In 1902, she participated in the 'Scottish Section' of the First International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art in Turin[4] where she won a silver medal for the design of the Glasgow Coat of Arms on one side of the banner presented to Professor Rucker of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

[5] After completing her studies at the Glasgow School of Art in 1901 Macbeth became assistant to Jessie Newbery and her striking embroidery work was given regular coverage in The Studio.

She brought designed dresses within reach of women with modest means by advocating the use of "humble materials" such as cotton, linen and crash.

[12] From 1920 onwards Macbeth also taught handicrafts at the Women's Institute and participated in programmes to alleviate local economic hardship.

[6] In her book Embroidered and Laced Leatherwork Macbeth lamented that women produced crafts in their spare time and devalued their work by undercharging for it so that barely the cost of the materials was covered.

[15] For a 1910 exhibition Macbeth designed the WSPU Holloway Prisoners Banner a linen quilt with the embroidered signatures of the 80 suffragette hunger strikers.

[16] Aside from working as a suffrage banner maker Macbeth was also a member of the Women's Social and Political Union[17] and she engaged in militant action.

Macbeth was given “every consideration until well enough to return to work.” This level of commitment highlighted a tacit approbation of artists advocating for the suffrage cause from the School's Governors.

Her prolific output included bookbindings, metalwork and designs for carpet manufacturers Alexander Morton and Co., Donald Bros. of Dundee, and Liberty's & Knox's Linen Thread Company.

[16] For Liberty, Macbeth also provided Art Nouveau-style embroidery designs that featured in the firm's mail order catalogues until the outbreak of the First World War.

[13] In the summers Macbeth lived on a crag in Helvelly in a self-designed house and captured the local hillsides in embroidery.

[22] A range of her work, both in embroidery and in ceramics, was on display in Kelvingrove Museum in its exhibition Making the Glasgow Style from 30 March to 14 August 2018.