Namibian crafters: can indigenous knowledge and commerce coexist?
Local people in Namibia’s north-west give the tall palm tree the name Makalani. Makalani has a difficult meaning, but it is widely used in Namibia. The tree, also known as vegetable ivory palms, can produce up to 2,000 fruits in four seasons. Each fruit contains a nut. The tree is not harmed by harvesting the hard ivory-colored seeds. […]
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Rebel youth: how Britain’s woodcraft folk tried to change the world
Are the young people you know more likely to identify a Dalek or a magpie? The National Trust asserts that Daleks come up trumps, complaining that “nature is being exterminated from children’s lives.” Concerns about young people’s increasingly sedentary lifestyles and lack of exposure to nature have led to a number of popular outdoor endeavours including schemes to “rewild […]
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Stitching lives back together: men’s rehabilitation embroidery in WWI
Albert Biggs was a Sydney-born laborer who joined the Australian Imperial Force as Alfred Briggs on August 22, 1915. He was 23 years old when he arrived at Gallipoli. Biggs, who was part of the second reinforcements of the 20th battalion, fought to protect the Anzac’s trenches along the ridge called Russell’s Top. This is […]
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Knitting your way to a healthier, happier mind
What is the connection between knitting and neuroscience? The majority of people would not think that knitting and neuroscience have much in common. One involves yarn and needles, and the other is the study of the nervous system. Research reveals that knitting and yarn crafts, along with other meditative exercises, can activate areas of the mind that […]
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Art and design schools must cultivate creators, not theorists
The common perception of young people is that they are entitled, spoiled, tech-addicted, and self-absorbed. But, as the events of this year have shown, teenagers and young people are fiercely committed, strong, resilient, and determined to leave their mark on the world. As a retired professor of furniture construction and design at the Ontario College […]
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Why are ‘feminine’ crafts like basket weaving disparaged by politicians?
Basket weaving. Basket weaving. In an interview after Bill Shorten’s Budget reply Speech, Education Minister Simon Birmingham used the term this way. Birmingham reacted with disdain when Shorten committed to funding fees for TAFE, sneering at Labor’s “disastrous VET FEE HELP program which subsidised everything from basket weaving to energy healing.” Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen called this comment an […]
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Craft in Australia: let’s not forget the real value of the handmade
Bill Shorten said in his May budget response speech, “coding is literacy for the 21st Century.” It is important to remember the importance of Australian crafts culture and the beauty of handmade products, especially in light of the potential of technology replacing our jobs. Melbourne will host its first international jewelry festival, Radiant Pavilion, in September. This […]
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How craft is good for our health
Craft practices are seen as a way to counter the stress and pressure of modern life. They can be paired with other activities like coloring books for adults and cooking from scratch. Knitting, crocheting, weaving, ceramics, and needlework are all repetitive crafts that require a high level of skill. According to the famous psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, this […]
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Circular economy: ancient populations pioneered the idea of recycling waste
Circular economies are often seen as a progressive alternative to the linear economy that is based on wasting raw materials to produce products to feed today’s rampant consumerist appetite. Although the idea of the circular economic system was first introduced in the 1980s, it doesn’t mean the practices that make up a circular economy are new. […]
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Small brewers show how craft principles could reshape the economy – but they’re under threat
Currently, our economy is heavily reliant on unsustainable industrial concepts of mass production, constant growth, and disposable consumerism. To achieve a sustainable economy, we need to change the way we approach production. Craft production is a form of production that places a high priority on local production and human skills. Craft principles were abandoned as industries modernized. […]
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