As consumer technology improves, basic household appliances, like the washing machine, keep sprouting new, high-tech functions. Not surprisingly, they’re also increasingly difficult to repair. So our journalistic gumshoe ventured to find out: Who put us in this jam? And why? “The Great Washing Machine Scam,” originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a …

Though he calls himself simply a “songster and storyteller,” Andy Hedges is compiling a rich, unique audio archive of cowboy music and poetry—and bringing the legends of the genre together on CD and stage. "The Cowboy Folklorist" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of e…

Ever open a brand new package of clothing and get a strong whiff of chemicals? Journalist Alden Wicker took a deep dive into the chemicals in our clothes in her new book, “To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick and How We Can Fight Back.” Craftsmanship Magazine interviewed Wicker about the prevalence of chemicals in clothing, and about the…

Our hands are deep in a new audio project - a series of interviews with master artisans and craftspeople. We’ll be talking to makers of culturally distinct crafts from around the world - about their passion, and secrets to their mastery. We’ll hear from a horsehair hitcher in Montana, a compost king in Oregon, and about Greece’s secret to honey mak…

A good conductor can lead an orchestra with almost anything — even a chopstick. Leonard Bernstein was known to conduct a full symphony with just his eyebrows. Why, then, in this age of cheap manufacturing, are handmade, customized batons still in demand? Written by JEFF GREENWALD Introduction by PAULINE BARTOLONE Narrated by JEFF GREENWALD Produced…

When a promising rock musician tired of the road and the pressure, he gave up music and got a job at a hardware store. Then one day, he had a revelation. "The Cigar Box Guitar Maker" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, video…

When Hohner, the world’s largest harmonica manufacturer, changed its flagship model (and in the process, its signature sound), a few musicians and harp customizers waged a quiet rebellion—and won. "The Return of the Harmonica" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovators, and the architecture of exce…

Oboists can spend more time making reeds for their instrument than playing their music. One such musician, the comic monologist Josh Kornbluth, has a lot to say about reed making's painfully exacting process. "The Agony and the Ecstasy of an Oboe Reed Maker" originally appeared in Craftsmanship, a digital magazine about master artisans and innovato…

The late Butch Morris, a figure from the outer edges of jazz, reimagined conducting as a form of composition, coining his own word for the combination of the two. "The Conductionist" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more sto…

In the inner city neighborhoods of Providence, Rhode Island, Janice O'Donnell set up playgrounds where kids could build anything they want, and break anything they want. She has been stunned by what everyone has learned in the process. "The Play Gap" originally appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magaz…

A bicycle made of bamboo might look a little silly—brown and fat, with swollen joints. But Craig Calfee, a respected pioneer of carbon fiber bicycle frames, swears by their strength, flexibility, and ecological value. "What? A Bamboo Bicycle?" originally appeared in the Summer 2016 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine abo…

Jill Giordano makes women’s clothing with fine fabrics in timeless styles, and in combinations that can be mixed and matched in multiple ways. The goal: Improve your look, save the planet, and save money. "The Antidote to Fast Fashion? System Dressing" originally appeared in the Fall 2017 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magaz…

In Japan, an aging population, declining birthrate, and a concentrating of jobs in the major cities, has left rural areas across the Japanese countryside littered with abandoned houses—known as akiya, or “empty homes.” Now, a movement is on the rise to repurpose and enliven them with artistry and craft. "Can Japan’s Akiya Movement Rebuild Rural Com…

Ross Shafer made his mark creating a popular brand of mountain bikes, called Salsa, and a line of small but crucial bicycle parts that no one had brought to the market before. Now he’s making what might be the world’s most beautiful “pedal steel guitar.” Could Shafer’s relentless eclecticism offer a model for a second Renaissance? "From bicycles to…

In 19th century England, miniature theatrical productions were all the rage. And they weren’t just for kids — children and adults alike collected intricately printed paper cutouts of their favorite theater actors, along with the theaters in which they performed, and acted out famous plays. And beyond just entertainment, these toy theater kits serve…

"How I stumbled upon the world’s most perfect eating utensil": Owen Edwards pays homage to the humble, essential spoon, particularly the version designed by the late, great Massimo Vignelli. "Spoonism" originally appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architect…

Our Fall 2022 guest editor, RoseMary Diaz, talks with Craftsmanship Quarterly's managing editor, Laurie Weed, about growing up "half-Indian" in Northern New Mexico; the surprising controversy around "art" vs. "craft;" and the story behind the stories of our first issue focused on Native American craft. You'll find all the Fall 2022 offerings on "Na…

When an American made, quartz watch costs up to $1,500, and its counterparts from other countries, including Switzerland, range from $50 to more than $50,000, what’s the difference between them? "The Value of Time" originally appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and …

Felipe Ortega was known for his controversial opinions on culture, as well as his expertise with an unusual form of pottery. He devoted his life to bucking tradition, in more ways than one. Editor’s Note: This story has been updated from the original version, which was first published in our Spring 2015 issue. This update contains historical and cu…

Michael Montenegro is driven to put the products of his imagination into tangible, active forms. After he builds them—often in life-size form, with a rag-tag collage of materials—he becomes them, lives inside them, then delivers them to us with a zany vigor. "The Puppeteer" originally appeared in the Summer 2015 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a …

Pandemic, political strife, poverty, war. In times of extreme upheaval—global or personal—can the act of art-making ease suffering and strengthen resilience? "Shrine and the Art of Resilience" originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of ex…

Eager to begin his life's work as a craftsman, Jack Mauch left high school at age 16, preferring to carve out his own path. By the time he hit his early 30s, he was already creating breathtaking examples of craftsmanship, in everything from furniture-making to ceramics to metalwork. "A New Renaissance Man" originally appeared in the Spring 2018 iss…

Throughout history, wine had always been aged in clay vessels. That’s just how it was done. But when French vintners discovered the marvels of aging wine in oak barrels, it was a total game changer. The flavors oak brought out in the wine set off a revolution throughout the winemaking world. Now—for fun, for distinctly different flavors, and to sav…

California, where much of our nation's food is produced, is facing a historic drought — again. It’s become a familiar refrain, year after year, and the growing climate crisis is only expected to make things worse. Our food system has to change, and a few forward-thinking farmers are adopting some ancient, low-water agricultural techniques for the m…

In a simple, residential neighborhood in San Francisco sits a former church for Christian Scientists. The building's white exterior and massive columns give it a stately, antiquated look. But behind its doors sit stacks of servers, which contain billions upon billions of web pages, media, and other delights. This is the Internet Archive. In today’s…