Pages

Monday, October 12, 2020

The Macramé Tree

This is how I would make a macramé tree using this picture as a guide:

Select the cord. Find cotton twine or cord from a knitting or weaving shop. Find your old box of beads and select as many as you count here, or more or less. I'd be inclined to disassemble some old jewelry and use those beads.

The coarser the twine the more realistic the look as bark, but the harder on your hands. Birch trees have lovely smooth bark, like a good cord.

Find a hoop. I estimate the twine lengths as 4 times the diameter of the hoop. 

Elmer's glue. Small binder clips or clothes pins, to hold unfastened twine ends.

Draw a sketch of your tree and branches. The number of branches are the number of twine lengths to cut. Fold each in half and set aside, with the beads. Wind from the cut ends to the fold, into a neat ball.

This hoop is wrapped over and over with the twine. Start by wrapping a whole lot of cord on a bobbin or thread card, for ease of handling.

Use a dab of Elmer's to fasten the end of the twine to the hoop. When it is dry, begin wrapping the twine around the hoop, packing it firmly as you go. Glue down the finish end. Consider this the top point. There is a hanging cord here.

Now set the branches. This tree has branches spaced around half the diameter. That makes a nice bower of branches. 

Set each branch by putting the the folded and balled twine branch around the hoop, passing the rolled ball through the half way fold and pulling snug. This tree has half its branches on each side of the hanging cord.

At this point hang the hoop somewhere sturdy, like a towel holder or curtain rod. All the floating twine branches should be accessible for ease of working. 

Slide beads on one strand of the twine, according to your sketch. Twist the cord before and after the bead to hold it in place. Roll the twine in your fingers, or pass it front to back to front to back. Follow your sketch or the picture to determine when and where to braid.

When the braided trunk reaches the bottom of the hoop, begin tying off the twine. Begin with the middle twine and work to the end.

Wrap the twine once around the hoop, once around itself, pulling the end through and snugging up. When all is to your satisfaction, put a drop of glue on each knot.

******************************************************

This is how I would go about making the tree hoop. Please feel free to post this anywhere you want, add instructions or instructional drawings, but not attributed to me. Have fun.

23 comments:

  1. It is a lovely piece, but reading your instructions my eyes and my mind started to glaze over. I think I would need to try it before it made sense (if that makes sense).

    ReplyDelete
  2. I do knit these all the time, but I always tune out when I read "glue" I'm a slop-pot with glue of any kind. I usually stick to stuff like unmentionables for a few days after. But it is a lovely piece.

    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hari OM
    It's late. Am bookmarking this page! YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. It reminds me of those 'dream-catchers' that hippies liked so much. A naughty comic here called them 'wet dream catchers'.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You are amazing! I tried to work this out in my mind when you first posted it and I was working from the bottom up. After reading your directions I realize working from the top down is the way to go. Thank you Joanne! I don't know if I have what it takes to make this but I would like to try.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That Roman shade I made started with a bizillion cords dangling from the first dowel. The cords went on that way, and it probably is how the cords go on for any macrame, whether it starts on a ring or a pole.

      Delete
  6. That is very clever, and looks beautiful. I wish I were just a little bit crafty. (or brave?) Like Tom, I think it looks like a dream catcher.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I see a tree. That probably is because the Ojibwa have issued a strong objection to "dream catchers" as appropriation of their cultural and sacred items. Their dream catchers are round, with feathers and beads and a spiderweb of threads in the center. There was low rumbling way back in the seventies, and most people didn't pay much attention then. I probably read it in Mother Earth News. I never made a dream catcher, but I can't say it was because I understood cultural appropriation.

      Delete
  7. Thank you, Joanne. I'm going to make one in good time for Christmas. Off to Spotlight this morning to buy supplies!

    ReplyDelete
  8. OK... I’m seriously impressed. That is absolutely beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love that. I did a lot of Macramé back in the 70’s to help me deal with stress. Maybe it’s time to get my twine out again.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What great instructions Joanne. I'm tempted to try that again

    ReplyDelete
  11. That's so cool, but I have fumble fingers. That's why I buy cool stuff from artists.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Interesting how you can create an interesting tree.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Cool looking!! Thanks for the info about it!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm sure a lot of people will have fun making their own tree of life from these instructions. Not me. I'm hopeless at this sort of thing. I do love looking at them though.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love the tree but am pretty sure I don't have the skill or patience.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great instructios. I want to give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I wouldn't have the skill set for that.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I supposed braiding can be considered macrame. in that case I macramed my hair for decades. the twins and I made a dreamcatchers back when and mine hangs by my bed. I can understand the Ojibwa objection to mass production of their sacred objects for profit. perhaps the exception could be the individual who makes one for their own use knowledge and respect. are we never to learn and grow and choose our own spiritual path? am I relegated to the christian theology I was raised with and that dominates my culture even though I have rejected that theology and path? some of us are born into a culture/spirituality that fits and some of us are not. I was not.

    ReplyDelete