The craft that helped this world traveller settle into her new Tauranga home has become burgeoning macramé business Knotty Bloom
Knotty Bloom: How a macramé hobby grew into successful business
When Nalani Gloor rediscovered macramé she became hooked on its therapeutic qualities. Nalani’s mother had introduced her daughter to the craft when she was a teenager, but it wasn’t until 2015 that the American fibre artist and interior architect took it up again. Having frequently moved around the world with her family as a child, Nalani says having a creative outlet has been a useful tool to help ground and connect her with new surroundings.
Born in California, Nalani and her family relocated to a remote community in Queensland, then to Cairns for high school. Later, she studied in the United States and Australia, before settling in New Zealand. “My family has a history of wandering,” says Nalani, who found macramé helped her settle into her new home in Tauranga. “There’s something empowering about creating with your hands.”
While macramé began as a hobby, it quickly became Knotty Bloom, the brand through which she sells her items to the world. “I didn’t consciously decide to start making macramé pieces – it began as a relaxing daily practice rather than planned production,” she says. “It’s a meditative process; I enjoy the rhythm and repetition of knotting a pattern. Plus, macramé doesn’t require many tools – all you need is rope, scissors, your hands and something to hang the piece from.”
The craft’s renaissance and Nalani’s own unique style have seen Knotty Bloom gain a strong following. “Instagram and Etsy have enabled me to reach a global audience, which is a driving force behind my creative process,” she says. “This way, I connect with encouraging artists, making all the difference to my experience of running a small business.”
Words by: Catherine Steel. Photography by: Helen Bankers.
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