Why craft?

I was interviewed by Margaret Throsby on ABC Classic FM this morning, mainly about the new crafts movement and why crafts are experiencing such a huge resurgence in popularity. I was only on for a while, so really I just wanted to expand on my thoughts a bit here…

Basically, I think quite a lot of crafts have a dated image because they went through such a fallow period in the excessive 1980s and throughout the 90s also, with people moving away from making things themselves and towards a more homogenous culture of branding. Maybe it was due to the feminist revolution and women spending less time at home (creating the knock-on effect of a whole generation of women who haven’t been passed on traditional skills such as needleworking, and therefore ‘buy in’ everything) and maybe 70s macrame pot holders and pottery ashtrays were just so naff they turned people off craft for good… Either way, I like to think they’re back to stay, and that people are turning to crafting for reasons other than necessity.

There’s lots of reasons we’re finding ourselves drawn to crafts once again; the recession, the availability of beautiful fabrics and materials both made in Australia and all over the world, and the desire to do something more tactile and practical – especially given that so many of us spend our days now staring at computer screens.

But I hope the main reason is doing something more meaningful, that not only benefits us with a sense of calm and satisfaction over a job well done, but friends and family who receive gifts given with real love. When time is such a valuable commodity, to spend it on people we care about is fairly precious, don’t you think?