Rope. Merriam-Webster defines rope as 'a large stout cord of strands of fibers or wire twisted or braided together'. But 'a material that she can use to make fabulous decor with' is the way 28-year-old Kavia Udhayasuriyan prefers to define it. This macramé artist, who is an architect by profession, found artistic inspiration in the boho chic art style and has been making these knotty creations for over a year now. For the uninitiated, macramé is the art of knotting strings to make different decorative articles. Walking us through how she began, Kavia says, "I learnt the basic knotting techniques through YouTube videos. Once I got the hang of making these knots, I started training myself to create different patterns."
While most macramé artists prefer to create intricate wall decor, there are other interesting articles that can be made using this technique. "Being an architect, I yearn to bring macramé into the world of interior designing. That is why my products are mostly room decor pieces, like candle holders, table spreads, flower vases or plant holders," says the Puducherry-born who works as an Assistant Professor at Surya School of Architecture, Viluppuram. Talking about the variations she uses to keep things interesting, she says, "I do macramé using either cotton or jute rope. There are numerous knotting techniques followed and the time taken to complete each piece depends completely on the workmanship. Small bags and candle holders can be made in a day, while it takes a solid three days or more to make larger pieces like wall hangings or plant holders." She tells us that her personal favourite remains, till date, the macramé covered glass jars.
With a plastic ban in effect across many states in India, Kavia has also introduced a macramé alternative to the pesky plastic bag. "I make macramé grocery bags that can hold about five kilograms of weight. As it is made of ropes, it is quite durable too," she adds. If you wish to buy her trendy floral macramé bag, just DM her on Instagram at attic_storz, her public page. "The smaller bags cost Rs 500 while the larger ones cost Rs 1,000. Though more expensive, these can last longer as the knots are tight and strong," concludes Kavia.
