Info, news & debate
Making & fixing
Nests and baskets: were birds the first basketmakers?
Featuring weavers, dunnocks and wrens, Ruby Taylor of Native Hands reflects on nests and baskets, asking if birds were the first basketmakers.
Craft in a crisis: helping heritage crafts come back from the brink
With a host of already endangered heritage crafts at even greater risk as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, what does the future hold and how can we play a part in helping heritage crafts survive and even thrive? Sophie Paterson explores.
Great ways to reduce plastic use in your home: Part 2 – cleaning products and toiletries
The second instalment on plastic reduction from Ethical.net takes us through cutting plastic use in our cleaning products and toiletries, with a focus on making your own using the simplest of recipes.
A woeful year for wool in 2020 – and how you can support your local producers
Already suffering a downturn as an industry in recent years, the Covid-19 crisis has resulted in a particularly woeful year for wool in 2020. How have producers been faring and what can we do to support them as best as possible?
How to make a walking staff in three easy steps
Sean Fagan of Pioneer Bushcraft sets out how to make a walking staff, and why they’re the best friend to have with you in the great outdoors.
How to make your own shampoo bar with neem oil and nettle
Tempted to learn how to make your own shampoo bar? Here’s a great simple recipe from The Soap Kitchen, which combines nettle and neem oil.
How to make your own sustainable cleaning products
Wondering how to make your own sustainable cleaning products? Our friends at Ethical.net are here to help, with useful tips galore and a recipe for homemade apple cider vinegar.
“If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much room”
With the end of 2019 drawing near, nomadic handweaver Eloïse Sentito reflects on a year of significant change, living on the edge while spinning, dyeing and weaving her way from Brittany to Devon.
The Bowl Gathering: preserving and reviving an endangered craft
Sharif Adams, traditional bowl turner and spoon carver tells the story of the Bowl Gathering, from humble beginnings to a thriving gathering of craft revival.
Making an oak swill with basket maker Owen Jones
We hear from Ruby Taylor of Native Hands about her recent trip to the Lake District, learning how to craft an oak swill with basket maker Owen Jones.
The Wool Journey Part 15: labelling yarn
Sue Blacker takes us on a final tour of The Natural Fibre Company’s spinning mill to learn all about labelling yarn. Turns out there’s plenty to it!
The Wool Journey Part 14: the final wool yarn and packaging
The yarn is ready to package up at The Natural Fibre Company’s spinning mill, as Sue Blacker shares the final leg of The Wool Journey.
The Wool Journey Part 13: single versus plied yarn and the bulking of wool
The Wool Journey returns, as The Natural Fibre Company’s Sue Blacker explores the question of single versus plied yarn and an intriguingly named tool called the Bulkometer.
Fancy joining the Pentiddy Woods family on an immersive 9 month internship?
Here’s your chance! We hear from Ele and Anthony at Pentiddy Woods about a unique learning opportunity on offer from October 2019.
Repair & maintain: how to keep your beloved clothes in your life for longer
Keen to repair your clothes? You’re not alone! We hear from Anca at Ethical.net about a growing movement challenging fast fashion.
Tales of a winter working in a traditional tannery in Norway
Jessie Watson Brown, a UK traditional tanner, shares some of her experiences and learnings from a winter at Jutulskinn, a traditional tannery in Norway.
The Wool Journey Part 12: spinning at last!
In Part 12 of The Wool Journey, spinning commences at the Natural Fibre Company mill in Cornwall. Over to Sue Blacker to tell us more…
Why natural soap is naturally better, for your skin and for the planet
When is soap not really soap? More often than you might think. Bas de Vries of Quincessentials explores why natural soap is naturally better.
Fancy learning to spin or weave or know someone else who would?
Are you tempted to give learning to spin or weave a whirl but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you have a friend or family member looking for a new craft challenge? Our new online courses are for you!
The Wool Journey Part 11: which yarn to make?
Sue Blacker of The Natural Fibre Company continues The Wool Journey with the all of important question: which yarn to make?