Studio Tour with Modern Macramé's Elspeth Vance

Come along with us for a tour of Modern Macramé's Lead Designer, Elspeth Vance's home studio, where she's been working on a custom piece for The Society, a luxury apartment building in San Diego. 

Nestled into the trees in Milwaukie, Oregon, Elspeth's home studio is the perfect place to pour yourself a cup of tea, breathe in the fresh Pacific Northwest air, and get knotting. Let's see what she's been up to! 

As we entered her art studio, the completed custom piece for The Society catches our eye! Using our 4mm, 5mm and 9mm cotton cord in Mustard, Copper, and Forest Green, this symmetrical quilt-like piece conveys a sense of balance and bears Modern Macramé's signature, bold style. 

With 5mm cotton rope, she created a continuous loop around the bars that became the base for twining the 4mm and 9mm. The sumptuous columns of fiber are soft to the touch, but linear in structure and architectural in display. 

Before we explore more of Elspeth's studio, check out what the piece looks like installed in it's new home. We love how this space, designed by @vidadesignpdx, turned out.

Now back to the knotting nook...or should we say knitting nook? Elspeth is a lifelong knitter and textile artist who received a BFA in Fiber and Material Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. 

Did you know that part of Elspeth's work at Modern Macramé is to help you with your fiber projects? As our resident knotting expert, Elspeth is available to answer all your rope related queries by email at crafthelp@modernmacrame.com. 

How adorable is this onesie Elspeth made for a friend? Check out more of her work on her instagram @elspethvance to see her one-of-a-kind knitwear. Also, find her at @shopnoctiluca, where you can see her geometric beadwork.  

Elspeth is interested in all textile processes and where those practices intersect. In the studio she ponders, how is knitting like knotting? Or knotting like weaving?  She loves color, pattern and texture and she designs knotwork to reflect her fascination with the marriage of different disciplines. 

That's an inspo board if we've ever seen one! What's your favorite section of this workspace? 

If there's one thing Elspeth isn't short on, it's fiber! 

We hope you enjoyed this peek into Modern Macramé's creative process for custom work and a peek behind the scenes of Elspeth's studio! Stay tuned for more studio tours with Emily Katz and the MM Team.