In the hands of a macramé artist, yarn and knots can create almost anything. And guided by Benetta Mickens, who creates and teaches the art of macramé at Homestead Heritage, almost anyone can experience the satisfaction of creating beautiful and functional art. As the yarn begins to take shape, Benetta can see her students’ eyes light up.
“Because you can make useful things with just a few knots, it’s very rewarding for beginners,” said Benetta. “They see their artwork become something useful right before their eyes.”
One of the earliest recorded uses of macramé-style knots appeared in the carvings of the Babylonians and Assyrians. But macramé as we know it now dates back to the Arabic weavers of the 13th century. These decorative knots created ornamental edges on Persian rugs, adding beauty while keeping the woven fabric from unraveling.
This gave rise to the Arabic word migramah, meaning “knotted fringes,” followed by the Turkish word makrama, and then to the French word we use today: macramé.
Later, Moor sailors contributed to the popularity of macramé during their voyages from North Africa to Europe, with each sailor contributing knowledge of various knots to collaborate on projects to pass the downtime while at sea. When they came into port, the items would be sold for profit and shared among those who had contributed.
Benetta was raised in the Homestead Heritage but moved to Austin for a few years before choosing to return to the community and become an artisan.
“The community here is very welcoming and supportive, encouraging me in my craft,” said Benetta. “One of the things I love about macramé is that it can be combined with many of the other crafts here. I can make plant hangers for ceramic vases, and incorporate wood, leather, steel, and fabric into my work. I get ideas when I visit the other shops of how I can incorporate their art into mine.”
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