Welcome to The Common Knot

​So I guess I should start…. For the past few weeks, I have been full of ideas for blog posts. But now when I actually sit down to begin, I'm not sure what to do. Is anyone going to read this? People might actually read this! Does anyone care what I have to say? 

Only one way to find out. Begin.

My interest in macrame and other fiber arts began in Spring 2017. My daughter was almost 4, and I was no longer a "new mother." I was crawling out of the forest that is the early years of motherhood and needed to find an identity other than just "mom." Being a mom will always be the primary and most important aspect of who I am, but it is not the only part. Before becoming a mom, I was a librarian, an editor, a person who worked at an office 40 hours a week. That wasn't my life now, and I really had no interest in going back to that life. So now what do I do?

​Weave Wonderful
Before becoming a mom, I had enjoyed sewing, quilting, and cross-stitching. A baby was all-consuming. I missed making stuff. I missed that sense of accomplishment that comes with creating something with my own hands. I had been seeing little weavings on some of the mom/craft blogs I followed, and I thought that looks fun. So I made a little loom with cardboard. Then I bought a bigger loom from Melissa & Doug. I found that through weaving I was able to quiet my mind. It was meditative. The colors, the softness of the yarn, the repetitive over and under, over and under. 

My first (completed-ish) weaving

The Macrame Madness Begins
Then I was sitting on our back porch, weaving. The houses in our neighborhood are fairly close together. I could sit on the porch and be a few feet from neighbors backyard. Our neighbors are wonderful and I enjoy talking to them, but I am also a private, quiet person. An introvert. How could I create privacy on our porch without being totally alienating to our neighbors.

In comes macrame. I googled DIY privacy screens and found A Beautiful Mess's post on creating a macrame curtain. A-ha! I went to my local hardware store, bought some dowels and some clothesline, and went to work.

I fell in love. With macrame.

One of the privacy curtains I created on the back porch.

​I continued to experiment. I scoured the internet and the library for more information on macrame and knots. I wanted to learn everything. I couldn't find any workshops locally, but I found Elsie Goodwin's (of Reform Fibers) YouTube page and then her Instagram, which led me to Niroma Studio, Sarah Harste, Woven Whale, and all the other wonderful women who create such beauty. I wanted to be a part of this world. I want to make these beautiful objects. So that's what I'm doing. I'm still learning, not just about the fiber arts, but also about social media and starting a craft business. 

I know what you're thinking. Not another SAHM starting a mommy blog? Yes, I am a SAHM but this is not another mommy blog. So what is The Common Knot? The Common Knot is where I will take you along on the process of honing a new craft and turning that craft into a business. I will chart my progress from hobbyist to small business owner. And I'll probably share things like what I'm watching, what I'm loving, and what's really grinding my gears. This is totally new to me, and I'm not sure where I'm headed, but I want you to join me.