Mindful Macramé

Isabella is a macramé artist and author who has turned her love for knotting into a business after the success of her blog, which followed her journey to learn 12 crafts in 12 months. She is inspired by design, natural materials and textures, and her passions are reflected in her work.Her mission is to share her macramé knowledge and encourage her students to explore their creativity through the art of knotting as well as promoting macramé as a form of mindfulness, having witnessed the benefits first-hand.Isabella runs online macramé courses and live events as well as experiences to help women connect and explore their creativity. She regularly contributes to craft magazines and blogs in the UK and US with easy-to-follow macramé patterns, knots and creative inspirations. Her website www.isabellastrambio.com is packed with ‘all things macramé’ as well as information on how to turn a craft passion into a creative business.Follow Isabella on Instagram @_twome

• The roots of macramé 8Introduction 8How to use this book 18Mindful macramé projects 22Creative moments 24 - Triangle wall hanging 26, Wooden spoon 32, Car diffuser 38, Flowers 44, Knotted hair clip 50, Necklace 56, Belt 62, Trivet 68, Keyring 76Boost your creativity 84 - Coaster 86, Heart wall hanging 94, Plant hanger 102, Floral moon 110, Placemat 120Creative journey 128 - Feather wall hanging 130, Basket 140, Coiled wall hanging 154Tools 162Materials 164Knots 166Patterns 173Acknowledgements 176

“Macramé is yoga for the mind,” according to this soothing manual. Strambio (Macramé Christmas) describes how the repetitive knotting involved in macramé helps her focus and “connects me to myself,” and she provides 17 projects aimed at fostering that meditative state of mind. They’re organized according to the amount of time required to complete them, with the bulky necklace made from lark’s head knots and the trivet created from double half hitch knots estimated to take less than 30 minutes. Intermediate projects that require less than an hour include a coaster, place mat, and plant hanger, while the most complex projects, which take more than an hour, include a coiled wall hanging, another hanging resembling a large feather, and a stout basket. Each project features reflection prompts encouraging readers to ponder such questions as “what colour do you feel today” and “what are you anxious or feeling negative about.” Breathing exercises urge readers to envision moonlight “wrapping you up in a warm and safe hug,” a butterfly “gently breaking” out of its cocoon, and roots sprouting from one’s feet and reaching into the earth. The prompts and exercises add a meditative spin on what would otherwise be a fairly straightforward macramé guide. This will help crafters unwind.