Craft Techniques

Skills for the Rustic Artisan

In my younger days, I dabbled in many and various kinds of crafts, but always had a mentor to tell me what to do and how to do it.

It was only later when I no longer had a sensei to give me directions that I had to develop my own solutions to the problems that cropped up. My journey to successful crafting was not always easy. I was alone in my efforts for a long time, trying to find ways to get the ideas and vision in my mind out into the world.

These craft techniques that evolved along the way have helped immensely, and cut off a lot of convoluted pathways to get there.

It all began when I was about four or five, and watched my Dad carving the door of our house.

He was a master cabinet maker and carver, and he made it look easy. That is a definite skill, as the first time I ever picked up a chisel, I found out that it was not a simple as it looked. Years of experience and practice went into it.

In later years, there were many opportunities to watch both my parents making beautiful art, from my Mum painting gorgeous swirling oil paintings, weaving colorful wall hangings, bog coats, shawls and many other garments.

Watching her work through the different methods of warping a loom, to get her final project woven and off the loom and then finished, all the ends tied up, and the item washed and laid flat to dry was an education in itself.

Being in the pottery studio and seeing my parents work, which included hand throwing beautiful mugs, plates, planters, soup bowls, tea pots and so many other things that were functional, (or not) was a part of my childhood.

Seeing how eager both my parents were to get out of the house in the morning, step two or three steps into the studio to get to work stays with me. I now know how it feels to get fired up (no pun intended) and get to work on a craft.

Here are a few ways I've discovered that make my crafting life a lot easier. Keeping them in my repertoire means I can pull them out to save my bacon when I need to, and, it also makes it possible to morph them into another if it's necessary. Stay nimble, stay flexible.