The Espadrille: Spain’s Beloved, Timeless Shoe
The long march of espadrilles, from medieval Spanish peasantry to global shoe icon.
The Curious Art and Origins of Horsehair Hitching, with Shoni Maulding
Shoni Maulding works at the custom hitching jig that her husband, Ron, designed and built for her. “That is the beauty of being married to Ron,” Shoni jokes. photo by Jeremy Lurgio Nobody’s quite sure where or when the tradition of horsehair hitching began. Perhaps it came from the Moors who conquered Spain, or military…
When Life Handed Her Yarn, Adella Colvin Spun a Bright Future
The founder of LolaBean Yarn Co. didn’t expect to move from New York City to rural Georgia, or to become obsessed with hand-dyeing yarn. But when opportunity knocked, Adella Colvin didn’t hesitate. Back in her 20s, New York urbanite Adella Colvin would never have pictured her future self sweating over a steaming vat of cobalt…
The American Folk School Movement and ‘Slow Economics’
Rather than looking to big corporate employers like Walmart for economic stability, could more rural communities in the U.S. welcome a slower growing, more sustainable economic partner?
Berea College Students Craft a Bright Future, Tuition-Free
As U.S. student debt balloons to $1.75 trillion nationally, calls for loan forgiveness and low-cost or free college tuition programs are getting louder. Sound impossible? Kentucky’s Berea College has been tuition-free since 1892 — and offers an education in craftsmanship to boot.
Watch “The Future Is Handmade”
A Dutch archaeologist finds artisans and thought leaders who are redefining craft, skill and, ultimately, the real meaning of a knowledge economy. A Craftsmanship mini-documentary.
Pablita Velarde’s Legacy: The Pueblo Artisans of the American Southwest
Among the different Indigenous cultures represented by the Southwest’s Native American tribes, some of the richest history of craftsmanship has been, and still is, practiced by the Pueblo Indians. For some of these artisans, the inspiration for carrying on came from an early artistic pioneer: a rebel painter named Pablita Velarde.
Written by DANIEL GIBSON
Photography by KITTY LEAKEN
Listen to “The Hidden Powers of a Sheep”
Not only is wool unusually cozy and durable, but its creators (the sheep) can help regenerate the soil, along with the world’s drying, fire-prone landscapes. The good news: a wool revival seems to be underway.
The Hidden Powers of a Sheep
While the fashion industry continues to produce more and more clothing made from synthetics, with all their harmful effects, we’ve ignored the wonders of wool. The material is natural, durable, and endlessly renewable; more important, its creators (the sheep) can help regenerate the soil, along with the world’s drying, fire-prone landscapes. Fortunately, a wool revival seems to be underway.
By JUDITH D. SCHWARTZ
