A voice for craft

This week’s #mondaymaker is Bethan Wyn Williams @bethanwynwilliamsstudio – an artist and surface pattern designer based in Bristol.

Bethan specialises in hand-crafting intricately detailed repeating patterns for luxury textiles, wallpaper and home accessories. Taking inspiration from the landscape of rural North Wales, where she grew up, and embellishments of the Arts and Crafts Movement, Bethan seeks to incorporate the natural world into her work. Bethan loves the initial process of researching design ideas, collating images, scribbling down notes and sketching – given the unlimited opportunities ahead.

If you want to learn more about Bethan’s work, become a member of Heritage Crafts and read her exclusive interview in the members portal: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/join-us/

#heritagecrafts #mondaymaker #surfacepatterndesign

This week’s #craftfocus is folding knife making.

A folding knife consists of a blade, spring, two linings, two bolsters, two ‘scales’ for the handles, and wire for riveting the knife together.

The blade blanks and springs are cut from sheet steel. They are then marked, drilled, nicked and straightened before being hardened and tempered. The blades are then ground and cleaned, before the knife is assembled.

The assembled knife is then ‘knocked up’ using a hammer and an anvil. The knives are then ground and shaped to the required finish, before being given a final polish and sharpening.

Folding knife making is listed as endangered on our crafts list.

Issues affecting the craft’s viability include legislation – there are a number of laws concerning knives (though pocket knives are usually exempt) and recruitment issues – it is difficult to find people who wish to work in this type of manufacturing.

Images: Michael May @michaelmayknives

#heritagecrafts #craftfocus #foldingknifemaking

This week’s #mondaymaker is Nina Perrot @clearsandsstainedglass – a master stained glass maker.

Nina has been creating stained glass for around two decades. Trained by master craftsman Keith Knickels twenty years ago, Nina is a member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen. Nina loves being able to continue the centuries old heritage skill of stained glass making while combining it with a contemporary style. Working from her off grid smallholding, Nina is inspired by nature and natural designs, taking influence from the surrounding world.

If you want to learn more about Nina’s work, become a member of Heritage Crafts and read her exclusive interview in the members portal: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/join-us/

#heritagecrafts #mondaymaker #stainedglass #glasswork

This week’s #craftfocus is leatherworking.

Leatherworking is the making of a wide range of leather items, often using techniques of sewing, moulding and embossing. It dates back over 400,00 years, being readily available for usage first as a by-product of hunting.

The leatherworking process is centred on the material – from sourcing the right leather to work with, examining the surface and preparing the leather, measuring and preparing/applying the pattern (marking cut lines) and cutting.

Additional processes include glueing, casing, stitching, dyeing, burnishing, skiving, stamping, moulding/shaping and perforation.

Issues affecting the viability of the craft include the time consuming process of preparing leather, and a lack of widely-available or accessible leather work training/qualifications, with a decreasing number of active makers.

There are also ethical and environmental concerns around leatherworking, resulting in a number of fashion houses moving away from it.

However, many would argue that leather is a highly sustainable material, using a by-product of the food industry that would otherwise be wasted, compared with some of the petroleum-derived alternatives.

Images: Armitage Leather @armitageleather & Billy Tannery @billytannery

#heritagecrafts #craftfocus #leatherworking #leather

Over 29 days we have profiled the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.

Oliver Kinge, from Wiltshire, has a learning style that has not been served well by the mainstream education system. He also has a passion for blacksmithing that points to an exciting future. He will train one-to-one with blacksmith @melissacole001. Oliver plans to set up his own business, selling items at local farm shops, farmers markets and events throughout the year.

Oliver’s bursary is funded by Malcolm and Rosalind Gammie.

Oliver said:
“Securing the bursary from Heritage Crafts will provide me with the opportunity to continue in my training and acquire the resources I need to develop my skills as a blacksmith. This support will also enable me to explore blacksmithing as a career, to meet other professionals, and expand my skills and training further. Hopefully this will lead to me being able to produce items that others can use for years.”

This week’s #mondaymaker is John Potter, an accredited master fletcher at Twangers Arrows.

Fletching is the making of arrows, including shaping the wooden shafts and attaching the feather. He came into fletching many years ago through the necessity to provide himself with arrows for his longbows. John is the author of ‘Making Traditional Wooden Arrows’, 2020.

If you want to learn more about John’s work, become a member of Heritage Crafts and read his exclusive interview in the members portal: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/join-us/

#heritagecrafts #mondaymaker #fletching