Creative Chat with Macrame Artist Isabella Strambio

Tell us about your business and what is the story behind it? How did you discover Macrame?

Back in 2016, I was a full-time interior designer in London, constantly struggling to balance work with spending time with my two daughters. Frustrated and creatively unfulfilled, I set myself a challenge: to learn twelve crafts in twelve months. Macramé was the first, and I instantly fell in love with it.

A few months into the challenge, I taught my first macramé workshop and absolutely loved it. From those weekend workshops around London, my business began to grow naturally.

A year and a half later, as a family, we moved from London to Hampshire, and I made the big decision to leave my career behind and focus entirely on my macramé business. What started from frustration and a way to reconnect with my true self, has turned into a creative journey that I’m truly passionate about.

What is your favorite thing about your business and what are you most proud of?

I love so many aspects of my business. Being able to set my own schedule gives me the freedom to decide when and how much I work, allowing me to be more present in my daughters’ lives and watch them grow. What I’m most proud of are my macramé books, which have allowed me to share my passion with people around the world. I’m also thrilled about my macramé retreats, where I bring women together for a full experience of nourishing our creativity, mind, body, and soul.

What is your background? What or who inspired you?

I’m half Italian, and half Japanese, and moved from Italy to London at 19 to pursue a degree in Interior Design. After graduating, I met my husband, and together we moved to Melbourne, where we both worked as interior designers. Over the next few years, we travelled between Italy, Belgium, and Dubai, and eventually returned to London.

It was my daughters who inspired me to start my own business. As it grew, I became equally inspired by the incredible women I met through my workshops and online courses. They dared to rediscover their creativity and carve out time and space for themselves to explore it.

Where are you based? Where do you work from and do you work on your own?

We recently moved to southern Sweden, and this will be our first winter here! When I first started my business, I worked from my kitchen table, but after the pandemic, we moved into a new home with a dream garden studio, which gave me the space and focus to really grow. Now, I work from the top floor of our house, with a beautiful view of the countryside.

I mostly work on my own, but I love connecting with other creatives. Back in the UK, I started the Creative Meet-up in Winchester, where a group of creative women would gather three or four times a year to connect and support one another.

Now that I’m in Sweden, I’ve joined a local craft group, and we meet up monthly. At our next meeting, I’m excited to be running my very first macramé workshop here in Sweden!

What’s in your creation toolbox? And what does a typical day look like?

One of the key tools in my creative toolbox is planning. While it may not sound inherently creative, planning allows me to have worry-free days dedicated to creativity. I can fully immerse myself in my creative work because I know I’ve scheduled time to manage my business alongside my creative pursuits.

My day starts early, as Swedish schools begin at 8 a.m. I wake up around 6:30, start working by 8:30, and finish around 2 p.m., with the rest of the day spent on my daughters’ activities. I make the most of every moment by working on the go, whether it’s on the bus to my daughter’s school or while waiting during after-school activities. Social media scheduling, drafting newsletters, and emails are often done during those little pockets of time.

As a mom, we develop this superpower to be incredibly efficient, balancing work and family life in a way that just works.

What don’t you enjoy, what do you find difficult, and what are the challenges?

Honestly, I enjoy every aspect of my business, including the challenges. Over the years, I’ve learned valuable lessons about running a small creative business. However, there’s always room for improvement, and new technologies are constantly emerging. The online and creative landscape is always evolving, and keeping up with everything can be time-consuming and sometimes overwhelming.

Who is your perfect/ideal customer and what do they value from you?

I feel incredibly fortunate to have built the best creative community! My ideal customer is a woman eager to learn (and potentially master) the mindful art of macramé while joining a vibrant global community. She values time for herself and her creativity and seeks a supportive group where we celebrate creativity, well-being, and the empowerment of women.

Do you have any news you’re excited about and you would like to share with us?

Yes, my new book, Mindful Macramé, will be released on January 10, 2025, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world! It has been a dream of mine to combine my passion for macramé with the practices of journaling and breathwork. I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on a copy and use macramé as a tool to cultivate mindfulness in their lives.

What are your passions and interests?

Aside from macramé, I love travelling the world and immersing myself in new cultures. I enjoy reading, art, and storytelling, and I have a particular passion for learning about indigenous history, art, and crafts.

How has Pinterest helped your business?

Pinterest has been incredibly beneficial for my business. Having used the platform during my interior design days, I recognised its value for businesses. I soon realised that most of my customers discovered me through Pinterest rather than social media. This confirmed that investing time in Pinterest was both an effective and enjoyable way to grow my business.