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The kits and books arouse the scorn of some longtime enthusiasts. "macramé is a beautiful and old art form," says Mrs. Christa Mayer, curator of textiles at the Chicago Art Institute, "but it is being sadly cheapened by the how-to books." Although macramé's pragmatic virtues are stressed in its latest incarnation, it retains its artistic values. New York's Museum of American Folk Art has just opened an exhibition of the more splendid examples. Among the items on display: an Inca hat, delicate macramé lace from 17th century Genoa, and fur rugs macraméd by Eskimos.