Macrame artist Alisha Ing looks to the world of fashion for inspiration

Today we’re talking to macrame fiber artist Alisha Ing, who goes by the fantastic moniker iWouldRatherKnot. Just three years since picking up the craft she’s developed a unique, colorful style for her original designs.

Check out the full interview below, and be sure to visit Alisha’s Instagram profile, Etsy shop, and website to see more of her work!

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Tell us about yourself. What do you make? What do you consider your best or favorite work?

My name is Alisha Ing and I am a macrame fiber artist. I make a wide variety of macrame pieces ranging from custom wall hangings and large wedding backdrops to earrings and plant hangers.

I absolutely love the art of macrame and enjoy the creative process all the way from beginning to end, so it’s difficult to choose my favorite work because I truly love it all!

But if I had to choose, I would say my favorite creations are my customized wall hangings. There is nothing better than creating something from scratch for a customer and watching their vision slowly come to life.

Read also: Macrame wall hanging tutorials, kits, and patterns: Best DIY resources

Tell us about your workshop

My workshop is located in my living room! It takes up the entire back section of our living room space, and continues to grow more and more every year!

I am so lucky to live in an open concept loft because it allows us to be very creative with the layout of our space, and fit things like my workshop into the mix that may not have been possible in other home layouts at this size.

How long have you been doing your craft? Who taught you or where did you learn?

I have been doing macrame for over 3 years now! It started off as a fun hobby that progressed into a full blown business in the blink of an eye.

I learned from watching a few Youtube videos and then practiced A LOT!

Read also: Best resources to learn macrame

I was always extremely obsessed with making friendship bracelets when I was a little girl, so the art of tying knots came very naturally to me once I began transitioning into making macrame.

Any advice for beginners to your craft?

I would say a huge mistake I made early on was not writing anything down. Gauging rope measurements can always be tricky when creating a brand new piece so I wish I had kept records of those details from the very beginning.

The worst thing that could happen while creating a piece is realizing you don’t have enough rope to finish your creation!

Read also: Macrame cord: Where to buy and how to choose

I would also say, if you’re looking to make a business out of your craft, know your worth. Handmade art takes a lot of time and a ton of love, and your customers will be more than willing to pay for just that!

Charge what you believe your art is worth, and don’t settle for any less.

Lastly, have fun! Creating your own beautiful art is all about the journey!! Don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild and remember that even the most difficult, frustrating times have a purpose.

Who/what inspires you? Any shoutouts to fellow makers?

The amazing thing about this art is that there is no wrong, and that alone inspires me to continue pushing myself outside of my comfort zone!

While I am constantly inspired by the colors and shapes of nature, my biggest influence overall actually comes from fashion. I am always so intrigued by the different textiles, patterns, and styles behind fashion design.

I would love to give a shoutout to my boyfriend Tony Tran who is the handmade millinery artist behind the fedora brand Knight Cap (Instagram @knight__cap).

Although we live in a fairly small loft, we’ve managed to create workshops for both of our businesses under the same roof! This really is such a blessing because not only is having that extra pair of artistic eyes a huge plus when searching for design advice (which pretty much is a daily occurance haha), but being surrounded by someone so creative and unique constantly pushes me and inspires me to be better.

Where can people find your work?

You can find my work on Instagram under @iwouldratherknot, on Etsy as iWouldRatherKnot, and also on my website www.iwouldratherknot.com. I hope you join me on this incredible macrame journey!

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