Some ancient crafts and skills are in grave danger of disappearing! Heritage organizations warn of rapid technological changes threatening traditional vocational trades. We’ve all noticed the creep of AI generated images, with patterns that bear no resemblance. To combat this a Red List of Endangered Crafts managed by the national charity Heritage Crafts, tracks traditional… Continue reading Red List spells DANGER…
Tag: handmade
Crafting for good
Use your hands to do good! You can knit, sew, or crochet items to donate directly to UK causes. Do you have little projects that you make in between bigger ones? Often I have blanket squares or small toys that break up the bigger projects but what to do with them afterwards? If you do,… Continue reading Crafting for good
The Art of Teapot Cosies: How To Make One & Why You Want To
Who doesn’t love a good pot of tea,and who doesn’t love a teapot cosy? Whether a tea lover is English or not, one of the most common accessories found tucked away in their cupboards is a cosy. The covers act as warming sweaters or hats to retain heat inside the pot and do wonders for… Continue reading The Art of Teapot Cosies: How To Make One & Why You Want To
WIP’s Away
We all have a corner of shame, that hidden place where all our WIP’s (works on progress)hang out. Mine is in a corner tucked behind a chair in the craft room and has got so full its spilling out into the room. So, last week i decided the time had come to take it in… Continue reading WIP’s Away
Showing Off
Where I live in Lancashire, we have an annual agricultural show, The Great Eccleston Show, and it is a pretty big deal locally. Now I have lived in Elswick for 25 years and have only been a handful of times. This year, I received an e-mail from the show secretary with a link to their… Continue reading Showing Off
Crochet for dogs
I've got four dogs in the house at the moment. Yes, four! All Shih Tzu's and they have been inspiring me to explore crochet designs for them. You might ask why we have four dogs. Well, we have started fostering for a Rescue. Our first two fosters were a total failure as we couldn't part… Continue reading Crochet for dogs
The demise of the postbox topper
Our Winter Topper for 2026. All across the nation, crochet and knitting groups are bowing their heads in sorrow. Why you might ask?. The answer is that the stage where they display their creative genius - the humble postbox - is getting a makeover and being brought up to the twenty-first century as an all… Continue reading The demise of the postbox topper
Galentines day
I'm not a big fan of all the hype that surrounds Valentine's Day. My mum was a florist, so Valentines was a big business day for her but even then I was aware of the enormous hike in prices in the week leading up to it. As a teen, all that angst about not getting… Continue reading Galentines day
Craft trends in 2026
2026 brings a blend of sustainability, tactile creativity and a renewed love for handmade detail. Makers and crafters are fed up of seeing AI generated content that looks nothing like the real article. Sustainability continues to be a leading trend but 2026 brings a more refined approach. Crafters are choosing sustainable products such as recycled… Continue reading Craft trends in 2026
Dying arts
It used to be a common sight to see parents, grandparents, and even children in every household regularly pick up a sewing kit to sew on a button and meticulously darn their own clothes. But these skills are a dying Art It seems despite a growing interest in sustainability, fewer people are able to fix… Continue reading Dying arts
