Forgotten Crafts

By John Seymour,

Book cover of Forgotten Crafts: A Practical Guide to Traditional Skills

Book description

Precise drawings and sketches and historical photographs enhance a detailed record of traditional crafts of Britain, Europe, and the United States and instructions in the skills involved


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Why read it?

1 author picked Forgotten Crafts as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Setting up and maintaining a backyard homestead is honest, fulfilling work. For those who prefer productive labor as exercise (rather than heading to a gym), this book is an inspiring look backward at satisfying, useful skills. Take Seymour’s wattle hurdle. Used as a herding panel, the hurdle is woven entirely from hazel sticks. Any supple wood will do. The result is a portable fence panel that cost nothing but a bit of labor.

Many of the projects featured are out of reach (like millstone dressing or coopering or charcoal burning) but all are fascinating and most still relevant today. For…

From David's list on to inspire the backyard homesteader.

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