A voice for craft
The national charity for heritage craft skills
Supporting craft heritage
We are the national charity set up to celebrate, support and safeguard traditional craft skills, and to facilitate a national conversation about their importance to everyone now and in the future.
We are passionate about ensuring that everyone has access to craft skills that have developed over generations, and which we believe will be vital in helping us tackle the challenges of the future – and to be able to enjoy making as part of a fulfilled life.
Our Patron is His Majesty King Charles III.
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Training bursaries for crafts involving precious metals
Training bursaries for fashion textiles and costume making
Training bursaries for leather working
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Heritage Crafts was set up just fifteen years ago. Since then it has gone from strength to strength, advocating at the highest levels for crafts, publishing the Red List of Endangered Crafts, and distributing 95 grants through the Endangered Crafts Fund. We have awarded 131 training bursaries, established the Heritage Crafts Awards and shone a spotlight on our world-renowned makers through 33 National Honours successes.
Many more people are now aware of traditional crafts and the objects produced by those who carry in their hands, heads, and also hearts the skills and techniques that have been passed down through the generations.
To continue this work we need your support. Please consider making a donation, however big or small, to help ensure that heritage craft skills in the UK are given the opportunity to thrive.
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This week’s #mondaymaker is Debbie McCann @weeyarndesigns – a Dorset button maker.
Debbie graduated from Ulster University, Belfast, where she studied Fashion & Textile Design, specialising in Constructed Textiles. First discovering the Dorset button in 2015, Debbie designs and creates Dorset button jewellery, artwork and accessories using locally sourced yarn, as well as facilitating workshops on the craft. In 2013, she established her business, Wee Yarn Designs. Debbie’s accessories exhibit a clear contemporary edge while still acknowledging the use of traditional hand crafted skills.
View Debbie’s full profile on our maker’s directory: https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/maker/debbie-mccann/
#heritagecrafts #mondaymaker #dorsetbuttonmaking
We are profiling the recipients of our latest round of Endangered Crafts Fund grants.
Gail McGarva BEM @gailmcgarva.boatbuilder, from Dumfries and Galloway, has been funded to secure a barn to become the Traditional Boat Building Beacon, in which to teach regional clinker-built boat construction.
Gail’s grant is funded by the William Grant Foundation
Gail said: “Thank you so much to Heritage Crafts for awarding me an Endangered Crafts Fund grant in support of my project the Traditional Boatbuilding Beacon. It feels like a wonderful affirmation of my project and ignites hope for the future of the craft.”
📷 @alicia_canter
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Upholstery Technician
Location: North West
Upholstery2U is a fully mobile, on-the-go service that takes the workshop on the road, bringing expert furniture and equipment repair straight to the customer’s door. They are seeking an upholstery technician to join their growing team.
Responsibilities include:
-Assessing damage and diving into repairs – ripped gym pads, worn-out medical chairs, restaurant seating.
-Using industrial sewing machines, staple guns and more.
-Chatting with clients, offering solutions, and leaving them impressed.
-Keeping your van tidy and stocked
-Logging jobs and uploading before/after pics via our mobile app
-Getting stuff done — solo, efficiently, and with pride
#matchMAKER is the online platform for work-based training and entry-level employment opportunities hosted by @heritagecrafts and supported by @soanebritain.
Find out how to get your craft listed on the new Living Heritage in the UK inventory
We will be running two more online information session on Wednesday for anyone thinking of nominating their living heritage practice on the new Living Heritage in the UK inventory, launched by the government in December. This is part of Heritage Crafts’ new role as a Community Support Hub for the inventory.
Sign up for free via the Linktr.ee in our bio for online information sessions at 3pm and 6.30pm.
– Wednesday 14 January, 3pm to 4.30pm
– Wednesday 14 January, 6.30pm to 8pm
– Thursday 12 February, 3pm to 4.30pm
– Thursday 12 February, 6.30pm to 8pm
📷 @astrlfibres by @jesslowephoto
This week’s #craftfocus is sporran making.
The Scottish craft of sporran making incorporates a range of skills to create the traditional pouch worn with a kilt. These include leatherworking, hand sewing, belt making, taxidermy, metalwork, horsehair work and cantle making.
First, a pattern is cut for the body, which includes a front and back panel with an attached flap, and a long, thin strip called a gusset. Next, stitching holes are punched along the edges and a belt loop or D-rings are attached to the back panel so the sporran can be worn. These pieces are then sewn together by hand.
Finally, finishing touches are added, such as a closure (button or stud) and other embellishments on the front (tassels, fur or metalwork).
Sporran making is classified as endangered on our Craft Inventory. Threats include a lack of training opportunities and a difficulty accessing raw materials on a small scale in Scotland.
While the basic skills of sporran making, such as leatherworking, are easily accessible, the higher level skills of working with horsehair, skins and mixed materials are specialist and can only be learnt on the job with a skilled sporran maker. The market is also affected by competition from sporrans made cheaply overseas.
Image: Kate Robertson @robertsonkiltmakers
#heritagecrafts #craftfocus #sporranmaking
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Trainee Leather Artisan – Colour Restoration
Location: Newcastle
The Handbag Clinic is a luxury aftercare and resale service specialising in the restoration, authentication, and sale of designer handbags. They are seeking a creative individual to join their Artisan team.
The role involves working on a wide range of designer pieces, from brands such as Coach through to Hermès, supporting both direct-to-consumer repairs and aftercare services for luxury houses including Burberry, Bulgari, and Céline. A strong understanding of colour theory and an art-based background are essential, as precision, creativity, and attention to detail are key to delivering exceptional restoration work.
The role offers clear progression opportunities, including advancement to Artisan, Senior Artisan, and Technical Lead levels, as well as the chance to develop specialist skills such as working with exotic leathers or becoming an expert in Louis Vuitton replacement work.
Visit #matchMAKER via the linktr.ee in our bio to find out more.
#matchMAKER is the online platform for work-based training and entry-level employment opportunities hosted by @heritagecrafts and supported by @soanebritain.
We are profiling the recipients of our latest round of Endangered Crafts Fund grants.
Mark Rochman, from Leeds, has been funded to gain bicycle frame making skills from Ellis Briggs Cycles and add bicycle making to the offering of @leedsbikemill, a workers cooperative currently offering bicycle repair and maintenance.
Mark’s grant is funded by an anonymous donation to the Endangered Crafts Fund.
Mark said: “I will be training to become an experienced bike frame builder with Paul at Ellis Briggs in Shipley. I hope to acquire the necessary tools to create a space to practice these skills here at Leeds Bike Mill, an organisation that is well-embedded in the Leeds cycling community. I hope to instill others with the same passion, curiosity and interest in steel bike frame building that I have, and perhaps one day create an inclusive and accessible space in Leeds for budding frame builders to share and practice their skills.”
This week’s #mondaymaker is Adam Cox @cavendishpianos – a piano maker.
Adam undertook a piano technology course at Leeds College of Music in 1993 and began building seriously in 2012, now running Cavendish Pianos in the Yorkshire Dales. Adam’s favourite part of his work is sitting down and playing a newly finished piano, as well as receiving customer satisfaction.
If you want to read an exclusive interview about Adam’s work, become a member of Heritage Crafts and learn more in the members portal: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/join-us/
#heritagecrafts #pianomaking
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