Roped in: Macramé makes a comeback with help from the Bohemian Hobo
Kensington boutiques proudly support art form's comeback, with plant hangers and wall murals on display
Originally published August 20.
"I'm gonna be so sad when this is done."
Chelsea Sproule mumbled the surprising admission to her girlfriend Ashley as the two were seated in a macramé class in Calgary, learning to hand-tie simple knots in one of the world's oldest art forms.
"I didn't want to finish it. It's actually just so much fun to sit there tying knots," Sproule said.
She was roped in.
The craft is believed to have originated with 13th-century Arabian weavers, but truly had its heyday in the Western world in the 1970s.
Today, Sproule, a self-described "macramaniac," is part of the craft's revival on the Calgary scene.
Her wall-hangings add to the bohemian flair of Kensington's Purr, while her handmade plant hangers decorate the Kensington Florist.
"I wanted to get them out in the neighbourhood, and Kensington is a really supportive neighbourhood if you want to be creative."
Besides what's already on display and for sale at those local businesses, Sproule also takes custom orders through her small business The Bohemian Hobo.
Necessity the mother of all invention
Sproule's inspiration struck a few months after her February introduction to macramé, when her daughter began getting into their potted house plants.
"I started designing some plant hangers for our home just to get them out of her reach. I got really addicted right off the bat, and it just sort of spiraled from there."
The knots themselves are simple enough, said Sproule, who recently taught her seven-year-old niece the trade.
You need nothing more than your fingers, a length of cord and a willingness to learn.
Many people, like Sproule, have likely already tried macramé, perhaps in the form of a braided friendship bracelet, without even realizing what they were doing is actually macramé, she said.
But perfecting the craft, learning to form different knots, dreaming up new ideas and watching them come to life at her fingertips is a more complicated process of trial and error, Sproule said.
The trickiest part is undoubtedly determining what length of rope to use.
"You need a lot more rope than you would ever imagine," she said.
"What I like most about macramé is that it's really forgiving. You can think up an idea, try it out, and if it doesn't work out, you can take it apart and redo it.
With files from Evelyne Asselin