Awards
The Heritage Crafts awards
![](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sonnaz2.jpg)
Heritage Crafts set up the prestigious Heritage Crafts Awards in 2012. We are indebted to our partner organisations for providing funding to allow us to present a unique suite of awards and bursaries specifically for traditional crafts. We are so grateful for this generous support.
The Heritage Crafts Awards celebrate and highlight the traditional living crafts made in the UK that contribute to our national heritage, such as silversmithing, woodworking, dressmaking and tailoring, leatherworking, pottery, building crafts, upholstery, weaving, embroidery and similar other crafts where there is a significant degree of hand skill at the point of manufacture.
Nominate yourself or someone else
![Precious Metalworker of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/precious-metal-award-300x300.jpg)
Precious Metalworker of the Year Award
![Woodworker of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/woodworking-award-300x300.jpg)
Woodworker of the Year Award
![Fashion and Textile Maker of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/fashion-textile-award-300x300.jpg)
Fashion and Textile Maker of the Year Award
![Leatherworker of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/leather-award-300x300.jpg)
Leatherworker of the Year Award
![Potter of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pottery-award-300x300.jpg)
Potter of the Year Award
![Young Woodworker of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/young-woodworking-300x300.jpg)
Young Woodworker of the Year Award
![Young Metalworker of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/young-metalworking-award-300x300.jpg)
Young Metalworker of the Year Award
![Young Leatherworker of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/young-leather-award-300x300.jpg)
Young Leatherworker of the Year Award
![Young Building Craftsperson of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/young-building-crafts-award-300x300.jpg)
Young Building Craftsperson of the Year Award
![Young Upholsterer of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/young-upholstery-300x300.jpg)
Young Upholsterer of the Year Award
![Young Weaver of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/young-weaving-300x300.jpg)
Young Weaver of the Year Award
![Young Embroiderer of the Year Award](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/young-embroidery-award-300x300.jpg)
Young Embroiderer of the Year Award
Message from the Former Prince of Wales
“As President of the Heritage Crafts Association, I am delighted to endorse this new awards scheme which supports and rewards excellence in the heritage craft sector.
Crafts are such a vital part of our British heritage and I have always been passionately concerned to promote the best aspects of our country’s traditions ― and, equally importantly, to enable these highly specialised skills to be transferred from one generation to the next.
These new awards for heritage craft celebrate excellence across the sector in a variety of ways. They reward those who give so much by volunteering to support the many different crafts, those who pass on their skills, those who wish to improve their craft skills and those who continue to produce great British craft.”
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This week`s #craftfocus is bookbinding.
Bookbinding is the assembling and fixing of the loose leaves of a book between a cover, either by gluing or stitching.
Techniques have altered throughout the centuries. The differentiation in materials, binding technique and style of the book may help make it possible to trace the date and origin of the book. Perfect binding was introduced to bookbinding in 1931: a form of binding books with glue instead of sewing.
Cold glues were first used in perfect binding until a ‘hot-melt adhesive’ was used to bind books, making the binding last longer than cold glue binding.
Binding systems excelled after the Second World War. Spiral binding had been in evidence since the 1920s, but it was not until later that this technique became an important part of office stationary.
While bookbinding is currently listed as viable on our list of crafts, threats to the practice include a lack of training facilities in the UK and the pulling of bookbinding courses at universities and colleges.
Those students in the UK who wish to become professionals have to pursue their training through short courses. Apprenticeships, traineeships and internships are few and far between.
Images: @boundbyhand
#heritagecrafts #craftfocus #bookbinding
![This week's #craftfocus is bookbinding.
Bookbinding is the assembling and fixing of the loose leaves of a book between a cover, either by gluing or stitching.
Techniques have altered throughout the centuries. The differentiation in materials, binding technique and style of the book may help make it possible to trace the date and origin of the book. Perfect binding was introduced to bookbinding in 1931: a form of binding books with glue instead of sewing.
Cold glues were first used in perfect binding until a ‘hot-melt adhesive’ was used to bind books, making the binding last longer than cold glue binding.
Binding systems excelled after the Second World War. Spiral binding had been in evidence since the 1920s, but it was not until later that this technique became an important part of office stationary.
While bookbinding is currently listed as viable on our list of crafts, threats to the practice include a lack of training facilities in the UK and the pulling of bookbinding courses at universities and colleges.
Those students in the UK who wish to become professionals have to pursue their training through short courses. Apprenticeships, traineeships and internships are few and far between.
Images: @boundbyhand
#heritagecrafts #craftfocus #bookbinding](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
If you are a weaver aged 25 and under who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for this year’s Young Weaver of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @roseuniacke. Or if you know another young person who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £1,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 2023 winner @larapaintextiles
![If you are a weaver aged 25 and under who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for this year’s Young Weaver of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @roseuniacke. Or if you know another young person who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £1,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 2023 winner @larapaintextiles](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
#membermoment #Repost @guernseywillowbaskets with @use.repost
・・・
This week… meeting Their Majesties The King and Queen in Guernsey 🇬🇬
On Tuesday, my family and I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate Guernsey’s heritage and traditions, with a visit from Their Majesties The King and Queen.
My Dad @gaudionmax was super-proud that his family had been invited to demonstrate crab pot and fishing basket making for the King and Queen, and the opportunity to show how this endangered craft is being continued by his family.
The King spoke to each of us (and to Dad for quite a while!) about our local heritage and the craft of making willow crab pots and fishing baskets. He was very interested and he encouraged my family to continue making and keep this heritage craft going. He then addressed the nearby crowd asking if they all owned a Guernsey basket!
What a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the island’s unique traditions, with a visit from the King and Queen.
My niece, Phoebe, was also invited to present The Queen with a posy of @jamblinflowerfarm flowers and a Petit Ponier (made by me!).
@lasocieteg, @letricoteur guernsey jumpers (as modelled by Phoebe), @guernsey.ice_cream and @rocquettecider were amongst the other participants on The Crown Pier meeting Their Majesties. My brother @timgaudionartist also displayed one of his amazing local paintings.
It was really nice to hear The King mention that he is Patron of @heritagecrafts. His enthusiasm for our willow craft was evident. 🙌
#royalvisit #kingcharlesiii #queencamilla #guernsey #guernseywillowbaskets #heritagecrafts #royalfamily #kingandqueen
![#membermoment #Repost @guernseywillowbaskets with @use.repost
・・・
This week… meeting Their Majesties The King and Queen in Guernsey 🇬🇬
On Tuesday, my family and I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate Guernsey’s heritage and traditions, with a visit from Their Majesties The King and Queen.
My Dad @gaudionmax was super-proud that his family had been invited to demonstrate crab pot and fishing basket making for the King and Queen, and the opportunity to show how this endangered craft is being continued by his family.
The King spoke to each of us (and to Dad for quite a while!) about our local heritage and the craft of making willow crab pots and fishing baskets. He was very interested and he encouraged my family to continue making and keep this heritage craft going. He then addressed the nearby crowd asking if they all owned a Guernsey basket!
What a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the island’s unique traditions, with a visit from the King and Queen.
My niece, Phoebe, was also invited to present The Queen with a posy of @jamblinflowerfarm flowers and a Petit Ponier (made by me!).
@lasocieteg, @letricoteur guernsey jumpers (as modelled by Phoebe), @guernsey.ice_cream and @rocquettecider were amongst the other participants on The Crown Pier meeting Their Majesties. My brother @timgaudionartist also displayed one of his amazing local paintings.
It was really nice to hear The King mention that he is Patron of @heritagecrafts. His enthusiasm for our willow craft was evident. 🙌
#royalvisit #kingcharlesiii #queencamilla #guernsey #guernseywillowbaskets #heritagecrafts #royalfamily #kingandqueen](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
If you are a building craftsperson or conservator aged 25 and under who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for the inaugural Young Building Craftsperson of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @englishheritage.
Examples of eligible crafts include, but are not limited to, timber framing, stonemasonry, gauged brickwork, heritage tiling and many others.
Or if you know another young person who might deserve the award, why not nominate them? There is a £1,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 2023 training bursary recipient @llechen_lan
![If you are a building craftsperson or conservator aged 25 and under who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for the inaugural Young Building Craftsperson of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @englishheritage.
Examples of eligible crafts include, but are not limited to, timber framing, stonemasonry, gauged brickwork, heritage tiling and many others.
Or if you know another young person who might deserve the award, why not nominate them? There is a £1,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 2023 training bursary recipient @llechen_lan](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
Our #mondaymaker Ali Holloway is a hand weaver with over 35 years of experience. She makes one off woven pieces for exhibition or for commission. These are often generated from walks through particular landscapes exploring the traces left by human habitation on a particular terrain and also reflecting on the relationship between her body and these landscapes. Using mainly plant dyed yarns and natural fibres she strives to make pieces that are always exploring the possibilities of the craft and at the same time honouring its history and long traditions.
Dying is integral to her process and as well as space dying the yarn she uses she also will submerge an entire cone of yarn in a dye bath so that as this yarn is woven the colour gradually leeches out. As well as making her own work Ali also teaches weaving classes from her studio, in schools and other community venues.
Ali’s profile can be found on our maker’s directory: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/maker/ali-holloway/
#heritagecrafts #mondaymaker #craft #weaver #weaving
![Our #mondaymaker Ali Holloway is a hand weaver with over 35 years of experience. She makes one off woven pieces for exhibition or for commission. These are often generated from walks through particular landscapes exploring the traces left by human habitation on a particular terrain and also reflecting on the relationship between her body and these landscapes. Using mainly plant dyed yarns and natural fibres she strives to make pieces that are always exploring the possibilities of the craft and at the same time honouring its history and long traditions.
Dying is integral to her process and as well as space dying the yarn she uses she also will submerge an entire cone of yarn in a dye bath so that as this yarn is woven the colour gradually leeches out. As well as making her own work Ali also teaches weaving classes from her studio, in schools and other community venues.
Ali’s profile can be found on our maker’s directory: https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/maker/ali-holloway/
#heritagecrafts #mondaymaker #craft #weaver #weaving](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
If you are an upholsterer aged 25 and under who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for this year’s Young Upholsterer of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @sonnaz_. Or if you know another young person who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £1,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
![If you are an upholsterer aged 25 and under who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for this year’s Young Upholsterer of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @sonnaz_. Or if you know another young person who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £1,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
This week`s #craftfocus is button making.
Needlework techniques are the most common method for making this type of button. Threads are wrapped, wrapped and woven, or stitched to create the many varied designs. The yarn is repeatedly bound over a disc or a ring. The process follows casting, slicking, laying and rounding.
Button making is currently listed as viable on our list of crafts. However, threats to the longevity of the craft include a lack of awareness, market issues, a dilution of skills and no universal standard for button making.
#heritagecrafts #craftfocus #buttonmaking
![This week's #craftfocus is button making.
Needlework techniques are the most common method for making this type of button. Threads are wrapped, wrapped and woven, or stitched to create the many varied designs. The yarn is repeatedly bound over a disc or a ring. The process follows casting, slicking, laying and rounding.
Button making is currently listed as viable on our list of crafts. However, threats to the longevity of the craft include a lack of awareness, market issues, a dilution of skills and no universal standard for button making.
#heritagecrafts #craftfocus #buttonmaking](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
If you are a traditional woodworker aged 25 and under who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for this year’s Young Woodworker of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @axminstertools. Or if you know another young person who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £1,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, we will also award an @axminstertools Woodworker of the Year Award, chosen from nominees of any age, with a prize of £2,000.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 2023 winner Harry Morris @htmorrisfurniture
![If you are a traditional woodworker aged 25 and under who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for this year’s Young Woodworker of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @axminstertools. Or if you know another young person who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £1,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, we will also award an @axminstertools Woodworker of the Year Award, chosen from nominees of any age, with a prize of £2,000.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 2023 winner Harry Morris @htmorrisfurniture](https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)