Women Who Embroider the Air
In Burano—a tiny island 4 miles from the city of Venice—the ancient art of ultra-fine, hand-sewn lace somehow remains alive. And so does the equally ancient culture surrounding it. Our correspondent visits with the master craftswomen of Burano to learn their history, their secrets, and the prospects for their future.
Written and photographed by ERLA ZWINGLE
Listen to “Slow Fashion and Place-Based Economies,” with Fibershed’s Rebecca Burgess
Rebecca Burgess is the executive director of Fibershed, an internationally recognized nonprofit focused on transforming the clothing and textile system, the author of two books, and a vocationally trained weaver and natural dyer. She sat down with Craftsmanship Magazine to talk about price and privilege when it comes to “slow fashion,” why the world can…
Written by Craftsmanship Editors
Narrated by CHRIS EGUSA with REBECCA BURGESS
Hitting All the High Notes: Delbert Anderson Trumpets On
Uniting Navajo traditional songs with the dynamic currents of contemporary jazz and jazz improvisation, the trumpet master weaves a vibrant tapestry of sound.
Written by ROSEMARY DIAZ
Straw Bale Construction: The Ultra-Ecological House
Every few years, discussions about using straw bales as a building material come up again. As our environmental challenges mount—from wildfires to hurricanes—straw bales seem to offer a sustainable answer. And as we in the American West seem to find ourselves in "fire season" earlier with each passing year, it’s time to ask: Has the humble straw bale's moment finally come?
Written by MEA MCNEIL
Listen to “The Great Washing Machine Scam”
As consumer technology improves, basic household appliances, like the washing machine, keep sprouting new, high-tech functions. Not surprisingly, they’re also increasingly difficult to repair. So our journalistic gumshoe ventured to find out: Who put us in this jam? And why?
Written by AARON BRITT
Narrated by MITCHELL GREENBERG
Explore the Magazine
The Craftsmanship Initiative is dedicated to reclaiming craftsmanship’s principles of excellence, beauty, and durability as a pathway to a more sustainable world. The flagship venture of the initiative, which operates as a non-profit, is Craftsmanship Magazine, a multimedia publication that focuses on master artisans and innovators whose work informs our quest.
Watch: “The Tools of an Uilleann Pipe-Maker”
Craftsman and musician John Butler demonstrates some of the tools he uses to build Irish uilleann pipes—a notoriously difficult instrument to make, and to play.
By CRAFTSMANSHIP MAGAZINE
Watch “Guillermo Rubio, Mexican Master Luthier, Builds a Guitar”
Step inside a family-owned workshop in Paracho, Mexico — birthplace of the ornate, white guitar made famous by the Disney movie, “Coco,” and home to some of the world’s most accomplished luthiers. Don’t miss the full story, “Mexico’s Master Guitar Makers”, written by Laura Fraser.
By Craftsmanship Magazine
Watch “Snapshots of Istanbul, Music by Niyazi Sayin”
Scenes from the world of Turkish Islamic arts, accompanied by the sound of Niyazi Sayin playing the ney.
By Tasos
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