Thread by @PulpLibrarian

Today in pulp I look at the wonderful, exciting, passionate world of macrame!

I kid you knot... #SaturdayVibes

Macrame is a way to make textiles by knotting - rather than weaving or knitting - yarn. It's very versatile! If you like owls...

It's also very old: the Babylonians and the Assyrians used the techniques to fringe their costumes.

Macrame comes from the Arabic word miqramah, meaning ornamental fringe. It was a popular way to finish creating a towel or shawl and spread throughout Europe in the 17th Century.

The Victorians certainly loved it, and no 19th Century parlour was complete without a hefty dose of macrame lace decoration.

Sailors certainly loved a bit of knotwork and would macrame the hell out of anything they could find on board: rum bottles, knife handles, bilge rats...

So it seems odd that today we mostly remember macrame as an embarrassing throwback to the 1970s, along with tie-dye, Mungo Jerry and The High Chaparral.

But macrame was a big thing back then: self-sufficiency, a rejection of materialism and an over-fondness for arts and crafts all played a part in the '70s macrame explosion!

Some 70s macrame is pretty funky...

...and some, er, isn't!

But you'll be pleased to know that it hasn't gone away, and it can make a lot more than wall hangings and plant pots. Garden furniture for instance...

Is it tricky to learn? Well that depends if you can tie a knot or not! It's certainly no harder than crochet once you get the hang of it.

So let's hear it for modern macrame: the ancient skill that's perfect for those long lockdown evenings!

Just don't go too mad...