[ Thanks to Barbara
Irwin for this link. ]
“Last year, Linda Brown, a leathercrafter who
specializes in the fine braiding and fancy knotting of kangaroo
leather lace, left her home in Sooke, British Columbia to take a
trip to Thailand. While she was there, she was working on some
zipper knot pulls on the beach. “I’m not a wealthy person,” said
Brown. “I like to get away, but when I get away I have to work.”
Nearby beach vendors were all curious to know what she was doing,
and soon after, she was teaching 20 people how to make zipper pull
knots.“”What a wonderful experience to share that with people in
another country,” said Brown. “It gives you so much joy, not just
in making the product, but the joy of the kind of people you get to
meet as a result of it.”“Do-It-Yourself (DIY), or “making” has become a popular trend
over the past few years. Fashion publications like Teen Vogue
encourage its readers to “do-it-themselves” by offering how-tos and
instructions from notable fashion designers. But making is not only
limited to fashion and clothing. Sites like etsy.com have opened up
a world for craft makers and artists to create, sell, and share
their work. Others even create their own home decor, and
eco-friendly homes made from natural materials, like straw
bale.”