Nichanan A-ngi was one of the many thousands of hotel employees laid off during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unusually, the 31-year-old former receptionist spent her unplanned free time learning macramé, the art of using knots to create decorative items with textiles. And Nichanan’s mother and friends certainly did not anticipate her taking macramé seriously and transforming it into a business, Macrame by Nicha.
When Nichanan was a little girl, she was taught to create her own traditional Akha hilltribe costume by her mother. This early experience served as a foundation for her skills in embroidery and handicraft. As a result, Nichanan is now able to turn ordinary rope into exquisite decorative items. Phuang Malai, a garland, is one of her first and most popular items.
“I came across colourful cotton ropes in a market and was instantly drawn to their soft texture and vivid hues. I purchased them and learned macramé techniques from YouTube and Pinterest. Through these online platforms, I learned a variety of knotting methods, including Chinese knots and sailor knots,” she said.
“After that, I stumbled upon a captivating garland at a market. Its beauty and colour reminded me of intricate embroidery work, so I attempted to make a macramé version. No one expected me to take the craft of macramé seriously and they thought I was just doing it for fun. However, after I posted a photo of my garland on Facebook, people were interested in buying it.”
From a macramé garland, Nichanan discovered a new challenge when she came across a photo of an elephant wearing a distinctive ornament on its forehead during a ceremonial event. Intrigued by this unique adornment, Nichanan searched for information which led her to discover that the ornament is known as khruang kwaen. In the past, khruang kwaen were traditionally made from fresh flowers such as jasmine, gardenia and crown, and often hung as ornaments on temples or house windows. Their purpose was to decorate venues for special occasions or ceremonies and spread a pleasant fragrance throughout the temple or home. There is another type of khruang kwaen called ta khai na chang (net on elephant’s forehead), which is used to adorn the animals in ceremonies.
Garlands and khruang kwaen created by Nichanan using macramé techniques are currently on display at the exhibition “The New Age Of Khruang Kwaen And Phuang Malai Showcase By Macrame By Nicha”. Nichanan admits that the primary objective of the exhibition is to promote her business, though since khruang kwaen is a traditional ornament that is difficult to find, she intends to preserve it.
According to Nichanan, khruang kwaen reached its peak in popularity during the reign of King Chulalongkorn, an era when Thailand embraced international cultures resulting in designs being inspired by Western culture. For instance, there was a khruang kwaen known as kom raya, which drew its inspiration from chandeliers.
“In the past, khruang kwaen were primarily used as decorative pieces during ceremonies at temples. However, in today’s digital age, the traditional khruang kwaen, which require much time, resources and manpower to create, do not fit the architecture of modern buildings. Traditional khruang kwaen were crafted using fresh flowers, making their longevity limited,” she said.
“My macramé khruang kwaen are made from durable cotton rope, while still maintaining the patterns reminiscent of traditional designs. By utilising this macramé technique, khruang kwaen have a longer lifespan. Since khruang kwaen are gradually fading from public knowledge and familiarity, my aim is to employ my skills to preserve this traditional art form. I find joy working with a technique I love and this can also help preserve a cultural item that is part of Thailand’s heritage.”
On display at the Thailand Creative & Design Center, one remarkable khruang kwaen named The Siamese Sunbeam stands out with its white base adorned with yellow and green cotton rope resembling orange champa flowers. Next to ‘The Siamese Sunbeam’, there is the pop khruang kwaen collection woven into triangle-shaped designs.
Among the garlands, the elegantly simple Malai Purity crafted with plain white cotton rope has been voted by viewers as their favourite item at the exhibition. The main material used is environmentally friendly cotton, but some garlands are decorated with semi-precious stones and dried flowers. In some of the garland packages, a bottle of nam ob (Thai traditional fragrant water) is included. Another notable item is Malai Cuddly, a blue garland for which Nichanan employed a needle technique to create intricate white patterns.
Nichanan had modest expectations when she started working on the exhibition.
“I initially did not have any particular expectations while creating each item, but when the exhibition was fully set up and I saw all of my creations, I was proud of myself. I am unsure of what visitors will take away from the exhibition. But if they develop an interest in khruang kwaen, it can contribute to the preservation of this traditional decorative art form.”
In addition to the garlands which are popular items for Mother’s Day, a collection of macramé Christmas decorations is liked by customers. With the growth of her business, Nichanan plans to establish a small facility in Chiang Rai to provide Akha women with opportunities to earn.
“I have been actively seeking more clients over the past two years, and macramebynicha.com has been successful. This year, we are expanding to market macramé Christmas decorations in many shopping malls. I would like to be prepared in advance. I aim to bring macramé job opportunities to Chiang Rai, allowing Akha hilltribe women who have to take care of their babies at home to engage in this work. This can provide them with the means to earn their own income,” said Nichanan.
“The New Age Of Khruang Kwaen And Phuang Malai Showcase By Macrame By Nicha” runs at TCDC until July 17. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/tcdc.thailand and facebook.com/Macramebynicha.
