Batik Art

Batik is an Indonesian word and refers to a particular method of dying cloth known as 'resist dying', whereby part of the cloth is deliberately prevented from absorbing colour dyes. Instead of a uniformly patterned colour effect, Batik cloth is a vibrant mix of hues, with varying colour intensity on different parts of the cloth.

Wax or paste is commonly used in traditional resist dying - this is applied to various parts of the cloth before the whole is dipped in dye. As the wax is usually applied by hand and the process not exact, a more random colour pattern is achieved, with indistinct, rather than precise borders around the patches of colour. It's a process that has been used in Asia, Egypt and Africa since ancient times.

Retro Knitting Patterns

The Knitting Revival

Retro Knits by Voyageur Press

Old knitting patterns have become very popular of late - mainly because there are some great retro styles to be found among them that just aren't available today.

Once upon a time, knitting was a standard activity for many women, however as more women entered the workforce in the latter part of the 20th century and were  pressed by time constraints and other distractions, the popularity of knitting receded. In addition cheap, mass produced knits made the labour intensive art of knitting even less appealing.

But...store bought machine knits just don't have the feel and look of a hand-knitted item. It's the blood, sweat and tears of working those needles over and over again that weaves a kind of history and individualism into the knit. In the 21st century the age old art of knitting has made a resurgence.

Craft Projects

Suzie Million's guide to retro crafts

A Hoarder's Delight
Ever wanted to make a bottle cap man? Or maybe a teacup lady flowerpot or a plastic flower pixie? Well if so, Retro Crafts might be the book for you. The author has compiled over forty kitsch retro craft projects to keep you busy on a rainy day.

People who love crafts and being creative may want to look into design classes from accredited online colleges.

We used to be a much less throwaway society - things tended to be kept and were often creatively recycled for another use.The fabulously named Suzie Millions (is that for real I wonder?) is an artist, author and craft enthusiasist, who has delved into  history and come up with some weird and wonderful projects.

Even if craft isn't your forte, it's fun just reading about what can be created with ordinary objects. Plus the book includes an inside peek at the authors intriguingly cluttered house, as well as a host of fascinating images from vintage pamphlets and markets.