Roped in: Macram makes a comeback with help from the Bohemian Hobo

Originally published August 20.

"I'm gonna be so sad when this is done."

Chelsea Sproulemumbledthe surprisingadmissiontoher girlfriend Ashley as the twowere seatedin a macramclass in Calgary, learning to hand-tie simple knots in one ofthe world's oldest art forms.

"I didn't want to finish it. It's actually just so much fun to sit there tying knots,"Sproule said.

She was roped in.

The craft is believed to have originated with 13th-century Arabian weavers, but truly had its heyday in the Western world in the 1970s.

Today, Sproule, a self-described "macramaniac,"is part of thecraft'srevival on the Calgary scene.

Herwall-hangings add to the bohemian flair ofKensington's Purr, while her handmade plant hangers decorate theKensington Florist.

"I wanted to get them out in the neighbourhood, and Kensington is a really supportive neighbourhood if you want to be creative."

Besides what'salready ondisplay and for sale at those local businesses,Sproulealso takes custom orders through her small businessThe Bohemian Hobo.

Necessity the mother of all invention

Sproule's inspiration struck afew months after her February introduction to macram, when herdaughter began getting intotheir potted house plants.

"I started designing some plant hangers for our home just to get them out of her reach.I got really addicted right off the bat, and it just sort of spiraled from there."

The knots themselves are simple enough, said Sproule, who recently taught herseven-year-old niece the trade.

You need nothing more than your fingers, a length of cordand a willingness to learn.

Many people, like Sproule,have likely already tried macram, perhapsin the form of a braided friendship bracelet, without even realizing what they were doing is actuallymacram, she said.

But perfecting thecraft, learning to formdifferent knots, dreaming up new ideasand watching them come to life at her fingertips is a more complicated process of trial and error, Sproule said.

The trickiest part is undoubtedly determining what length of ropeto use.

"You need a lot more rope than you would ever imagine," she said.

"What I like most about macramis that it's really forgiving. You can think up an idea, try it out, and if it doesn't work out, you can take it apart and redo it.

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