Sewing Patterns & Supplies

wooden sewing baskets

Folk Art - Craft From the Past

Folk art is craft from the past - history in an object. Whenever we admire a beautifully woven basket, a perfectly carved decoy duck or an exquisitely hand sewn quilt we are appreciating articles of folk art. But what exactly does the term "folk art" mean? Simply, it was adopted in America early last century to describe works made by people who had never had any formal training in carving a decoy duck or sewing a quilt for instance. Previously terms such as "naive" or "primitive" had been used to describe such objects, but neither is as evocative as the term "folk" art - the simple, ordinary, modest art made by plain ordinary folk.

Folk art is always unique and embodies the spirit of it's creator, comprising both decorative and utilitarian items. It is rare these days to find original items at inexpensive prices, and neither can they be found in great quantities, but from time to time beautiful folk art items can be found at car boot sales, markets and country auctions. Before industrialisation and mass-manufacturing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, ordinary people hand made objects, such as decoy duck s both for decoration and for everyday use. It's these handmade items that are so desirable to collectors today.

Painted tinware, hand-turned wooden bowls, all kinds of baskets, colorful quilts and other textiles may still be found. Spongeware pottery - which is named from the pieces of cut sponge used to apply patterns to the pottery surface - is much harder to find in the UK than it is in the USA as a large amount of spongeware was exported to the US from the 1820s onwards.

Hunting with decoy ducks became popular in Victorian Britain, although Native Americans have a long history of using lures and carving is a tradition firmly rooted in American folk art. The finest American ducks were carved in the 1920s and 1930s, and beautiful examples are still being produced today. In top condition with original paint, a decoy duck could fetch more than $20,000 if made by one of the big names such as Elmer Crowell of Cape Cod.

Many basket weavers were farmers who made their own containers for agricultural use - look out for those bearing the initials of the farmer who made them, or stencilled details of the contents.

Rustic textiles in coarse linen and woollen cloth were woven on domestic handlooms which were often very narrow - so the pieces of cloth then had to be joined together to make larger items such as sheets and bed covers. You may find some with characteristically bold patterns in reds and blues.

Quilting, which is the quintessential American folk art technique was also carried out in Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly in Wales and Northern England where keeping out the cold was so extremely important. Women used the long winter hours to apply their needlework skills to create the beautiful quilts we treasure today. Their skills crossed the Atlantic to America with the first European settlers.

Bringing these wonderful old handmade items of folk art into our homes is not just a great way of honoring the traditions of the past, but is also a way of paying tribute to the many unknown, but incredibly skilled folk who crafted them so beautifully.

About the Author

Caroline Jones lives in Devon, England and delights in visiting craft fairs and festivals to indulge her passion for collecting vintage and folk art items for her home and shop. Click Here to visit her recommended one stop shop for finding fairs, festivals, events, craft shows, art festivals, music festivals, farmers markets, and more! !

Wicker Sewing Basket with Sewing Motif Fabric Over Wooden Covers $3.99

Sehlbach & Whiting Wooden Sewing Basket, Box WB213 Reels 23cm x 13cm (9" x 6") $56.91

Mothers Day corsages would be fun and easy!
Just use silk flowers from your local craft store with some pretty ribbon.
Very cheap to make and a lot of fun.
www.silkweddingflowersforless.com

Wall Mounted Magazine Storage Rack - Espresso Finish/canvas Baskets $44.98 This Storage stand organizes magazines, maps, books, kitchen items, bathroom accessories even stuffed toys. Can be mounted Horizontally or Vertically. Great for den, family room, closet or sewing room. Some Assembly Required. Espresso finish wood frame. Canvas baskets included....

Alex Yarn Craft Kit in Carry Basket $18.14 Learn to knit and crochet a chic scarf and bag. Decorate with fashionable flowers and tassels to dress up your creations. This charming keepsake case contains everything a beginner needs to learn the simple stitches in these easy projects. Kit includes six brightly colored skeins of yarn (50 yards each), wooden knitting needles, plastic crochet hook and easy-to-follow instructions with line drawin...

Alex Chunky and Funky Scarf Beginner's Knitting Kit in Box $10.99 It's the perfect kit for beginners to learn how to knit. Chunky wooden needles and fat yarn make it simple for kids to learn how to knit one long scarf (or a shorter scarf) and a matching hat. Includes yarn, needles and easy-to-follow instructions....

Alex My Wooden Sewing Box with 2 Fold-out Trays $24.99 This first sewing box is a bright and delightful place for a kid to store all of their sewing supplies! Keep accessories, needles, threads, buttons and scraps in the little compartments. It's a great way to keep to introduce children to the joy of sewing and to help them keep neat and tidy....

Wicker Sewing Basket with Sewing Motif Fabric Over Wooden Covers $3.99

Sehlbach & Whiting Wooden Sewing Basket, Box WB213 Reels 23cm x 13cm (9" x 6") $56.91

Vintage Wooden Basket, wooden with handle, knitting, crafting $19.96

ROUND WOODEN Sewing Box / Craft Basket FUNKY FLORAL $55.31

Dark Wooden Cantilever Sewing Box, Craft Basket $55.31

GB188 - Sewing Basket - Dark Denim with Wooden Trim - Sewing Storage Gift Idea! $94.83