GROWN TO A FINE ART

Fibre artist Emma Davies tells Sally Clifford how growing her own inspires her creations

- Sally Clifford

Emma Davies' appreciation of the outside world is threaded through her work.

Seeking something to do with her children during lockdown that wasn't associated with a screen at a time when life went online, the West Yorkshire mum stumbled on knotting and macrame.

"When I started lockdown what kept me sane was knotting and making things. I taught myself macrame skills - it was so methodical and so relaxing," she explains.

"I love repetitive patterns so for me it did come quite naturally. I love the tactile nature of it, the feeling of string in my fingers and the texture. It's all about tension - you have to have the right pull, you have to fight with it a bit to get it to do what you want it to do.

"It's definitely having a revival now as far as fashion goes. It is so therapeutic, it's methodical and I love it."

The graphic design graduate has always been inspired by the vibrancy of Seventies craft patterns, and the tone and glazes of the Hornsea Pottery she collects: "Also, all the plant hanging stuff was massive in the Seventies and I've been collecting vintage macrame magazines and it was just fabulous. I am inspired visually by the Seventies and I just thought, Throwback Threads" - which became the name of her business.

IN THE BEGINNING

The seed for the enterprise was planted before Christmas 2021. Preparing DIY kits for people to make their own simple macrame plant hangings proved so popular it gave the former teacher and events manager the idea to pursue her pleasurable pastime as a part-time profession.

"I couldn't make them fast enough for how quickly they were selling. It was just a hobby and I thought there's something in this - it makes me happy and I really enjoy it."