This year, like lots of other people, I’m going to try to make my own Christmas presents. It’s not the first time that I’ve promised myself this. Being a milliner, and an all-round crafty type, I’ve often thought I should put my money where my mouth is. But this year I’m really going to stick to it. It’s partly that I’m short of cash, but also that I’ve recently returned from an inspiring trip around Britain, looking into "make do and mend" for BBC2’s Newsnight.
I dreamed up the trip a few months ago. The thought Of traveling the country-- things as I went, meeting artists and craftspeople—sounded like the perfect way to spend the summer. I’d pack a tent and a sewing machine and off I’d go. But by the time I finalized my plans and hit the road, leaves were already crunching under foot. It seemed crazy to camp with winter on the way; instead, Newsnight viewers offered me board and lodging in return for help with a craft task. There was an overwhelming response.
My tasks ranged from darning (缝补) a moth-eaten monk’s jumper to trousers for a stilt walker. Textile students in Harpenden offered to pay for my petrol in return for a talk about hats. In Derby, Amy needed help to transform an old pair of curtains.
I was really struck by people’s growing enthusiasm for things. I asked a WI group in Sheffield how many could sew, and only a few put up their hands. But when I asked who wanted to learn, nearly everyone responded positively. At the Textile Workshop in Nottingham, the number of classes on offer has doubled in a year, and a knitting club in Leeds is growing by the week.
Craft is definitely fashionable at the moment. But over and above fashion, we’re learning to appreciate effort and quality again. Perhaps once people rediscover the pleasure to be gained from something unique, it may stick.
Sue Pilchard is curator (管理者) of quilts at the V＆A, where next spring she’ll be putting on the museum’s first major quilting exhibition. Sue believes the return to crafting is wrapped up in how we are redefining ourselves. "’There’s certainly a movement.., towards a new domesticity. People, especially women, are starting to think about the way they live their lives. It’s 40 years since the first women’s liberation conference was held in Oxford. Since that time we’ve been in the workplace, and we’ve had the opportunity of choice. Now we’re deliberately choosing to go back into the home."
Whether you agree with that or not, there’s something about Christmas that brings out the artistic streak in everyone. Whether it’s baking mince pies or decking the halls, we’re all prepared to have a go. So if you fancy pushing the boat out and a few presents, try these really ideas, each inspired by my recent journey. They make ideal stocking fillers or small gifts, and take no longer than 30 minutes each. Play some carols, settle down with a steaming cup of cocoa, and forget the cold. You’ll save yourself a bit of money, and spread a little hit of love too!
When was the author probably on her trip to Britain