as well as the work of ceramicist Annette Buganksy, whose beautiful ceramic vases are designed to look like they’re made of knitted fabrics.

In this vein, I wanted to highlight the work of Australian artist Sarah Parkes, whose complex macramé designs are incredibly beautiful and inspiring. Macramé is a craft that can enhance the ways we think about working with yarn, since it’s similar in the sense that it’s about manipulating strands of cord or yarn to create an intertwined fabric structure.

Whether you take that inspiration by using a similar crochet stitch pattern like the Solomon’s Knot (below; click the image for stitch directions), which reminded me of Sarah’s light fixture (above right)…

…or by creating knotted pieces with yarn, looking at macramé pieces can be a way to reinvigorate and inspire your own yarncrafting!

Via The Contemporist by way of 2Modern Design Talk.

Related links:

• Fabric Prints Inspired by Crochet
• Solomon’s Knot Crochet Directions