Craftsmanship Quarterly Craftsmanship Initiative

In a postcard-perfect valley in southern Norway, Annemor Sundbø nurtures her life’s work: old garments, paintings, and other clues to the myths and meaning woven for centuries into Norwegian sweaters. Now she’s trying to bring back the sheep that used to sustain this time-honored craft.

The Norwegian Sweater Detective originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on master artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge, and free of advertising.

Written by SARAH POLLOCK

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by AVANTHIKA SRINIVASAN

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”

Marino Menegazzo hammers gold leaf by hand into sheets 200 times thinner than a human hair. He works in the same studio where Titian, one of Italy’s great Renaissance artists, once lived and painted. Now Menegazzo’s craft, where the hand can still beat a machine, is on the edge of extinction.

The World's Greatest Goldbeater originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on master artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge, and free of advertising.

Written by ERLA ZWINGLE

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by DINAH BERKELEY

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

In a corrugated tin shed that somehow survived California’s massive fires in Sonoma Valley, Gary Freeman labors to keep old VW Beetles and vans—the cars that defined the counterculture of the 1960s—chugging along. Some become great “daily drivers” for as little as $15,000; some get auctioned for more than $200,000. It’s all part of one man’s quest for automotive immortality.

The VW Doctor Is In originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by ANH OPPENHEIMER

Narrated by GORAN NORQUIST

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

Bill Black has poured his life into refining a simple piece of handmade horse gear called a hackamore. Although the device is rarely used anymore, it can teach a horse to work cattle with unusual brilliance, and beauty.

The Rawhide Artist originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by ANDY RIEBER

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by DINAH BERKELEY

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN OF  “THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR MAKER”

On December 31, 2017, the doors closed on North Carolina’s White Oak plant — the first, and now last, big textile mill in the U.S. to make true, vintage-style denim. Our correspondent tracked down the secret to classic blue jeans, and their unexpected future.

The Secret to Vintage Jeans originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by BRIAN HOWE

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by GORAN NORQUIST

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN

Against all odds, and despite the best efforts of Hollywood and Silicon Valley, old-fashioned, analog, motion-picture film is suddenly making a comeback. What’s the magic in this old medium that digital technology can’t seem to match?

Real Film Strikes Back, written by David Munro, originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Introduction by: Anh Oppenheimer

Narrated by: Goran Norquist

Produced by: Larry Rosen

Music by: Mike Snowden