The Perfect Pairing

Ellen C. Wells

Wine and cheese, tomatoes and basil, sunsets and oceans—perfect pairings, am I right? Horticulturally, I would add houseplants and macramé to the list of duos that just naturally go together. Separately, plants and macramé are wonderful in their own right. But together, the combo hits it out of the park. Macramé—the resulting product of tying knots in an artistically stylish way—is just as popular now as it was in the 1970s.

So why wouldn’t you want to put them together in your houseplant department? It’s a no-brainer to promote the pair. One way to do that is with the new book, "Modern Macramé: 33 stylish projects for your handmade home," written by sought-after macramé artist Emily Katz. Based in Portland, Oregon, Emily is a creative consultant, designer and teacher who has created custom installations for the likes of Microsoft and Ralph Lauren, and has been featured in lifestyle and fashion media outlets worldwide.

The book, named after her business, offers projects that crafty customers can make to combine contemporary style with this traditional art form. Projects include everything from wall hangings to baskets, light fixtures to rugs—and yes, plant hangers, too. "Modern Macramé" is published by Ten Speed Press and can be ordered from Penguin Random House (800-733-3000).

In addition to the book, Emily’s business also offers rope, beads, dowels and other supplies for DIYers, as well as DIY kits for plant hangers and wall hangings and downloadable patterns. Emily will even travel to teach workshops! Find out more at www.modernmacrame.com.

Department Display Ideas
• Macramé Book
• Plant Hangers
• DIY Kits
• Winter Workshops
• Macramé Artist “On Duty”

Photo Credit: Reprinted with permission from Modern Macrame: 33 Stylish Projects for Your Handmade Home by Emily Katz, copyright (c) 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Text and tutorial photographs (c) 2018 by Emily Katz; Interior design photographs (c) 2018 by Nicole Franzen