macramé

lace

Also known as: macrame

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Also spelled:: Macrame

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macramé, (from Turkish makrama, “napkin,” or “towel”), coarse lace or fringe made by knotting cords or thick threads in a geometric pattern. Macramé was a specialty of Genoa, where, in the 19th century, towels decorated with knotted cord were popular. Its roots were in a 16th-century technique of knotting lace known as punto a groppo. In the 1960s macramé became a popular craft and creative art technique in America and in Europe. It has been used to create lampshades, plant hangers, hammocks, window coverings, and wall hangings.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.