This month I have been asking myself some of the following:

What can be learned from historical craft ideologies and philosophies?
Why is there a lack of understanding regarding the principles of craft?
What is the value of craft to the development of culture?

My area of research has not changed, it obviously develops and evolves the more I find out, as certain questions are clarified.

I have been lucky enough to talk to some really helpful people, especially at Craft Central.   They have agreed to let me observe more workshops and meet their interns.

I am also booked in to visit the Craft Council to use their research centre in the first 2 weeks in January.

The survey was sent out and I am getting some great replies, a lot more than expected and I fear I may have to wait until the Christmas break to work through them.  This month I feel there has been a real step up in the pace of my project, things are falling into place very nicely.

I have spent more time with designer makers, they have all been extremely positive about my project.  I feel this is definitely the right project for me and the my question iteration is jumping around a lot less.  At the moment my question is:


How can traditional practices and values be maintained by combining crafting with contemporary culture?

This month we have also had a project, 'Life in a box' which is extremely interesting, it has definitely helped most of the group collect their thoughts and ideas together.