We are loving the boho and macrame trend! Especially when it entails supporting local businesses and their beautiful work and products. Plus, we love how more and more brides are incorporating macrame into their wedding decor or bridesmaid gifts–because why knot?! (Pun-intended…we just had to!)
To peek our noses further into the art of macrame and popular bohemian vibes,Knot + Ivyinvited us into their beautiful studio to show us the ropes (again, pun-intended…this is too fun!) of all the incredible products they create using macrame. They hand-make art pieces such as plant hangers, necklaces, tassel earrings, table runners, tapestries, and our personal favorite–bohemian wedding backdrops! Seriously, we are here for this trend!
But behind the beautiful macrame pieces + incredible talent is the shining duo, Sarah + Emma. They are killer lady bosses with passion, a creative eye, and hearts of gold.
Tell us about Knot + Ivy
Knot and Ivy is your local Minneapolis go-to for all things macrame! If you’re not familiar with what macramé is, it’s a form of fiber art created with rope tied into patterns of knots. We specifically specialize in creating large scale back drops for weddings and other events, which can be commissioned and customized, or rented. Along with these we rent and sell table runners, bouquet holders, and chair backs for weddings! We do create tapestries of any size, from dorm room accessories to large scale wedding backdrops and everything in between. We also make functional items like plant hangers, as well as wearables like necklaces and tassel earrings.
How did you discover your passion for creating a business like this and how did it come about?
Emma: Sarah & I were college roommates, each others’ maids of honor, and best friends. Last summer (2016) we were on a house plant kick and Sarah was running out of space for her plants. She tried to find macrame plant hangers for purchase locally and couldn’t, so she started making her own. I decided I wanted to try it out as well and we decided to make some to sell not long after. It seemed to us that there might be others (besides us!) in the Twin Cities looking for a macrame fix.
Sarah: It all started with our mutual plant obsession.As we collected entire jungles of plants we started to make homes for them out of yarn and string. We eventually found macramé rope and instantly fell in love! We quickly learned the versatility of the art and jumped into making tapestries for homes all over Minneapolis! When I got married this past July and created our first wedding backdrop, we dove into the wedding world! It has been an incredible time being able to create pieces from our hearts and seeing them used in people’s most important and treasured moments.
What’s your absolute favorite part about the company?
Emma: Making art together is definitely the best part. Basically, it never feels like an obligation, because we just hang out while we’re knotting or working events — it’s a blast.
Sarah: My favorite part about this company is the friendship that created it. Emma and I have been best friends for years, and we are about as opposite as two personalities could be. It’s been a really fun journey to see how our personality types really complement each other in business and in life in general! It’s also been really fun to see how our personalities influence our art. Our individual pieces are so distinct to ourselves and I love that about our business. You get a lot of diversity in our products and it’s so fun to see which piece our customers have a connection with.
What do you want your customers to get out of the Knot + Ivy experience? What is your main goal?
Emma: We hope to make macrame accessible to the Twin Cities in various forms, but we are beginning to specialize in wedding backdrops. We hope that all of our customers can find a piece (whether rental or custom) that they truly connect with and that can play a meaningful part in their wedding day or their home.
Sarah: As soon as we started selling our products we realized that our customers choose their pieces because they have a real connection to them. We have marveled and laughed countless times about how a piece shares the same type a personality as the person who bought it. We really want our customers to feel a personal connection with their piece. This especially is true for brides, we want to create pieces that represent all of the personality, style, and quirks of the couple!
What sets you apart from other DIY-type companies?
We offer a very down-to-earth experience. We are self-taught artists and don’t think art should be formal or intimidating — our workshops definitely reflect that through casual atmosphere and a relaxed teaching style.
Are there activities you offer that would be good for brides, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, etc?
Definitely! We have experience with offering workshops as bachelorette parties, which are always a blast!
What can brides expect when attending a class or workshop? Could brides make something to incorporate into their wedding?
Our workshops are generally for wall hangings or plant hangers. While you could definitely incorporate this into your wedding somehow, I think they work better as a gift for someone special or a fun memory keepsake for this time in your life that will look beautiful on your wall for years to come!
What else do you offer for brides?
We make jewelry, wedding ceremony backdrops and other ceremony d̩cor Рincluding chair-backs, table runners, and bouquet wraps. We are also open to other custom commissions and would love to work with you to make your boho-wedding vision a reality!
Want to turn your boho Pinterest board into your wedding reality? Contact Emma + Sarah and receive 15% off your purchase or rental of $25 or more when you mention Forever Bride. Visit their Forever Bride listing here for more info + details.
Let’s keep the boho vibes spinning + head into this boho brunch styled shoot!
