Woman looking overwhelmed at a cluttered craft table surrounded by sewing supplies

Some Uncomfortable Truths About Being a Crafter (That We Probably Shouldn’t Talk About)

Hello there, my crafty chums!

Now, before we get started, I should probably warn you that today’s blog post might make for some uncomfortable reading. Not because I’m about to reveal some terrible scandal involving a well-known craft celebrity, a missing embossing folder and a suspiciously sticky tube of glitter glue, but because I thought it might be interesting to have a little chat about some of the things that we crafters know to be true but would rather not admit.

You see, crafting is wonderful. It’s creative, therapeutic, rewarding and, at times, downright magical. We can take a few sheets of paper, some glue and a handful of embellishments and turn them into something that brings a smile to somebody’s face.

However, beneath all those beautifully coordinated cardstock collections and perfectly organised ribbon racks lies a world of secrets, questionable financial decisions and enough unused crafting supplies to keep a small country occupied until the next millennium.

So, put the kettle on, grab yourself a biscuit (or three) and prepare for a little self-reflection.

Don’t worry. I’m including myself in this little interrogation.

Right then, shall we…?

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Happy woman reading craft newspaper

Craft News 13 October 2026: Cricut’s New AI Designer, the Return of Lacemaking and Glass Made from Waste

Every fortnight, I take a wander around the wider craft world to see what has been happening beyond my own particular collection of paper, card, cutting machines and things I really ought to have put away by now.

And this fortnight has produced a rather interesting contrast.

At one end of the creative spectrum, Cricut has introduced a new AI tool that allows people to design cutting-machine projects simply by describing what they want to make. At the other, one of Britain’s endangered textile crafts is attracting a new generation of makers who are discovering the pleasures of doing things very slowly indeed.

Elsewhere, an experimental glassmaker has won a substantial award for turning discarded materials into something beautiful, fashion companies are encouraging people to repair and make their own clothes, and there have been some interesting developments in sewing, papercraft and contemporary textile art.

So, let’s see what’s been happening.

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Two craftspeople exchanging a hand tool across a workshop table

Craft News 7th October – Cricut Moves Beyond Cutting, Craft Courses Under Threat and Why Making Skills Still Matter

Every fortnight I take a wander around the wider craft world to see what has been happening beyond whichever particular materials happen to be covering my desk.

This time, two stories at opposite ends of the craft spectrum particularly caught my attention. One is about a major craft brand moving into an entirely new kind of machine; the other is about the possible disappearance of three places where people learn specialist making skills professionally.

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