Knotting Not Knitting

Most Wednesday mornings I attend my weekly knit group in the welcoming atmosphere of Nicky T's Cafe in Oldmeldrum. Nicola and her staff couldn't be more accommodating!

Last night, though, I joined six other ladies there for a macrame workshop run by Jana of Love and Create to make Christmas decorations. A tantalising array of beads, wool and festive accents was laid out before us as Jana welcomed us to the class.

A bag of materials and some pre-cut wool and string awaited each participant.

The closest I got to a photo of Jana!

Wasting no time, Jana jumped straight in and had us creating a woolly hat from a section of loo roll tube knotted with soft grey yarn.

Next, we knotted strands of string around a curtain ring and threaded longer lengths through a wooden bead.

Combing these strings created a beard and moustache to go with the woolly hat.

A quick trim, and a helping hand from the hot glue gun, meant assembly of our first decoration, a wee tomte or gnome, was complete - and the evening had only just begun!

We moved swiftly on to the next challenge - a macrame angel.

Jana utilised a clothes rail and climbing ropes to demonstrate in hugely magnified form how to make the required knots for our celestial creature.

Possibly the most challenging part of the evening for me was making the angel's wings but, lots of knots, a comb and a trim later, and she was done.

With our gnomes and angels finished, it was time for a coffee and cake break. Toffee Crisp cake for me - yum!

Jana ensured we made the most of our workshop by speeding onto making a Christmas tree next. Her clear, cheerful instructions soon had us wrapping green string branches around a central stem. Taping the star to the table offered stability for making these knots.

Didn't stop me wishing I had an extra hand at some points!

Keeping the momentum going for the knots we'd just learned, Jana patiently guided us though another two decorations before the end of the workshop. So intent was I on finishing, I didn't take any progress photos. Here's my evening's work -