KOCHI: Macrame, the ancient craft technique has a history that dates back to the 13th century. With time, creative artists gave the knotting style different forms — textile, decor, bedspreads, bohemian style wall hangings, accessories, plant hangers, and what not! For illustrator Sinu Rajendran, using varied knot styles to create art pieces was just another hobby, until she started her venture, Knot Stories.
Though the Kozhikode native is known for her personalised macrame dolls and owls, the versatile artist can customise any design or style. “I used to do macrame wall hangings and Mandela long back, during those days, the technique was just a hobby. Last year, after delivering my baby, Janaki, I had experienced post-partum depression.
To keep me engaged and to relieve from the mental distress, I delved more into macrame. At first, I portrayed my family as macrame dolls, the particular item got noticed by many, and orders started coming in from my friends and relatives. After doing a couple of designs I decided to take up the hobby to an online business venture,” says Sinu.
Using macrame chords, wooden beads, the self-taught artist designs macrame families, couples, props, and other styles according to customer enquires. With every order, Sinu explores her creative side by giving in new additions. Instead of keeping the standard macrame colour palette to every item, Knot stories consider customer’s suggestions and offers a vibrant range of items using hand-dye. Hues of purple, yellow, and other pops of colour adorn the macrame.
With the different knot styles- square knots, half hitch knot, double half hitch knot, lark’s head, an artist can make the products as aesthetically as possible. Being well versed in most of the knot styles, Sinu’s work mostly has square knots, especially for the personalised dolls.
“It is exciting and challenging at the same time when customers approach me with different ideas. Usually, the dolls I make have similar dress-like outfits. Recently for Onam, I made a macrame doll wearing a Kerala saree. These days many have been coming with orders to include a doll figure of their pet when making family macrame,” says Sinu. With many innovative ideas in mind, Sinu has plans to come out with different style products. Price: starts from D250 Instagram: @knot_stories