The history of macrame and its modern revival

Macrame is the craft of shaping textiles through knots, loops and braided cord, rather than crochet or knitting every loop onto one yarn. Its history traces practical ropework becoming decorative language, moving between workshops, fashion, homes and online creative communities. Its roots are often linked with ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Arabic textile practices, yet no single inventor or unbroken lineage can be proven.

Today, a wall hanging may contain only a few repeating knots, while those knots carry a long history of travel and adaptation. Contemporary makers use cotton, linen, hemp, recycled fibres and plant cords for interiors, clothing, jewellery and community events. The revival is driven by visible craft, slow fashion and the pleasure of making something by hand.

Ancient roots and textile exchange

Many histories begin with ancient Egypt, where fringes and knotted trims appear in tomb paintings and funerary objects, before moving through Greek and Roman decorative arts. These examples demonstrate the importance of cord and fringe, although they do not prove that one identical macrame technique existed across the ancient world.

The word macrame is commonly linked to Arabic makrameh, associated with fringe or braid, while Turkish oya and related trimming traditions developed independently nearby. Knots such as the square knot and half hitch offered a durable way to finish edges, and their geometry suited borders, panels, clothing and household textiles.

Knots that travelled across cultures

Trade, migration and courtly fashion carried these techniques through North Africa, the Middle East and Iberia into European workshops. Late medieval records mention knotted fringes, and by the sixteenth century macrame appeared in Italian and French dress, curtains and ecclesiastical textiles. Materials shifted from strong hemp rope to silk, linen and fine cotton.

Rather than travelling unchanged, the craft changed with each maker. A thick cord suited naval and rustic objects; silk and linen enabled delicate collars and trims. French designers helped popularise the spelling macramé, and nineteenth-century pattern books translated specialist techniques into reproducible steps for domestic makers.

Victorian fashion and maritime knotting

In the Victorian era, macrame became part of formal home decoration and needlework education. Instruction sheets and magazines offered patterns for tablecloths, curtains, bed hangings and clothing trims, usually taught through diagrams of square knots and coils. It was domestic work, decorative work and, for some makers, a reliable supplementary income.

Macrame also acquired a maritime reputation through the wider world of ropework. Sailors used practical knots, rope decoration and macrame-like structures for shipboard objects, while later craft books framed knotted cord as nautical. This association expanded in the twentieth century, even though classic macrame was not simply a sailor’s invention.

The 1970s craft boom

The major revival came with the craft boom of the late 1960s and 1970s. Cotton cord, jute and natural dyes fitted bohemian interiors, while plant hangers, wall panels, bags and jewellery became popular through craft shops and handbooks. Learning the knots offered a route to self-sufficiency and personalised decoration.

That period also widened the audience for handmade goods, although some commercial patterns flattened motifs from many cultures into a generic “tribal” aesthetic. Contemporary makers often respond by tracing the sources of borrowed designs, crediting traditions and treating macrame as one part of a much wider textile history.

The contemporary maker’s toolkit

Present-day macrame ranges from delicate jewellery to large wall sculptures. Artists experiment with cord tension, knot density, texture, natural dyes, beads and mixed materials, including wood, leather and metal. Recycled cotton and hemp appeal to buyers seeking durable homewares with a lighter footprint, while custom colour and scale support premium commissions.

Digital galleries and short video tutorials have accelerated the revival, turning a complex-looking wall piece into a sequence of repeatable knots. In a mixed-media textile session, fabric markers can add colour to a fabric panel before it is joined to knotted cord, joining two tactile crafts.

Macrame in the Australian creative landscape

Australian makers encounter a particularly lively handmade market. Events such as The Finders Keepers, weekend stallholder markets in Melbourne and Sydney, and pop-up shops in Brisbane give independent labels direct access to customers. Melbourne’s laneway studio culture suits a craft that can move between a shared worktable and a homewares display.

Sydney’s coastal lifestyle has made rope, canvas and natural-fibre décor familiar in homes and hospitality spaces. Brisbane’s humid summers influence breathable cotton and linen choices, while Perth’s intense sun makes thoughtful storage and protection important for displayed fibres. Community workshops commonly bring together tea, conversation and a shared make-and-take project.

Respectful context matters in this setting. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists have longstanding, distinct practices in fibre, basketry, textile and sculptural work. Macrame is a global knotting technique rather than a single Indigenous Australian tradition, so contemporary studios can support clear attribution and give First Nations artists space to present their own work on their terms.

Make macrame part of your creative practice

Macrame is approachable because its core vocabulary is small. Learn the square knot, half hitch and two basic coil structures, and you can build a planter, panel, bag or necklace. Repetition develops rhythm and confidence, while workshops provide the useful correction and conversation that online tutorials sometimes cannot.

Smart and Becker Creative brings design services, textile and embroidery workshops, exhibitions, artist showcases, curated handmade products and private appointments together in one studio. Its consultations, product development, marketing strategy, brand coaching and business incubation also help creative entrepreneurs move a handmade idea toward a sustainable venture. Choose a workshop, meet the makers and begin with a knot you can see, wear, use or sell.