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TRANSCRIPT
PROJECTS: MACRAMÉ CURTAIN craftzine.com/04/macramecurtain
80 Craft: Volume 04
MODERN MACRAMÉ CURTAINBy Cathi Milligan
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81Craft:
Macramé, the art of decoratingwith knots, can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was created by Arabs. Excess thread was knotted along the edges of fabric to create fringe and decoration. Through conquest and trade, the craft of macramé workedits way around the world. But what most people think ofwhen they hear the word “macramé” are those plant holders made out of jute from the 70s. Macramé is so much more than that! There’s jewelry and belts and curtains, and yes, evenplant holders. This project uses simple knots,supple suede lace, and sparkling beads to create a very modern macramébeaded curtain that will make anydoorway or window fabulous!
GET KNOTTY WITHSUEDE AND BEADS.
Cathi Milligan is an L.A.-based crafter who dabbles in many mediums, including glass bead-making and macramé. She’s been seen on DIY Network’s Jewelry Making and Craft Lab demonstrating some of her fine crafts. beadbrains.com
» North American sailors long
ago used to spend many hours
using macramé to make netting,
screens, and fringes for wheels
and bell covers during long
months at sea.
» On The Brady Bunch episode
“A Room at the Top” (1973), Greg
Brady finally gets his own room
in the attic. Greg transforms it
into a 70s-style bachelor pad,
complete with beaded doorway.
» Cavandoli macramé creates
geometric patterns through
techniques similar to weaving.
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PROJECTS: MACRAMÉ CURTAIN craftzine.com/04/macramecurtain
82 Craft: Volume 04
TO MAKE THE 3'×6'MACRAMÉ CURTAIN
[A] A 3'×6' macramé board
or a large table
[B] Curtain rod
[C] Masking tape
[D] Small glass jar
[E] Scissors
[F] Card stock for bobbins
[G] Suede lace 400 yds
[H] Beads (200–300) of varied size, shape, and color I used glass beads, but any beads will work. NOTE: The hole in the bead must be big enough to accommodate 2 or 4 strands of the suede.
[NOT SHOWN]
Finials (optional) if you are making your own curtain rod
Epoxy (optional) to attach finials
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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½" plywood, 4'×8' sheet You’ll cut two 3'×3' pieces for the macramé board, then use the leftover pieces (1'×6' and 2'×4') to make a stand for the board.
Saw
Hammer and nails
Wood fi ller
Sandpaper
Primer and paint
Paintbrushes/rollers
Paper rulers (8)trimmed to fit
Double-sided tape
Clear acrylic paint
Clear varnish spray
Pencil
Piano hinge with screws
Vinyl-coated hooks (2)to hold curtain rod
Hacksaw or handheld rotary power tool with cut-off blade such as a Dremel
Power screwdriver
TO BUILD A 3'×6'MACRAMÉ BOARD (OPTIONAL)
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83Craft:
KNOT A SUEDEMACRAMÉ CURTAIN
Most macramé projects are done on 12"×18" boards made of a soft particleboard, but this project requires a larger board, 3'×6', made of plywood. You can also do this project on a large table, but the macramé board lets you see how everything is hanging. If you choose to use a table, go to Step 2.
1. MAKE YOUR MACRAMÉ BOARD (OPTIONAL)
Time: 2–3 Weeks Complexity: Easy
START
1a. Cut two 3'×3' pieces of plywood, and fill the crevices with wood filler. Sand the board twice before priming the surface. Two coats of primer are sufficient, and then 2 coats of paint. Good attention to the board now will prevent your suede from snagging when you’re working.
1b. On one side of each board, attach paper rulers to all 4 edges with double-sided tape, and seal with clear acrylic paint. Draw a grid with a pencil in 1" increments, then seal with clear spray. The grid assists quite a bit in measuring the spaces between knots.
1c. Connect the 2 boards with a piano hinge that has been cut down to size. A hand power tool with cut-off blades works well; you can also use a hacksaw. Wear eye protection. Screw in vinyl-coated hooks at the top 2 corners to hold the curtain rod.
1d. Use the leftover plywood to make a stand for the board. Trim the 1'×6' piece to make an upright measuring 54" tall, 11½" wide at the bottom, and 9" wide at the top, tapering on just one side. This creates a slight angle that allows the board to lean back while hanging on the stand. Attach the upright to a 1'×1' base, cut from the remaining scrap. Sandwich 2 wood strips around the bottom of the upright (mine measured 1½"×11½"×½"), then drive nails through them all to attach the base securely.
Hold the macramé board against the upright at the height that you’llwant to work. Where the top of the upright meets the board, nail 3 small pieces of wood in an upside-down U shape as shown, so the board can be slipped onto the stand and hang there. I put hand weights on the base behind the board to hold everything in place.P
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