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12th out of 29 books
—
8 voters
Lost Crafts
by
Una McGovern
This charming new book is an engaging introduction to a range of traditional crafts and activities. Almost 100 skills are described and illustrated, from trout-guddling to lacemaking, beekeeping to dry-stone walling. Whether wanting to learn a new craft, explore social history or reminisce about pastimes from a bygone age, readers of all ages will lose themselves in Lost C...more
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
January 15th 2009
by Chambers
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I got the impression that the person who wrote this pasted together most of the information from the internet, without going into much depth or putting much passion into it. I was hoping this book would have actual instructions on how to make some of the crafts mentioned, at least at a beginner's level. It has a few, but no more in-depth than stuff I could have found in a basic internet search. Speaking of the internet, they actually include web addresses at the end of chapters. How long are tho...more
Bought this eye catching book for our anniversary, simply because it had chapters on catching & preparing eels, and how to thatch a roof! Found it in a little shop in Culver City of all places.
The surprise gift inside was a chapter on how to build a coracle . . . Remember Reepicheep's boat found on Burnt Island in the The Voyage of the Dawn Treader?
I must confess that I have always wanted one of my own since first reading the story as a very young girl. Maybe I'll try to make one this week...more
The surprise gift inside was a chapter on how to build a coracle . . . Remember Reepicheep's boat found on Burnt Island in the The Voyage of the Dawn Treader?
I must confess that I have always wanted one of my own since first reading the story as a very young girl. Maybe I'll try to make one this week...more
If you long to return to a simpler time or have an appreciation for hand-crafted goods, this book is a fun read. It provides an overview of many crafts that no longer exist--from milling, making butter and cheese and candlemaking to building wooden boats and crafting chairs and baskets by hand. Those who lean toward queasy beware--there are also sections on tanning and on skinning rabbits (ick!).
Each chapter gives a brief overview of the craft, the history and uses and tips on how to do the craf...more
Each chapter gives a brief overview of the craft, the history and uses and tips on how to do the craf...more
This is a really beautiful book in every way. It looks beautiful, and its goals are beautiful: to highlight the sorts of "crafts" people did out of necessity. Those things that people had to do before there were machines or corporations to do them. There are lovely glossy pictures of craftsmen and women performing these tasks, and it's all laid out really well. There are also suggestions for how to begin the craft and what you'll need, but it's not really a manual for crafts of a bygone era. The...more
The book is about the lost and dying crafts of the United Kingdom and it fascinating. From spinning wool, tatting lace to brewing beer, making and repairing wagon wheels, this book is full of tantalizing skills of the past. At the end of each chapter the author provides information for further study of each craft. My interest was so piqued that I am excited to try a few of the lost skills. Hmmm maybe I will make some hard cider....
This is such a find. Buy the hardcover edition and put it on your coffee table. You'll learn how to build a stone wall, make your own honey, create a thatched roof, and so many other amazing things that were common in Chaucer's day. The pictures are great, too.
I asked around and I think I know someone who knows how do every "lost craft" in this book. My Irish friend has tickled trout, my mom can spin and weave, I can shoot archery.... Not so lost eh?
Maybe "making a zine" would be more appropriate.
Maybe "making a zine" would be more appropriate.
A great introduction to various historical crafts, with resources as to where to find more information on each topic, if so desired. Based almost solely on the history of crafts in the UK -differences in technique in other locations were largely unaddressed.
It could have used more info on how things were assembled. Good information, but lacked a lot of details. Made me consider learning how to tat.
Mar 13, 2009
melanie (lit*chick)
marked it as to-read
i just saw this at a bookstore and wish i'd bought it.
Jul 12, 2009
Kara
added it
fantastic insight into classic and lost crafts
The book was about 1/3 too long in my opinion, and crafts that were very similar or not sufficiently obscure should have been edited out. What is sufficiently obscure? I don't know exactly, but some of the items, like quilting, don't seem to be it. Despite being a bit longer than my attention span, this book was a pretty good read. I loved the sections on hedgerows, coppicing, and making jam.
I enjoyed this book about a bygone age...
It was the perfect, arm-chair read for a rainy and gray spring. It amazes me that it was not long ago that most gifts were handmade and not store bought. "Lost Crafts" catalogs all the different crafts that made perfect gifts: lacemaking, bee keeping (honey), homemade jam and marmalade.
My favorite discovery: tussy mussy. The small, Victorian bouquets were given to loved ones with tiny *love* notes inside. Sigh.
Fascinating overview of dozens of crafts from days gone by. Some of them are rather more "lost" than others - I wouldn't classify patchwork as a lost craft, for example! Very short chapters about each craft - good as an overview of lots of things, but not so good for actually finding out how the craft in question is practiced.
This is a subject that I have little practical interest in (I read it as research for my novel.) Nonetheless I found it quite riveting. I can understand why some people found it too general but it was about the right level for me, and I suspect that any book can only ever be an introduction. I liked learning more about the skills we have lost, but this kind of nostalgia also makes me slightly uneasy.
3.5/5
A nice book if you like or are interested in the crafts of times past.
A nice book if you like or are interested in the crafts of times past.
Small snippets of info about lost crafts. Perfect if you like Victorian Farm or anything with Ruth, Peter and Alex.
This is a book I'll probably dip in and out of. The crafts include dry-stone walling, catching eels, preparing hare, making rushlights and canal boat painting.
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I was expecting a how things are done book. This is more a history of crafts book. It was fine, but not what I was wanting or expecting.
May 15, 2013
Tracy Canham
marked it as to-read
May 11, 2013
Daisy
is currently reading it
May 10, 2013
Melissa
marked it as to-read
Apr 29, 2013
Janice
added it
Mar 31, 2013
Aimee
marked it as to-read
Mar 19, 2013
Sarah
marked it as to-read
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