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Explore crafts & makers with Region: Europe

Similar to many other regions, handmade socks make a significant part of material culture in Turkey. Besides being functional and decorative garments, in Turkey handmade socks have gained the role of communication through their designs. The motifs that are applied on socks usually have meanings and used for certain purposes. These meanings may have spiritual […]

Pirot kilim

Tapestry
South-east Europe

Pirot kilim rugs refers to a variety of flat tapestry-woven rugs traditionally produced in Pirot, a town in southeastern Serbia. Pirot kilims with some 122 ornaments and 96 different types have been protected by geographical indication in 2002. Pirot was once the most important rug-making centre in the Balkans, located on the historical main highway […]

Barkcloth

Fiber

Barkcloth is a versatile material that was once common in Asia, Africa, Indonesia, and the Pacific. Barkcloth comes primarily from trees of the Moraceae family, including Broussonetia papyrifera, Artocarpus altilis, and Ficus natalensis. It is made by beating sodden strips of the fibrous inner bark of these trees into sheets, which are then finished into a […]

Broderie anglaise

Needlework

Broderie anglaise is a whitework needlework technique combining features of embroidery, cutwork and needle lace that became associated with England, due to its popularity there in the 19th century. Broderie anglaise is characterized by patterns composed of round or oval holes, called eyelets, which are cut out of the fabric, then bound with overcast or […]

Croatian Lacemaking

Lacemaking

Croatian Lacemaking is a tradition dating back to the Renaissance when lacemaking began spreading throughout the Mediterranean and continental Europe. Throughout the years, Croatian lace has become notable for its unique patterns and designs. In 2009 UNESCO recognised lacemaking in Croatia as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Today in Croatia there are several centres […]

Quilting

Appliqué

Quilting is the process of sewing two or more layers of fabric together to make a thicker padded material, usually to create a quilt or quilted garment. Typically, quilting is done with three layers: the top fabric or quilt top, batting or insulating material and backing material, but many different styles are adopted. The process of quilting uses a needle and thread to join two or […]

Felt

Needlework

Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers. Natural fibre felt has special properties that allow it to be used for a wide variety of purposes. Wool felt is one the […]

Tatting

Needlework

Patchwork

Needlework

Patchwork, also known as “pieced work,” is a type of needlework where small pieces of fabric are stitched together to form a larger design. The design often consists of repeating patterns that are created by combining various fabric shapes, each of which may be a different color. The fabric shapes are meticulously measured and cut […]

Crochet

Needlework

Blackwork

Embroidery

Alençon lace

Lacemaking

Alençon lace or Point d’Alençon is a rare technique of needle lace-making from the town of Alençon in Normandy in north-west France. This craftsmanship was inscribed in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010. The fine Alençon needle lace requires a highly skilled hand and a considerable amount of time to produce – approximately […]

Basketry

Weaving

Darning

Needlework

Darning is a sewing technique for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting using needle and thread alone. It is often done by hand, but it is also possible to darn with a sewing machine. Hand darning employs the darning stitch, a simple running stitch in which the thread is “woven” in rows along the grain of the fabric, with the stitcher reversing direction at the end of each row, […]