KOCHI: As a final year architecture student, Kottayam native Tinu Ann Thomas knew her future path would entail either designing beautiful homes or making existing ones beautiful. An interior design enthusiast, Tinu would spend hours browsing Pinterest looking at pictures of charmingly decorated homes. She was deep into one of her virtual rabbit holes one fine day in August last year when she stumbled upon a pin of a wall hanging that seemed to be made by weaving thick strands of rope attached to a wooden dowel. Intrigued by what seemed like a bohemian style staple, Tinu probed to find that the craft was called Macrame and involved elevating strings of loose thread by tying them in knots to reveal an ornamental design or pattern.
Upon immersing herself in countless Macrame YouTube tutorials and blogs, Tinu decided to try her hand at the same. In a matter of months, she became an adept Macrame artist selling her creations through her wonderfully curated Instagram page (@knottedlove_macrame) which offers a large range of custom made products including wall hangings, plant hangers, coasters, pot covers and key chains.
“There are five basic knots in Macrame, most designs are created by melding them. Once you are familiar with those, you instinctively know how a pattern was made just by looking at it. Also, Macrame is one craft which does not require too many materials or tools. A cotton rope and a wooden or bamboo stick are all you need. So I have realised it is an extremely sustainable business. I source the rope from a vendor in Ahmedabad,” says the 24-year-old.
The pandemic outbreak and the ensuing lockdown proved to be a blessing in disguise for Tinu. “I started selling my products in December last year but commissions have really picked up since April. I guess being confined to their homes prompted people to revamp and decorate their spaces. My most sold items are plant hangers,” says Tinu. She spends anywhere between one to five hours to finish a piece. “I am very meticulous with my knots. If I don’t like what I have made, I untie everything and start over.”