Meet the Maker
What's knot to like about Yvette Mommsen's macramé creations?
Huge in the 1970s, macramé decor is making a comeback thanks to designers like Yvette Mommsen of Artesense, who're giving handicrafts a contemporary spin. She tells us more
How did you get into macramé?
I owned an online store showcasing handmade products by South African designers and this made me want to make something of my own. I stumbled across the most beautiful macramé plant hangers by a designer I follow on social media, and I just knew I had found something I would love to make!
I taught myself how to do the various knots and came up with my own designs, which I continually develop into new collections for my brand, Artesense.What’s the best thing about working with rope?
You only use your hands. You don’t need tools, which means you can work wherever you are with anything that resembles rope.
And the worst?
It can get tangled up if you are not careful. Also, because you are working with fibres, you often need to work with a mask. So it’s not as glamorous as it may seem.
An item you’d love to create?
It would be amazing to macramé something wearable — that would be both timeless and sentimental.Your goals for 2018?
This year I had the opportunity of offering occasional work to unemployed women and teaching them creative skills. One of my goals for next year is to expand on that.
Your favourite designer?
I have so many, but locally my favourite is Victoria Verbaan. I love how she has taken her art and made it into something that can be worn or used practically, such as her fabrics, umbrellas and wallpaper. Plus, she always makes women look strong, beautiful and glamorous.A piece of advice you’d give someone decorating their home?
Make sure your home has warmth and personality. Have pieces that tell a story, or have history. It’s lovely to walk into a home and know who lives there just by the way it’s been decorated.
The best thing about being a designer in South Africa?
I love that our country is still discovering new things and that it has so much diversity and culture from which to draw inspiration. We still have so many open doors and possibilities to explore and we get to add our own rich and unique culture into the mix. I find that really exciting...
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