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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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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