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Thanks Jo for giving us the inside scoop on your macrame creations and how you got started!
Be sure to check out the bottom of this page for some of Jo’s amazing DIY tutorials.
INTERVIEW WITH JO FROM JOTOPIE
First of all, tell me a little about your background and how you got into Macrame, how long have you been doing it?
As a child, I loved all kinds of handicrafts and painting and that’s actually still the case. When I got older, I unfortunately didn’t take the time to do it, anymore. At some point I realized that I was really missing it and decided to look for creative hobbies again. Three years ago, I took part in a Macrame workshop with friends and I fell in love with it.
What is your creative process like?
The process is different all the time. Sometimes, I have a concrete design in mind and implement it in exactly the same way. Usually, though, I have a vague idea about the size and the look of the piece I want to make and then choose the materials and try out different combinations of knots and patterns until I like the result.
What’s your work space setup like?
To be honest, I don’t really have an actual work space. And that’s what I love about Macrame – all you need is rope, some scissors and maybe a wooden dowel or a ring and your own hands. That’s it. My favourite place to knot is my balcony, though.
What are your favorite patterns or knots you like to work with when creating your macrame designs?
Oh wow, I could probably never decide on that, haha. I usually mainly use the very basic knots as square knots, spiral knots and double half hitch knots and try to combine them in all kinds of ways. To make the pieces look a little more special, I sometimes include a few “fancier” knots like a Josephine one. What I also love to do is to add wooden beads to my pieces.
Who is your favorite macrame artist?
I only know a few, to be honest. On Instagram, I like to follow @designedtoshop and my fellow countrywoman @theneonblog.
Do you have a time saving hack or short you can share with us, since macrame is so time consuming?
Oh, I wish I had! Sometimes it really takes ages to finish a big piece. I’ve even already had sore muscles in my arms from long knotting session, haha. But you’ll get quicker over time. And I think in the end, it’s all about enjoying the creative process.
Besides macrame, are there other forms of art that you like to do?
Yes, I love hand lettering and painting with watercolors. I mainly paint plants and flowers. For a year now, I’ve also been painting digitally with the Procreate app. I also like to include my digital illustrations in my YouTube videos to make them a little more special.
Do you have an Etsy shop or somewhere else you sell your creations online?
Unfortunately, not yet. In the future, however, I would love to open one. I’ve already collected some product ideas!
Can you give beginner macrame artists some advice on the best supplies or where to get started?
I’d recommend starting with thicker, braided rope. This makes it easier to practice the basic knots and to un-knot mistakes (which are normal to happen, don’t worry). Me personally, I really enjoyed learning the first basic knots in a macrame beginner workshop. But you can totally learn it just on your own using books or YouTube tutorials :-).
Are your patterns created by you or do you like to follow other people’s patterns?
Now and then, I do look for new macrame ideas on Instagram or Pinterest and of course, this inspires and influences my designs. I’ve never completely copied another piece, though. In my opinion, it’s totally fine to copy another one’s design for own purposes (and name the initial creator), but never for commercial ones.
Where are all the places people can follow you online?
I post tutorials and inspiration videos on my Youtube Channel called “Jotopie”. I’ve also started posting pictures of my finished pieces and the knotting process on Instagram (@Jotopie). There, I sometimes also show some of my paintings and letterings.
Here’s Jotopie’s most popular tutorial (at the time of this interview).
Don’t forget a party without tassles!
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