Crafting with no chance of social interaction!. My husband has already had the weekend forecast, it has been another busy week at work with not much time or energy for crafting, but this weekend I am going to put that right.
For my day job I do a lot of planning and usually when it comes to my crafting I am quite fluid and may swap between crafts at a weekend, however this time I have actually made a list…..what is the world coming to?. The reason for the list is that I have decided to unpick a few and have a clear out – shock horror.
Crafts of the past
I love to try new crafts and I am not alone. Did you know the results from the annual crafters survey show people have about 5 crafts on the go at once…I think I am slightly over by about 3, ok maybe 4.
The endangered crafts list has just been published for the 3rd year and there are new entries for 2019 of crafts that are in decline or very few people practising as a full time job. I would grab a coffee and find 10 minutes to read through the list of crafts that you never knew existed and dismay at the variety of skills and cultures are soon to lost if people do not take up the challenge to make something new .
There are a few on the list that caught my eye, Lacrosse Stick Making – I played this at school a long time ago and I am sure I still have some of the bruises.
A ‘Devon Maud’ not a lady from Devon but a basket, I had to look this on up on the interweb thing. This is a basket dating back to c1500 used in in markets for carrying produce.
Spinning Wheels
The top 2 crafts remain knitting and crocheting ( I cannot do either justice) and yet there is a decline of skilled craftspeople who can make a spinning wheel.
Spinning wheels first appeared in India as early as 500 AD but now it is down to a handful of people keeping the skill alive, I still have a vision of Rumpelstiltskin and the spinning wheel…
A New Skill
So if I was going to pick something from the list – not that I have any spare time to do so, then it would have to be……….Smocking!. The time consuming but relaxing embroidery that for those old enough to remember had on their best dress or top. This craft is no longer taught at the Royal School of Needlework and yet has a place in history and could be so versatile when incorporated with other crafts. What would you choose?
