From the page: One curtain, a thousand lives
Idea 6
Window macramé with unraveled threads
Macramé was born with Arab sailors who braided knots in their idle hours aboard, creating nets, ornaments, and belts without any needles. Everything depends on friction between the knots: when tightly pulled, they hold on their own, without glue or stitching.
What you need
- Cotton curtain (the heavier, the better)
- Fabric scissors
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Something to hold your work while you knot it (towel rack, chair back, or a broom handle between two chairs)
- A comb or wooden dowel to align the fringe
How to make it
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1
Unravel the curtain by pulling the weft threads one by one (or cutting and pulling) until you have threads 4 to 6 times the size of the final piece — long threads avoid splices in the middle of a knot.
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2
Fold each thread in half and attach it to the support with a lark's head knot: pass the ends through the fold and tighten; this is the knot that anchors the whole work.
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3
Divide the threads into groups of four and make square knots — half to the right, half to the left — alternating the center threads; this knot is the basis of almost all macramé and doesn't slip.
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4
Work in rows down the length, creating larger gaps between rows so the piece stays airy, like a lacy curtain.
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5
At the ends, tie a simple knot in each thread (or in tufts) and trim everything to the same length for an even fringe.
Finishing touches
Thread a thin wooden dowel through the first row of knots for easy hanging at the window. If the threads get wrinkled, lightly dampen and comb them to align the fringe.
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