(So far, and in no particular
order)
Craft and art techniques and
styles, plus the materials available for use, vary the world over. Seeing this
work, or even just seeing the finished products, is a hugely interesting and
wonderful experience. This is not everything I could have included - not by a long shot! But the post was getting a bit long so I had to stop somewhere...
EVERYTHING in South
America
There is so much
knitting, crochet, weaving, spinning – it is just amazing. Craft is everywhere,
and everyone seems just so talented and artistic
Hand-carved
and hand-made goods in The Gambia
Made for sale to
tourists, these crafts are often the only source of income for families. We came away with a few masks from here!
Ikat Textiles and
dress making in Tajikistan
I just loved the
fabrics here and brought some home with me, plus I even got some traditional
Tajik clothes made!
Leather Babouches in
Morocco
These totally
handmade colourful slippers were everywhere in Morocco, I got a turquoise pair
to bring home for myself
Batik in Sri Lanka
A girl showed us her
work, and explained how she produces these spectacular batik works. We bought a
peacock for ourselves, and some elephant ones as gifts.
Hande-made Soap in
Lebanon
Tripoli in northern
Lebanon has long been famous its oil-based soap production, they still make
soaps by hand there – often in lots of novelty styles
Knotting Carpets in
Tunisia
Exploring a souk in Tunisia, we
came across a really interesting carpet shop with a
lady demonstrating
techniques outside. There weren't many tourists about, so I was able
to sit with her for a
while as she showed me how to tie the knots for making the carpet.
Street Crochet, Serbia
In Belgrade, Serbia, I saw
several people making crochet doilies for sale in their street stalls.
Jewellery Making in Sri Lanka
We got to look around a
jewellery making workshop in Sri Lanka, I loved watching the raw stones get
polished up into jewellery pieces. I wish had bought something with the moonstones!
Yarn-Bombing, Germany
I was wandering through
Dusseldorf when I spotted a yarn-bombed pipeline going over the road. It wasn’t
a very pretty part of town, and the cheery knitting brightened up this
otherwise ugly pipe. I know there has been more impressive yarn-bombing out
there, but this was the first I had ever seen
