Creative Crafts and Stitchery encompasses a

melange of handcraft techniques ~7 weaving,

rug making, sewing, crocheting, knitting, em-

broidery, needlepoint, basketry, furniture mak-

ing and caning, cornhusk toy construction,

decoupage, rosemaling, preserving flowers

and more. Most of these date back hundreds

of years and, at one time, were done of sheer

necessity.

But as the Industrial Age emerged, early

machines mass-produced duplicates of these

same items at a breathtaking pace and with a

surprising degree of accuracy, thus taking

away the incentive for home crafts. Also, it

became fashionable to purchase these ready-

mades rather than to make your own.

Luckily, as the Industrial Revolution

gained momentum, other machines appeared

that reduced housework chores to a minimum

and also lessened the workday hours in indus-

tries. This trend allowed p~ople more leisure

time to pursue the activities that gave them

the greatest personal gratification.

Today, people of all ages in cities large

and small and in the country take great pride

in creating handmade articles-not because

they have to but because they want to produce

something that is trulUtheir own handwork.

Another contributing factor to the craft

boom is the availability of materials. Design-