Joyful Socks Mom: Enriching Everyday: The Macrame Project

4/29/12

Enriching Everyday: The Macrame Project

The kids and I have been inspired recently by one of our Resale Shop finds. The Reader's Digest Book - Crafts and Hobbies: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creative Skills. The book cost me a whole $1.00 bill! It contains a smattering of creative skills to learn like crochet, macrame, leatherworking, weaving, spinning, and basketry just to name a few.

This book has been a great spring board for our handicraft work this spring, and I thought you all might like to come along for the ride. Our newest handicraft skill to add to our proverbial tool-belt is Macrame. Which I see is making a comeback.

The first project we tackled was this Macrame Key-chain. It was a great project for teaching the basic knots in macrame and practice.

Here is the tutorial from That Artist Lady blog that we used: Key Chain

Here is are the Square Knot basics, with a little verse to help us remember the steps in our knot. Here are the verbal instructions I gave to the Bug:

1. Starting with Yarn 1 and working from left to right (just like you read)

2. You jump over the alligator (Yarn 2 and Yarn 3)

3. Then you go under the little bridge (Yarn 4)

4. Now you start with Yarn 4 and work back, right to left.

5. Now you go back, under the old rickety bridge (Yarn 3 and Yarn 2)

6. And up through the tunnel (Yarn 1) and back out the other side.

7. And now, the birdie flies up to the sky.

The next project that we are working on is macrame jars to make hanging planters . . . I know, it sounds totally 70's but it is really turning out lovely. We are working on our Macrame Herb Hanging Garden as a team. I find the Bug especially does better with her handiwork, if mom is working on the same type of project. So the big kids and I are getting the larger project done, while the little one is working on her basics.