0:00:02 > 0:00:04For most of our history, making things by hand was the norm.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07Skills were passed down from one generation to the next.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Today, some of these traditional crafts are in danger
0:00:10 > 0:00:11of dying out forever.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13That's why I'm issuing a call to action.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Let's keep Britain's craft heritage alive.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20I'm Paul Martin, and this is my Handmade Revolution.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22CHEERING
0:00:43 > 0:00:47We've been searching the country to find the very best of amateur British makers.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49It'd be wonderful to be able to do it full time.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51And that's what I'm striving for.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54And we'll be finding out just how important these items could be.
0:00:54 > 0:00:59To be known for my crafts would be my number one ideal dream, ever.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02What I enjoy most is people can look at them.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04And it's that, "I could do that."
0:01:04 > 0:01:07'These people don't know that one of them will be
0:01:07 > 0:01:09'given a life-changing opportunity, the chance to see their work
0:01:09 > 0:01:13'on display at the spiritual home of the handmade.'
0:01:13 > 0:01:17Today's judges' favourite is...
0:01:21 > 0:01:25In this series, I'm celebrating all that's great about handmade Britain,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28and I'll be showing you how you can get involved.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31We're at the Amberley Heritage Centre in West Sussex,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33which is on the site of an old chalk pit.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35For over 100 years, right up till the 1960s,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37chalk was quarried here,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40burnt in the kilns and used to make lime for mortar.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Today, the centre provides a setting
0:01:42 > 0:01:46for a group of dedicated craftsmen and women who are championing
0:01:46 > 0:01:48the traditional skills of the past,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51true Handmade Revolutionaries.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55But this is also about finding the antiques of the future -
0:01:55 > 0:01:58the objects that will stand the test of time.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Later in the programme, I'll be showing you what it takes
0:02:01 > 0:02:04to make an original and unique piece of jewellery.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08But first, I'm on the lookout for Britain's finest amateur makers,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11to help me spearhead my Handmade Revolution.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15From the hundreds of applications, a handful have been selected
0:02:15 > 0:02:18to present their best work to our panel of judges.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21So, who's got what it takes to impress?
0:02:25 > 0:02:28And the stakes could not be higher, with the prize on offer,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30the chance to see their work
0:02:30 > 0:02:33at the world-renowned Victoria and Albert Museum.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Before we meet our finalists, let's meet the judges who'll decide
0:02:37 > 0:02:41whether they've really got what it takes.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Mary Jane Baxter is a craft writer, teacher and milliner,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48who's passionate about handmade.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50I can't wait to see what we find.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54I know there's tons of talent out there. It's going to be great.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Entrepreneur Piyush Suri is the force behind an organisation
0:02:57 > 0:03:00that champions up-and-coming designer-makers.
0:03:00 > 0:03:06There's a revival in handmade all across Britain and I absolutely love being a part of it.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08And our Chief Judge, Glenn Adamson, is Head of Research
0:03:08 > 0:03:13at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and at the very top of his field.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15This country has such a rich tradition of crafts.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18I hope to meet people carrying that on into the 21st century.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Everyone here is a signed-up member of the Handmade Revolution,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26all determined to keep our traditional skills alive.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29But for one lucky maker, this day could change their lives.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31It's time to let the judges loose.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35And first up is 29-year-old Bertie Whitford,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37who makes his living as a teacher.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Could his work be an antique of the future?
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Wow!
0:03:42 > 0:03:46- Does it open?- It does, yes.- Oh, wow!
0:03:49 > 0:03:50I see a lot of influences in your work.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Was it deliberate, or...?
0:03:52 > 0:03:56This piece is made after a bonheur du jour,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58which is an 18th-century lady's writing desk,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00originated in Paris.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03It literally means "daytime delight."
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Ladies would sit down and read and write their letters on it.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Typically, a graceful, small piece.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I wanted to recreate something along those lines,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13but with a contemporary twist,
0:04:13 > 0:04:15that wouldn't look too dated.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17I really like curves, as well.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19A lot of contemporary furniture
0:04:19 > 0:04:21is quite angular, quite straight.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24So I'd never made any cabriole legs before.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27I was really interested in doing that,
0:04:27 > 0:04:28so that was quite a fun part.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Also, the tamber,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32which is a nice alternative to doors.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34A sort of hidden facet of the piece.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37This does remind me of a breadbasket.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39It's been said before.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41It has been likened to a breadbin before.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Would it be fair to say this is your first piece
0:04:43 > 0:04:46where you experimented with different techniques?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Yes, quite complex techniques, as well.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51What got you into furniture design?
0:04:51 > 0:04:53I really enjoy doing things with my hands.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55I was teaching English before,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58and realised I wanted to do something slightly different,
0:04:58 > 0:04:59but I wasn't sure what.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04I used to make stencils and quite enjoy monotonous tasks,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07and the detail of cutting out intricate things.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10So I decided to do a short course
0:05:10 > 0:05:11in cabinet making.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13Really enjoyed it,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and went from there, really.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18What is it about wood you love so much?
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Every piece is unique.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22That sounds a little trite,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25but you take away the surface,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28and you get an amazing figuring and you're not sure what's underneath.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31It's an assault on the senses, as well.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33In the workshop, you can smell it.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36You can hear if it's planing properly,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38and, obviously, feeling it is...
0:05:38 > 0:05:41The most valuable tool I have is my hands.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Nothing can really tell if something's a correct curve
0:05:43 > 0:05:48better than running your fingertips across and seeing if it follows the correct line.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51I think you have a good attention to detail in your work,
0:05:51 > 0:05:55but I do think you should stick to a limited style.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58I don't know if I want to define my style.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01You have lots of styles going on in one piece.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04So if you define your style, probably, it's better.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Because, technically, it's superb, I think.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09What would it mean to do this full time?
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Everything, really.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15The short time I am in my workshop, I find it absorbing.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17And I just... Yeah,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19it would be wonderful to be able to do it full time.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20And that's what I'm striving for.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24You're clearly very passionate about it, so goodbye to your day job now, probably?
0:06:24 > 0:06:26I like that as well, but you know...
0:06:26 > 0:06:28you have to make choices.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34If Bertie keeps this up and makes a name for himself,
0:06:34 > 0:06:38pieces like this desk could make him thousands of pounds.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42I think he's very talented but what will the other judges make of it?
0:06:42 > 0:06:46At the other end of the scale is 52-year-old Malcolm Wright,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49who works as a graphic designer in Kent.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51His love of music led him
0:06:51 > 0:06:54to take up a rather unusual craft, as Mary Jane is finding out!
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Whoa! So quirky, Malcolm - I love it!
0:07:00 > 0:07:02It's a very different thing to see - and hear.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- Yes.- What an incredible thing. What is it?
0:07:05 > 0:07:09What is it? It's based on an old AfricanAmerican
0:07:09 > 0:07:12early-1800s cigar box guitar.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15The guys were taken away from their homes, they were slaves.
0:07:15 > 0:07:16They wanted to create music,
0:07:16 > 0:07:18so what they done was,
0:07:18 > 0:07:19they would get themselves a box -
0:07:19 > 0:07:22- something cigars come in, or whiskey...- Yes. - ..Put a fence post through it.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- Put one string on it, and before you know it... - HE STRUMS A CHORD
0:07:25 > 0:07:27..they have an instrument they were playing.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31That's the tradition of the cigar box guitar - made from thrown-away items.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33It's a real Depression instrument, isn't it?
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Yeah, but it's obviously developed since that time,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38and we now come into things like this,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- which are electric, people can put pick-ups in them.- Yeah!
0:07:41 > 0:07:44The tradition is, if it's laying around and it can make a noise,
0:07:44 > 0:07:45let's make a noise.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Tell me, Malcolm, I'm fascinated to know how
0:07:48 > 0:07:51you go from a cigar box to a guitar.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54This one is not made of a cigar box,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56but it's based on exactly the same principle.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57It is a wooden box - that's all it is.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00If you think about any modern guitar,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02all it is is a wooden box with a stick in it.
0:08:02 > 0:08:03That's really the principle of it.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06You don't have the sound-hole in the centre, as you would on a guitar.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08How do you get around that?
0:08:08 > 0:08:10With this one, I made the body quite deep.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11I just cut holes in the wood.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15These are bit of old radiator grille, that you put on your radiator at home.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18So, again, it's the same spirit of using stuff that's lying around
0:08:18 > 0:08:20- to make the instruments.- Absolutely.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21What about this part of it?
0:08:21 > 0:08:24The neck can be any length of wood.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27This one is slightly better - it's a hardwood neck.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29The only difference that makes
0:08:29 > 0:08:32is it's able to take the tension of the strings slightly better.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33An important thing.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35But most of it is just softwood rubbish.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Is it a difficult thing to make? In some ways, it looks quite crude.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41It's not difficult to make, believe you me.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43You've probably heard this a lot,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45but if I can make it, anyone can make it.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48I think that's quite an interesting aspect of this particular craft.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Some things involve huge processes and a lot of training,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55but this is the other aspect of craft -
0:08:55 > 0:08:57that it can be something very make-do,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59that you just pick up and have a go at.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02I guess it's part of the whole naive craft movement...
0:09:02 > 0:09:03which is very inclusive.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06They have a unique sound, as well, which is that very crude...
0:09:06 > 0:09:09it's not like a top-end electric guitar.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- Talk about sound - give us a whirl! - I could show you how it sounds.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- HE STRUMS A CHORD - It's quite a tinny sound,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19but as it's based on the old blues, most of them were played with slides.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20So you'd have this lovely sort of...
0:09:20 > 0:09:22HE PLAYS SLIDE GUITAR
0:09:22 > 0:09:23Yeah.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Which is a real blues sound.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31South, American, bluesy sound.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34I can feel relaxation in my bones just listening to this.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38You can imagine old guys sitting on the porch with this after a day's work.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40You have no intention of turning it, do you think,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43into a business? Do you like having it as a hobby?
0:09:43 > 0:09:45I love having it as a hobby.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47I wouldn't say no to selling them.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Never say, "Never".
0:09:49 > 0:09:52What I enjoy most is the fact people can look at them,
0:09:52 > 0:09:53and it's that, "I could do that."
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- Yes.- That's what I love. I love to teach people about them,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58and tell people about their history.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Quite hard to judge in some ways,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02because it is, as you say, quite simple to make,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and yet it's got this very, very pleasing
0:10:05 > 0:10:09naive quality, which I'm also very attracted to,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and I love your individual touches.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14You've given me a tricky one to judge.
0:10:14 > 0:10:15- HE LAUGHS - OK!
0:10:15 > 0:10:20There's a massive collectors' market for antique guitars like Gibsons
0:10:20 > 0:10:21and Martins.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23They can sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26But I have seen handmade guitars like Malcolm's on sale
0:10:26 > 0:10:28for over £200.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33We'll find out later if he's a winner.
0:10:35 > 0:10:41As Bertie and Malcolm know, the ancient skill of working with wood takes many forms.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Colin is a man after my own heart.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46He's known as "the Amberley Bodger."
0:10:46 > 0:10:49He's committed to keeping the traditional skill of pole-lathing
0:10:49 > 0:10:51well and truly alive.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53'The lathe is an ancient tool,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'believed to date from over 1000 BC.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00'This type, the pole lathe, which relies on pedal-power,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03'has been used to turn wood since the Middle Ages.'
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Colin, this looks fabulous, and smells fabulous, as well.
0:11:07 > 0:11:08Look at all this!
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Yes, if anyone misbehaves,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12we get them to sweep it up at the end of the day!
0:11:12 > 0:11:13PAUL LAUGHS
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Tell me a little bit what you're doing.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18There's two or three of us in the group down here at Amberley.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23Basically, I'm keen to put forward these crafts to people who come and visit the museum.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26I'm a member of the Association of Pole-Lathe Turners.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29750-odd in the country. Keeping the craft going.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34And it's all happening on the downward stroke of that treadle, isn't it?
0:11:34 > 0:11:35Absolutely.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37When you get tired on one leg, do you swap legs?
0:11:37 > 0:11:40- Yeah, I'm "legbidextrous", so there's no problem there. - THEY LAUGH
0:11:40 > 0:11:43I like the fact you're working with the green wood,
0:11:43 > 0:11:44so it's what you're finding,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47it's fresh, it doesn't blunt the chisel so quickly.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50- What is it? What have you got there? Beech?- Actually, we have ash here.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52We're very fortunate. As a group,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55we work as volunteers for the National Trust every year...
0:11:55 > 0:11:57in the winter, helping them clear fell.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01- We get the wood in the summer, which is the proper way of doing things... - Exactly.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Cutting the woods in the winter, use in the summer.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07- What are you making there - a small chair leg?- A garden dibber.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09I have been making some chairs.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11There's one up on my other table over there,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14I've been making today.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I make anything in the round, basically.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20I have no plans, I don't design. I just think, "OK - chair, chair leg."
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Well, I'll leave you to it, OK?
0:12:22 > 0:12:24I'll watch for a little while, though,
0:12:24 > 0:12:26because this, for me,
0:12:26 > 0:12:27really is poetry in motion.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Next up is 25-year-old Jessica Melville-Brown,
0:12:43 > 0:12:44a waitress from Bristol.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Could her handmade jewellery take pride of place
0:12:47 > 0:12:49in a world-famous museum?
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Let's see what we've got here.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Wow. Interesting.
0:12:54 > 0:12:55Thank you.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Why don't you tell me a bit more about this.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59This is an enamel piece.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03It's kind of a Japanese style, which I started off with,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05and it's based on origami.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08So, enamel is using powdered glass and copper.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11This copper I use is really thin copper, so it worked as paper,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15or card, so I could mould the shapes.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18When I put the enamel onto it, then it strengthens it.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22It makes this really hard surface,
0:13:22 > 0:13:24so all of the shapes I have made will stay.
0:13:24 > 0:13:25So how did you get into all this?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28I was at university, and I did drawing and applied arts,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30which is like a craft course.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33In the first year we got to choose different subjects.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36One of the subjects I chose was enamelling.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Then in my second year I was lucky enough to go to Barcelona.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43I went to this amazing art school, that's, like, 225 years old,
0:13:43 > 0:13:47that had loads of kilns, floor to ceiling enamels,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50and that was where I learned more of the colour techniques
0:13:50 > 0:13:52with the lead-based enamels.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Why are you so passionate about enamelling?
0:13:54 > 0:13:56What inspires you about it?
0:13:56 > 0:14:00What inspires me is the fact it's such a diverse craft.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02You can pick it up straight away,
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and you can do something really simple.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07And with industrial enamel... it's very easy.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11You can paint it on, get it in the kiln and get a nice effect.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Also with enamel, it's kind of a lost ancient craft,
0:14:13 > 0:14:18and even in my uni, the enamel research department closed down
0:14:18 > 0:14:20because of educational cuts.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22So I want to bring enamel out there,
0:14:22 > 0:14:26to be known as a really important craft, because it's so ancient.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29So you want to focus on traditional methods of enamelling?
0:14:29 > 0:14:34Yes. At the moment I'm working with lots of recycled metals.
0:14:34 > 0:14:39So lots of the jewellery I've made recently is antique pieces,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41which are old door handles or key chains.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43But why jewellery?
0:14:43 > 0:14:46With your technique and inspiration about origami,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50I can see beautiful, large sculptures. Why don't you do that?
0:14:50 > 0:14:52So many people do jewellery.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54There's such a wonderful talent out there as well,
0:14:54 > 0:14:58so I do think it will really help you to create big pieces,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01sculptural pieces, which can show your talent.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04So, do you want to take this full time as a career now?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06I'd love to take it full time.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Now I've got my big kiln, I can start making massive sculptures.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Look forward to seeing the pieces.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Jessica sells pieces like this for £70.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19She's exactly what I'd hoped to find today -
0:15:19 > 0:15:23young people embracing ancient traditions
0:15:23 > 0:15:25and putting their own slant on them.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31I think craft is sometimes forgotten about in the art world.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35At uni even, if I was doing craft, it's a bit sneered at.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37I just think it's really important.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42It's not just about making pretty things, it's about the process.
0:15:42 > 0:15:43In these days of mass production,
0:15:43 > 0:15:48it's easy to forget there was a time when everything was made by hand.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Talented makers, like the people here, were the norm,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52rather than the exception.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Their work is now highly sought after in upmarket auction rooms
0:15:55 > 0:15:57all round the world.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Some of the most famous are in London.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04By honouring the history of her craft,
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Jessica has become part of a rich tradition of enamelware.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11Since ancient times, enamelling has been renewed
0:16:11 > 0:16:15and reinvigorated by craftsmen and women like her.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19A particular flowering of the skill was during the Art Nouveau period.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24Here we have a pair of Art Nouveau Edwardian photograph frames
0:16:24 > 0:16:27with the mark of Horton and Allday.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29They were assayed in Birmingham, in 1903.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33Enamelling was very popular in the Art Nouveau period.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35It allowed for a form of decoration
0:16:35 > 0:16:37which meant that items
0:16:37 > 0:16:39didn't have to be encrusted with jewels,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41but they were able to pick out colours and highlights,
0:16:41 > 0:16:46and make things more decorative at a reasonable price.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48The enamel itself would have been hand painted on,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51and that in itself is quite a skill.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55But what about the big question of its value?
0:16:55 > 0:16:59The prices for Art Nouveau photograph frames varies substantially.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Them being a pair, that increases the value.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05The enamelling is of good quality,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08so makes them more valuable than others.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12This particular pair is expected to sell for somewhere
0:17:12 > 0:17:14in the region of £4,000.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Our head judge, Glenn, has been combing the site for makers
0:17:23 > 0:17:25with one eye on the past.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30I always liked going to visit churches and church windows,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32wondering how they put the glass together.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37I wanted to replicate a Victorian leaded window for my home,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40so I went to night school.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42When they make a window they use lead.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44These are made with copper foil,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46which is how they make the Tiffany lamps.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50You know, a really interesting thing about stained glass
0:17:50 > 0:17:52is that most crafts we think you need to preserve the craft
0:17:52 > 0:17:54to keep the skill alive.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Stained glass is a craft that has been kept alive
0:17:56 > 0:17:58because of preservation,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00because when you have old buildings,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02obviously the windows get broken,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06so you need to keep relearning the skill of stained glass.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09So William Morris and his colleagues in the Arts and Crafts movement,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12they were reviving stained glass really for old buildings,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14to put new glass in old buildings.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Then again, after World War II, lots of rebuilding
0:18:16 > 0:18:18because of bombed churches, like in Coventry,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22and that's how these crafts of stained glass keep with us today.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Here, Mary, I have this shield that you made featuring this lion crest.
0:18:29 > 0:18:30Can you tell us a little bit about it?
0:18:30 > 0:18:37Yes, it's a copy of the badge of an airline that I worked for in the early '70s
0:18:37 > 0:18:40and that was British Caledonian Airways,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43and the lion was actually sandblasted onto the glass
0:18:43 > 0:18:49and that takes the top layer of the glass off and that turns it that sort of milky white colour.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54And when you're done it looks almost like two completely different materials, doesn't it?
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Yes, as it changes, as it gets darker in the day, the lion seems to get whiter. Yeah.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Of course that's so important with stained glass, the way light comes through it.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05- Yes, definitely.- If you're in a cathedral on a fine day and see the light
0:19:05 > 0:19:08streaming through the windows it's so fantastic, nothing can beat it.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12There's nowhere else to hang stained glass other than in a window. It has to be in a window, yes.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14With that image in mind,
0:19:14 > 0:19:18and to prove that anyone can get involved, we thought it would be fun
0:19:18 > 0:19:22to get the crowd here at Amberley to turn their hands to making one.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26- David, hello.- Hello, there. - What's everybody been up to today?
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Well, basically, throughout the day, people have been coming in, slotting a piece of glass in.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Doing their own section?
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Basically, and cutting a piece of lead across the top
0:19:35 > 0:19:39and then capping it off and then straight on to the next one, whoever comes in.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Brilliant, so they've all been part of this.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45And you're using my favourite colours. Look at this -
0:19:45 > 0:19:49blue and red, look at that! There we go.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53There's one panel left, look. Is that down to me? Can I have a go?
0:19:53 > 0:19:57- Certainly, yes!- OK, what do we do? Take these nails out?
0:19:57 > 0:20:01- You start taking the pins out that side.- Nice pins, big lead pins.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04- Well, they're horseshoe nails. - Lovely, aren't they?
0:20:04 > 0:20:07- We'll have to put this back together again.- And then with this one.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- If we just literally do that... - There we go.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- Can I take this one out?- Yes.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18- It's rewarding work, isn't it? - It can be.
0:20:18 > 0:20:24It can be quite stressful as well at times! No, it's therapeutic.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Of course it is. You got that in straight away, that's good.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32It's just a case of then pushing that back into place.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34There, like so.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- There's the window. - And there's the window.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44- So all you have to do now is solder the joints together. - I've got to solder each joint
0:20:44 > 0:20:47and then I've got to put a black gunk in, which is lead-like cement.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51- So it's not so flexible, it actually tightens the whole thing up.- Yes.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- Within a day, that'll start to go off.- Yes.
0:20:54 > 0:20:55And then that'll be it.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00You can hold it up to the light and go, "Yes! This is Britain's Handmade Revolution!"
0:21:00 > 0:21:02This is what it's all about, it starts here.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06- I'm going to catch everyone outside and see what else is going on. - OK, great stuff.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11Well, there's no denying traditional skills put a smile on your face.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19If you'd like to try your hand at arts and crafts then visit our website
0:21:19 > 0:21:25for videos to inspire you, or download our how-to guide for crafty tips.
0:21:27 > 0:21:33Our next item is rather, well, a unique one made by 53-year-old Karina Stoitzner.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Has it got what it takes to make it through?
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Karina, I gather you've been looking after a flock of sheep.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42This sheep is made out of wool from that flock
0:21:42 > 0:21:45- so right from the start he's been home-grown.- Yes, yes.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Tell me a little bit about the method you've used to make it.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51It's a Japanese form of crochet, isn't it?
0:21:51 > 0:21:53It is, it is called amigurumi
0:21:53 > 0:21:58and it's basically crocheting around which gives you the option to shape.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00It's almost like sculpturing with crochet.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03It's quite a mathematical process
0:22:03 > 0:22:07because you have to count your stitches, which appeals to me.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08It's very orderly.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13And you learnt to craft initially at the feet of your mum, I believe.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Yes, my mum and my nan really.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20My mum was a handicraft teacher so I got the basics from her.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22I was very lucky.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25And in my youth I stopped, like we all do.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28We have other things to do that are more important.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Teenage lifestyle didn't allow for much.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Partying and music and things, yes.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37And then I got rather ill and I had to have some chemotherapy.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42Because I couldn't leave the house, I needed something to occupy my hands.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46I wasn't very mobile at that point so I started amigurumi.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51And I had patterns at first, and I made little creatures,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55which I could accomplish in a day so that gave me a real sense of achievement at the end of the day
0:22:55 > 0:22:59and it got me through the six months of therapy.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03And then I moved away from patterns really quickly
0:23:03 > 0:23:06and started developing my own style.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Could you imagine doing this as more than just a hobby?
0:23:09 > 0:23:13- Maybe making it into a profession of some sort?- I wish I could.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15I really wish I could.
0:23:15 > 0:23:22I realise that I can't myself make enough of these to make a living out of it,
0:23:22 > 0:23:27but my dream is to give workshops to teach people the traditional craft
0:23:27 > 0:23:29and teach them the whole process,
0:23:29 > 0:23:33like from the sheep shearing to something like that.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- Taking the product right through to the selling stage.- Yes.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40I mean, I could see this sort of creature in small craft shops.
0:23:40 > 0:23:45And what sort of price do you think people are willing to pay for these?
0:23:45 > 0:23:49- I've put these in the farm shop for about £50.- £50?- Yes.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51And how much work does that reflect?
0:23:51 > 0:23:55- For me to make one of those is about 20 hours.- 20 hours' work?
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Yes, and then you have the material on top.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00So you feel they need to be that expensive to...
0:24:00 > 0:24:04If you work that out, that's about a pound an hour for my work.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07It's difficult because you can also see that actually as a product
0:24:07 > 0:24:12perhaps it would be difficult to sell at that price point too so it's quite a tricky one.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- And do you make other animals as well?- Yes, I make loads of creatures.
0:24:15 > 0:24:23I make fairies, I make dragons, I, er... Witches, ghosts for Halloween.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27I do everything, I've even crocheted baubles for Christmas trees.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- Would you say you're addicted to amigurumi, Karina?- Yes.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34I think you are, aren't you? I think you are.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37It's my passion, it's my love, yes. Absolutely.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Thank you very much indeed for bringing him in. Let's release him.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44He can go and rejoin his flock and perhaps go grazing this afternoon.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46- Yes.- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51I think the £50 price tag is fair for the huge amount of work
0:24:51 > 0:24:55that's gone into this unique piece, but is it a Handmade Revolution winner?
0:24:55 > 0:25:00I think she liked it. I think she liked that it was so tactile,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03that she could squeeze it and cuddle it without it falling apart,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07and it just feels nice because of the real wool that it's made of.
0:25:07 > 0:25:13Will our judges feel Karina's work deserves to win our amazing prize?
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Or will it be the work of our next finalist?
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Noreen Todd is an accountant in her 60s who came late to making
0:25:20 > 0:25:25and now hopes to follow her dream of being a glass artist.
0:25:25 > 0:25:30- Wow! It's Adam and Eve inside.- Yes. - Oh, wow.- And a snake.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33- Oh, yes.- The snake is at the bottom, a serpent.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36You like shocking people, don't you?
0:25:36 > 0:25:40I do, and I'm really intrigued by this stuff in our lives which is hidden or half hidden,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43and the things that go on behind closed doors.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48- A mystery element.- Yes.- We all love that.- Yes. Do we? I don't know.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51A lot of people look inside it and they're quite shocked
0:25:51 > 0:25:54so I'm not quite sure whether it's a good thing or a bad thing to do.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57I think it's a good thing probably because you're expressing yourself
0:25:57 > 0:26:00and there's nothing wrong in expressing yourself.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02That's art form.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04So how did you get into glass?
0:26:04 > 0:26:08I went off to do a foundation course because I got really jealous
0:26:08 > 0:26:12when my son got to 18, he went to Chelsea College of Art
0:26:12 > 0:26:15which is something I've wanted to do and I'd been persuaded in my youth
0:26:15 > 0:26:18that it wasn't a thing to do to become an artist
0:26:18 > 0:26:21so I went off and became an accountant.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24I had to go off to art college when I got so jealous
0:26:24 > 0:26:27and there they told me I had to go and do a degree, which I did,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30and during the course of that I saw somebody making glass
0:26:30 > 0:26:34and that just got me interested and once I started, I just couldn't stop.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Can this piece be used or it's just a purely decorative piece?
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Well, I consider it an art piece.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43I think it would be sad if it was used, because the design is mainly on the inside.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47If you put water and flowers into it, the idea would go, wouldn't it?
0:26:47 > 0:26:51- So what kind of techniques did you use?- Erm, it's a combination.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54First of all it's made flat,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57three layers of flat glass that are fused so the inside I've got paint in,
0:26:57 > 0:27:03on the outside I've got these things, called murrini, these small things,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06which is pulled glass as if you were pulling rock.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10I place it all together, put it in a kiln and fuse it as one block.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Then it's heated back up again, it's rolled onto a blowing iron,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16kind of knitted together and then blown out.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19- It's a very complex process. - Very complex, yes.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23So are you going to take this a full-time career or is it just a hobby right now?
0:27:23 > 0:27:29No, well, I don't think I'll ever be good enough glass-blower to make it into a career.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Why? Is it a confidence issue?
0:27:32 > 0:27:36- No, it's because I started too late in my life.- Oh, it's never too late.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40But it takes years and years and years to be a confident glass-blower.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42To do something this size you've got to have more than one person
0:27:42 > 0:27:46so I'd never be able to blow this entirely on my own.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49I do think that your work I think fits very well with a gallery
0:27:49 > 0:27:54because it's not that commercial but it's more of a collector piece.
0:27:54 > 0:27:55It is, yes.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59So I do think you should continue with this probably,
0:27:59 > 0:28:04and just create a series of stories so that people can understand the story behind it.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07And probably one day an exhibition in a gallery would be great.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08I'd love to, yeah.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11It's hard to put a price on the artwork of Noreen.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15Modern pieces of glass like this can command up to £400
0:28:15 > 0:28:19but antique examples can make much, much more.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22The art of glass-blowing came to Britain with the Romans,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24but across the world other methods of making beads
0:28:24 > 0:28:29and drinking vessels were used even further back in history.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Part of the purpose of the Handmade Revolution
0:28:32 > 0:28:36is to encourage you at home to try your hand at making something
0:28:36 > 0:28:39but it's also vital for me that we honour our proud craft tradition,
0:28:39 > 0:28:44ensuring that it's not just a thing of the past but a feature of the future, too.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49I want to champion these talented amateurs, yes,
0:28:49 > 0:28:54but also celebrate the work of the masters, like Chris Hawkins.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57He's a silver and goldsmith specialising in men's jewellery.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01His workshop is under the famous viaduct in Brighton.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04It's bright with gemstones and precious metals,
0:29:04 > 0:29:09a master craftsman who believes in passing his knowledge on to others.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11What inspired you to take up this craft?
0:29:11 > 0:29:15Things I enjoy like drawing with sculpture, it's a good outlet for that.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18Jewellery is a really diverse craft so you can take it in any direction really.
0:29:18 > 0:29:24- You specialise in male jewellery. - I do.- Why is that?
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- Women spend a lot more money, there's a bigger market. - Indeed, yes.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29It's something I discovered.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31I seem to design in a quite masculine way,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33which initially seemed a bit of a problem
0:29:33 > 0:29:37because I went, "Actually, the things I design, men like them,"
0:29:37 > 0:29:42but then I gradually realised that those are the most successful designs so I just went with that.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46- And you did an apprenticeship? - I did a five-year apprenticeship through the Goldsmiths Guild.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49What did it involve over those five years?
0:29:49 > 0:29:54Well, you work for a master and I was lucky enough to find a really good guy
0:29:54 > 0:29:58who trained me and he had really interesting commissions,
0:29:58 > 0:30:02and the final thing is you actually make a masterpiece which you then present to the Goldsmiths Guild.
0:30:02 > 0:30:07They have an exhibition and they basically judge your masterpiece
0:30:07 > 0:30:10as to whether you've reached the sort of standard they require.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15Chris trained under the watchful eye of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18which has set the standards for the trade for over 700 years.
0:30:18 > 0:30:24The company has been responsible since 1300 for testing the quality of precious metals.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28In fact, the term "hallmark" dates from the 15th century
0:30:28 > 0:30:32when London craftsmen were first required to bring their work
0:30:32 > 0:30:35to the Goldsmiths Hall for assaying and marking.
0:30:35 > 0:30:40I can't wait to have a go. I've got all day here, I've got very limited skills in this kind of thing
0:30:40 > 0:30:44- but I'm willing to learn. - I'm sure, I'm sure you do.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49'Chris thinks the best thing for a novice to start with is a ring.'
0:30:49 > 0:30:54- Is this one of the first things you'd get somebody to do?- It is because a lot of the techniques used
0:30:54 > 0:30:58in this project would be useful in almost anything you come to make.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02The first thing I'm going to get you to do is to learn how to use the saw.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05The way to start a saw cut is actually like this.
0:31:05 > 0:31:10You sort of push it up so you are jarring, and then just start.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13Try to let the saw go through the metal at a right angle,
0:31:13 > 0:31:18- so rather than doing this it wants to be sort of quite long, smooth strokes.- Yep.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22- OK?- OK.- And that's it, really. - Well done.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27- That looked very easy and I'm sure it's not.- It's simple, do you want to give it a go?- Yeah.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36- Could people tackle this at home at this sort of stage?- You could do.
0:31:36 > 0:31:41You can actually buy these jeweller's pegs and they can bolt onto a sturdy table.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45I mean, it's really nice to have what's called the jeweller's D
0:31:45 > 0:31:48- on the bench so that you can get enclosed.- Get in tight.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51It does add difficulties working on a normal table.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55- There we go, Chris.- Let's have a look. That's absolutely fine.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59OK, so the next stage is to find out what size your finger is.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02- Shall I give you my wedding ring? - Yeah, that's perfect.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05That's once you've actually cut the metal. Let's have a look.
0:32:05 > 0:32:10- It's a pretty fat finger, isn't it? - It's a goodish size, I call it. Yes.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15'It's important to measure accurately as you don't want any precious metal going to waste.'
0:32:15 > 0:32:19You can actually feel the saw doing all the work, can't you, on that downward stroke?
0:32:19 > 0:32:23It's a kind of a wave your hand, the way it does the work, exactly.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28When you've done it a few times, you find you don't have to hold it quite as tight as you at first think.
0:32:28 > 0:32:29That's great.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32'The next stage of the process is hammering a texture for decoration.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35'You can be as intricate as you like here
0:32:35 > 0:32:39'but I've gone for a simple contemporary pattern of hammer strokes.'
0:32:39 > 0:32:43It's gone a bit wiggly. You can see I haven't been hitting evenly.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46- Is that OK?- Yeah, we can straighten that up, yeah.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59Does that look all right so far? Because to me it looks awful!
0:32:59 > 0:33:03- Am I going to wear that?!- It always looks like this at this stage.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06You have to just keep the faith and keep going.
0:33:06 > 0:33:11So the next stage is to bring the two ends around to form a ring.
0:33:11 > 0:33:17So these are round on flat pliers so we roll the metal around the half round side, which is there.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Push it away like that with the thumb.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23And these are obviously really special jeweller's tools. I've never come across them.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27- These ones are, yeah, these are specialist tools.- Thanks, Chris.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33What advice would you give to people watching
0:33:33 > 0:33:36if they wanted to start to learn?
0:33:36 > 0:33:39I would suggest that you find someone, a professional that you admire,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43and try to get some work experience with that professional.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46There's no substitute for working with someone who really knows what they're doing,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49and also to always make things you believe in.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Don't try and make things you think might be popular, because they probably won't be.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55It's better just to make what you think is good.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58I think that's OK. That's ready to go, I think.
0:33:58 > 0:34:03So we're going to apply the flux to the solder join.
0:34:03 > 0:34:04That keeps the join clean.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Yeah, gets rid of all the dirt and grease.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10Yeah, exactly, yeah, keeps the surface clean.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15'Once the silver is clean, I apply little dabs of solder to the join
0:34:15 > 0:34:18'and now the ring is ready for some heat.'
0:34:21 > 0:34:23Right, and it was just a circular motion to start with.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25Start from a distance first of all.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28'It's very precise because I don't want to overheat the metal.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32- 'Just as the solder melts, that's enough.'- OK, stop.
0:34:34 > 0:34:35Quench it in the water.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42'In the ancient world, the discovery of how to work metals
0:34:42 > 0:34:47'was a crucial stage in the development of the art of making jewellery.
0:34:47 > 0:34:53'Archaeologists have discovered jewellery in the British Isles that dates back to at least 1500 BC.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57'One of the largest finds was the Staffordshire Hoard,
0:34:57 > 0:35:02'dating from the 7th century, which was unearthed near Lichfield in 2009.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06'Many methods of working metals have remained unchanged
0:35:06 > 0:35:11'even if technology has moved on, so I feel a real connection to the past.'
0:35:11 > 0:35:14- It still looks very rough. - No, it's absolutely fine.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16It always looks like that at this stage, it's good.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Anywhere you see a gap, just...
0:35:27 > 0:35:30You look like you've been doing it all your life!
0:35:30 > 0:35:34- Yep, that's great. - It's starting to take shape.- It is.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37'It takes a bit of elbow grease to grind off
0:35:37 > 0:35:41'and polish away any final imperfections.'
0:35:41 > 0:35:44And you have to get every blemish out?
0:35:44 > 0:35:47If you want to end up with that really professional finish, you do, yeah.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51- Oh, I want the professional finish. - You've got to put the work in, then.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57I'm using all my strength on that. You know that, and it's getting hot.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02- OK, let's have a look.- That's hot.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08- That's good.- That good?- That's good. - That's what I like to hear.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12This is the exciting bit, this is the final process.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16In the space of let's say three or four hours,
0:36:16 > 0:36:22I've managed to make my very own first silver ring,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24and there it is. Look at that.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Isn't that beautiful?
0:36:27 > 0:36:31Catches the light, it looks masculine, it looks contemporary,
0:36:31 > 0:36:35yet made with traditional skills and methods by a master.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38No, by yourself!
0:36:38 > 0:36:40One last thing to do - does it fit?
0:36:43 > 0:36:47That is marvellous. Look at that.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Yes! Thank you so much, Chris.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52It's all about having the right tuition.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57You see, I've made this in a few hours today, so anyone can do it.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01Just come along and get a lesson from the master. Give it a go.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Join my Handmade Revolution.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09It's always wonderful to see masters of their craft at work,
0:37:09 > 0:37:14but I have been so impressed with what our amateurs have been making in their spare time.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18From among hundreds of applicants, five truly talented individuals
0:37:18 > 0:37:21were chosen to go before our panel of judges today.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25Only one of them can be anointed judges' favourite.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28None of the finalists have the first idea
0:37:28 > 0:37:32what could be in store for that person,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35an opportunity that could change their life.
0:37:35 > 0:37:41It's now the moment of truth. Which one will our judges reward?
0:37:41 > 0:37:45- Mary Jane, maybe you could go first. - Well the cigar box guitar.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48Really, really great concepts, and Malcolm who made it - very honest,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51it's a quick craft, you can put it together fairly quickly
0:37:51 > 0:37:54but I like that idea. I like the fact that it's fun and fast.
0:37:54 > 0:37:55It's accessible.
0:37:55 > 0:38:00It's accessible and, you know, I'd love to hear it played in a band. It would be great.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03It's a bit of a quirky thing, I know,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06but I guess it's different enough to be in there with a shout.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13Karina's sheep. She took up amigurumi when she was recovering...
0:38:13 > 0:38:15Amigurumi, what's that?
0:38:15 > 0:38:17Amigurumi, it's a Japanese form of crochet
0:38:17 > 0:38:20so it's very fine needles, very small stitches,
0:38:20 > 0:38:24and she took it up when she was recovering from a serious illness.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26It was a form of therapy in a way for her at the time
0:38:26 > 0:38:30but she's gone on to do it, makes her own patterns.
0:38:30 > 0:38:31Yes, it's cute.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Being the judges' favourite would be absolutely amazing.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36It would probably give me the chance
0:38:36 > 0:38:43to finally turn it into a working idea of passing this craft
0:38:43 > 0:38:47on to other people, particularly in this throw-away society.
0:38:47 > 0:38:52People will value what they've made a lot more than what they've bought cheaply in a shop.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Piyush?
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Well, I have Jessica who does enamelled jewellery.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00She uses origami as a technique.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Although I'm not a big fan of jewellery
0:39:03 > 0:39:07but I think the techniques she uses would be great if she makes big sculptures.
0:39:07 > 0:39:12To be judges' favourite, it would be the best thing in the whole world, I think,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16especially just to kind of be known for my craft, my enamelling.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19That would be kind of my number one ideal dream ever.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22Noreen, she uses very complex techniques of glass.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25She likes to create some enigma and mystery in her work.
0:39:25 > 0:39:31- So if you look at her work it's sometimes rude.- Yes, quite saucy!
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Sometimes there is an element to it, but quite interesting piece.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38If I was the judges' favourite, I'd just, you know, I'd be so thrilled.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42I'm the kind of person that needs a bit of a pat on the back.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47I need somebody to say, "Well done, Noreen," and that's what that would mean to me.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Now, this is Bertie, a very enthusiastic young guy.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55He has taken this cabinet-making as a passion
0:39:55 > 0:39:57and he uses different types of wood.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01Although I'm not very convinced by the influences he's been using
0:40:01 > 0:40:06and I think he's gone very overboard with it, but technically I think he's very, very good.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09A bit like a mishmash of different ideas, doesn't it, in some ways?
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Yes, it's good he's looking at the history of furniture.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16It's always good when a craftsperson looks at the history of their medium.
0:40:16 > 0:40:17Maybe there's a bit too many of them here.
0:40:17 > 0:40:23The cabriole legs and that pillow- shaped mid-section, the roll front - there's a lot going on.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26People really want something to, in this day and age,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28to hark back to and attach themselves to that lasts,
0:40:28 > 0:40:32and generally with crafts that comes through.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34So what I think is so interesting about this group of objects
0:40:34 > 0:40:38is that you see so many different types of crafts and so many different motivations
0:40:38 > 0:40:42so someone clearly aspiring to be a professional here,
0:40:42 > 0:40:46someone who's interested in quite an easy, quick form of craft here,
0:40:46 > 0:40:50and also an interesting idea here of shifting from one medium to another.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53So origami, paper folding, being used for enamel
0:40:53 > 0:40:55- so it's a difficult decision for us, I think.- It is.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57Do you have a way you're leaning?
0:40:57 > 0:41:02Erm, I think I've probably got something that I'm going to choose as my favourite,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05although one other thing that I love the concept behind.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07Piyush, what do you think?
0:41:07 > 0:41:12Do you know, actually if I have to see the technical capabilities then I do have my favourite.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14OK, I think I have a favourite too.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16There's one object I'd like to see at the V&A
0:41:16 > 0:41:18so I think we're probably ready to make the decision.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21- Shall we call Paul? - Let's give him a call.- Yes.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25- So, judges, have we reached a decision?- Yes, we have, Paul.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28In that case it's time to call in the finalists.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35This is what it's all been leading up to.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48You've all done extremely well to have come so far.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53It's important that you all know your talent and your skill and your passion is evident
0:41:53 > 0:41:55in all the wonderful things that you've created.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59I can now reveal who today's judges' favourite is
0:41:59 > 0:42:02but before I do that let me tell you what's in store for that person -
0:42:02 > 0:42:09the chance to have your work on display in the V&A shop at the Victoria and Albert Museum
0:42:09 > 0:42:12in London, the spiritual home of arts and crafts.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15It doesn't get any better than that, so good luck to all of you.
0:42:15 > 0:42:21Whatever the outcome, you're all fully fledged members of the Handmade Revolution.
0:42:21 > 0:42:27The judges have made a decision based on a range of skills,
0:42:27 > 0:42:33the attention to detail and the potential for future development.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37It gives me great pleasure to announce that today's judges' favourite is...
0:42:41 > 0:42:46..Bertie and his desk. Well done!
0:42:46 > 0:42:47Absolutely fabulous.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Well done to all of you.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56While the judges agreed that drawing on so many different historical periods
0:42:56 > 0:43:00made Bertie's desk something of a mishmash in style,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03they couldn't fault his mastery of furniture making
0:43:03 > 0:43:09and agreed that his work is worthy of a place at the spiritual home of the handmade.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15Well, I hope, like me, you've been inspired to have a go.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17This is a celebration of the handmade.
0:43:17 > 0:43:22Come on! Come and join our Handmade Revolution. See you next time.