Lost Crafts: Rediscovering Traditional Skills

Whether a friend harbours a creative hankering or is just fascinated with a bygone era, this inspiring book will show them how sustainability has always been with us. * Ben Peel, Waterstone's Science Museum * A fascinating book which will inspire everyone, whether as a practical guide or just a brilliant read. There are things here which I have always wanted to try out - and now I can! * Miranda Krestovnikoff, presenter of BBC's Coast * A wonderfully informative catalogue of the kind of knowledge we are losing but would be wise to preserve. * Zac Goldsmith, environmentalist * A beautiful and practical book which is ideal for looking at whilst dreaming of bygone days, or else for finding ways to spread money a little further whilst learning something useful. Just a slight word of warning, if you buy at as a present and then look inside you may need to buy another copy as it will be hard to give away. * Steve Birt, Waterstone's Gloucester * A fascinating book * Bill Purdue's Book Blog, http://billpurdue.wordpress.com/ * This is a great book which everyone should read. Although some of these crafts may be associated with a bygone era, they are as relevant today as they have ever been and there is something for everyone to learn. Hours of amusement! * Jimmy Doherty, presenter of BBC's Jimmy Doherty's Farming Heroes * It's a treasure... a lovely book, full of fascinating information and useful advice. Splendid on hedge-laying - I am now hooked on Hooper's hedge hypothesis - and on threatening an unproductive fruit tree with an axe. However, I am worried that each time I pick it up it falls open at 'Milking a cow'. I have no cow: is the book trying to tell me something? * Adam Hart-Davis, writer and broadcaster * Lost Crafts: Rediscovering Traditional Skills by Una McGovern is one for the more serious craftsperson. A blend of social history and practical instruction, this handsome book will have you coopering, whittling and smocking in no time. McGovern makes the dream of never shopping again seem like a reality, and teaches a sobering lesson about the extent to which, until recently, the things we had were made by us or by people we knew, so we valued them more and wasted them less. * Melissa Katsoulis, The Times Christmas Books 2008: Back to basics, The Times * A blend of social history and practical instruction, this handsome book will have you coopering, whittling and smocking in no time. McGovern makes the dream of never shopping again seem like a reality, and teaches a sobering lesson about the extent to which, until recently, the things we had were made by us or by people we knew, so we valued them more and wasted them less. * Melissa Katsoulis, The Times Christmas Books 2008: Back to basics, The Times * From arts to crafts, here's a perfect Christmas present for the credit crunch. Una McGovern's Lost Crafts: Rediscovering Traditional Skills is a serious book telling you how to set about all those things you have been paying other people to do, such as beekeeping, coppicing, milking a cow, skinning rabbits, pickling, smoking and making cider, lemonade, butter, cheese, jam and marmalade.Of course, most of these are easier done in the country than the inner city, including foraging for wild food - berries, nuts and mushrooms. You are advised to pick black-berries before September 29 because that is when the devil is supposed to urinate on them. On reflection, choose recipients of this present carefully. * Christopher Hudson, The Daily Mail "The pictures worth 1,000 words: Illustrated Books Round Up" * In an era when we are re-thinking our habits because of the rising costs of food and fuel, a revival of traditional ways of life has perhaps never been so relevant. * The Scots Magazine * Beautifully illustrated, this is a timely publication as more of us are looking to relearn the simple, practical skills that will help us towards more sustainable living. * Devon Life * A delightful new book * Geoff Ward, Mysterious Wes

Una McGovern is a freelance editor and writer, with books on a wide range of subjects to her name. She spent many years making regular forays from Edinburgh to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, before a return to rural Devon brought with it the opportunity to develop an organic kitchen garden, complete with traditional breed chickens. She now lives with her partner in a small Dartmoor town.

: Farming : Dry-stone Walling : Stone Fencing : Making Wattle Hurdles : Coppicing : Hedge Laying : Tree Felling : Milking a Cow : Shearing a Sheep : Beekeeping : Harvesting : Haymaking : Milling : Hunting and Gathering : Tracking Animals : Making a Bow and Arrows : Flint Knapping : Making a Fire Without Matches : Catching Eels : Trout Guddling or Trout Tickling : Fishing with Creels : Making Fishing Nets : Making Fishing-rods : Making Coracles : Building Wooden Boats : Skinning a Rabbit : Plucking a Fowl : Foraging for Wild Food : Food and Drink : Brewing Beer : Making Cider : Using Elderflowers : Making Lemonade : Making Butter : Making Cheese : Making Jam and Marmalade : Candying Peel : Making Traditional Sweets : Pickling : Smoking : Preparing Hare, Pigeon and Rabbit the Mrs Beeton Way : Home and Garden : Making Soap : Making Oil Lamps : Making Rushlights : Making Candles : Chimney Sweeping : Making Besom Brooms : Patchwork and Quilting : Making Rag-Rugs : Spinning : Weaving : Making Clogs : Kitchen Gardening : Using Herbal Remedies : Creating Topiary : Maze Laying : Practical Crafts : Stonemasonry : Building with Wattle and Daub : Cob Walling : Pargeting : Thatching : Tiling : Making Weather Vanes and Weathercocks : Making Rope : Tanning : Working with Leather : Saddlery : Blacksmithing and Farriery : Wheelwrighting : Coopering : Green Woodworking and Woodturning : Making Chairs : Making Walking Sticks and Shepherds' Crooks : Making Sussex Trugs : Making Baskets : Charcoal Burning : Making Clay and Briar Pipes : Making Bobbins : Making Paper : Making Quill Pens : Tying Knots : Navigating by the Stars : Decorative Crafts : Making Corn Dollies and Harvest Knots : Making Bobbin Lace : Tatting : Smocking : Sewing Samplers : Making Pomanders and Pot Pourri : Making Tussie-mussies : Carving Welsh Love Spoons : Whittling : Working Scrimshaw : Bone, Antler and Horn Working : Making Whistles : Canal Boat Painting : Making Stained Glass : Glass-blowing