Episode 6 Paul Martin's Handmade Revolution

The master craftsmen and women of the past have all helped to make Britain great.

And today, there is a dedicated band of people

all helping to keep these traditional skills alive and relevant.

But they need your help to make sure that some of them are not lost for ever.

So, come on, join them, and me, Paul Martin, in our Handmade Revolution!

CHEERING

We've been combing the country

to find Britain's most talented amateur makers.

At last, bigging up the arts, as the teenagers say at the moment.

And we'll be finding out how important their items could be.

Things handmade with skill and passion.

There's been some absolutely fantastic stuff, really interesting and different.

But what these people don't know is that

one of them will be given a life-changing opportunity.

The chance to see their work at the spiritual home of the handmade.

Today's judges' favourite is...

Here, at the Amberley Heritage Centre in Sussex,

a group of passionate and talented craftspeople are doing all they can

to safeguard our traditional skills.

And, by celebrating the past,

we can safeguard the future for the great British craft heritage.

Everyone here today has signed up to the handmade revolution.

But this also about finding the antique of the future.

Later in the show, you can learn about the art of handmade textiles.

-That's beautiful.

-Luscious, isn't it?

That's absolutely beautiful.

Five finalists have been selected from the hundreds who applied,

to show us what they can do.

And that lucky group are right here at my masters and makers day,

to run the gauntlet of our panel of judges.

And here they are.

Mary Jane Baxter is a hat fanatic, who runs her own millinery business.

I can't wait to see the best of British makers.

I know there's tons of talent out there.

Piyush Suri has more than ten years' experience in the design industry,

and believes Britain's desire for individuality

has never been more buoyant.

There is a revival in handmade all across Britain,

and I absolutely love being a part of it.

And our head judge, Glenn Adamson,

is a curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum, the spiritual home of the arts movement.

So he really does know his stuff!

Britain has a wonderful craft heritage,

and I'm looking to find people who are taking that tradition on into the 21st century.

The chosen few will get a unique opportunity,

to be able to see their work at London's Victoria & Albert Museum.

What could be better for an up-and-coming maker?

Which one will have what it takes to be named Judges' Favourite?

From what I have already seen, their decision will be a hard one.

If they can't agree, then it's over to me.

First of the day for Piyush is Sian Rookwood, a 24-year-old student.

I have seen this type of work before.

How do you think your work is very different from the work which is already in the market?

I am trying to use unusual materials in my products.

I try and recycle or upcycle materials as much as possible.

I think that something I haven't seen quite so much of

with this particular style of metalwork jewellery.

What kind of metalwork are you using?

They are actually industrial split washers, so they are repurposed.

They're not recycled,

they're upcycled, because they're not previously used for any other purpose.

Where do you source this material?

Anywhere that sells nuts, bolts, hardware, that sort of thing.

Just a general hardware store.

And, why this fascination with nuts and bolts?

I think I really like the idea of using something that's quite chunky and industrial,

and trying to make something a bit more delicate and feminine out of it.

I play with materials and ideas.

-So, there is USP to your work?

-Yes, I think so.

-What's your background in terms of education?

-I'm actually a trainee architect.

-OK.

I'm studying for my masters degree at the minute.

I think a lot of ideas, my architectural aesthetic,

come through in my jewellery work.

-Hence, the structure.

-Yeah, very structured pieces.

Quite rigid and industrial-looking.

I really like, with that piece in particular, that,

despite the fact it's made from something so solid and rigid,

it's really fluid, and quite snakelike, quite a tactile piece.

Everyone that looks as it tends to want to pick it up and have a play with it.

-Very gladiator like? Yes.

-Quite warrior like, most of them.

-I quite like the piece you're wearing.

-Thank you.

It's very interesting, the shape, it looks like a collar.

It is a Peter Pan-inspired collar.

There's quite a lot of it around at the moment in the shops, the fashion items on dresses.

I just like the reinterpretation in the metal.

The gold colour, does it come off after a while because of the material you are using?

It is brass plating that I'm using.

Partly because I am working within an affordable price range at the moment.

I am trying to make big statement pieces,

but that people can readily afford.

Don't you think women spend so much amount of money on jewellery?

They do.

So, why affordable? If it's a good concept, why affordable?

For my own personal taste,

I was really struggling to find things that I wanted

from the high street that were affordable for me on my budget.

So I started playing around with things,

making pieces for myself, and then friends and family.

I actually have a nan, my nan,

who wears one of my chainmail pieces to church, which I think is fantastic.

She's very trendy, I must say.

She is very trendy.

So what is the price range of your pieces?

Anything from about £20,

up to about £70 or £80.

So, for instance, this is in the region of £40.

This would be more like £60.

How do you price your products?

I do it roughly on how long it takes me to make a piece.

I don't really factor in material costs too much at the moment.

I am buying in bulk,

and it is a relatively inexpensive material to buy.

So I work out roughly how long it takes me to make each piece,

and I have a basic hourly rate that I work on.

Does your architectural background

help you in creating these kinds of pieces?

I feel I'm a lot freer with what I can do with the jewellery work.

There's a lot of restrictions in architecture.

It's an escape for me to be able to do whatever I want without any boundaries.

I must say, less than £100

for some interesting, unusual handmade jewellery is very reasonable.

I certainly know a lot of ladies who'd buy her chainmail statement pieces.

Piyush was clearly struck by her work.

But will the other judges share his view?

Mary Jane has our second amateur maker.

Kath Hitchings is a 39-year-old primary school teacher

who is a very enthusiastic guerrilla knitter, whatever that might be!

-Kath, we're in knitting heaven here.

-We are.

We've got our own little knitting forest going.

I've got a knitted rug laid across my lap.

And I gather this is made out of your kids' T-shirts?

It is, my children's T-shirts, old pyjamas, my husband's dodgy fleece.

The ones you always want to get rid of, just wait till he's out of the house.

You wish he didn't wear, you mean, so you make them into a rug.

-Definitely.

-It's amazing. I've tried rag rug making.

-But this isn't rag rug making, it's a knitted rug.

-Yes.

How does it differ to the rag rug technique?

With a rag rug, you'd use hessian on the back, and a hook.

With this, it's knitted with this size needles, in small sections.

It's made using the loop stitch.

Is that the stitch you're having a go at there?

I'm good to start with a bit of purl.

A bit later on, on the next row, I'll do some loops for you.

How long would it take you to make a rug like this?

Those questions are a nightmare, aren't they! I don't know.

I'm quite a quick knitter, but it's quite difficult to quantify.

I suppose, over a couple of weeks if you sat by the telly.

Some programmes are ideal to knit to.

-It's a great thing to do whilst you're watching telly.

-Yeah.

I love it because it's got your family history in it.

It's all woven in there. It's also a bit make do and mend.

I think it's really ingenious.

But it's not the only thing you knit,

because I'm leaning on this yucca, covered in a knitted coat.

Yeah, this is an example of

perhaps a slightly unconventional form of knitting.

People may have seen guerrilla knitting.

So you're a guerrilla knitter?

I am. I probably shouldn't be saying that in public.

Normally, we're going out under the cloak of darkness,

and we're knitting for inanimate objects.

I think it's all about bringing joy to people in places.

That was going to be my next question. Why, why do it?

What's the point of going around, knitting a coat for a yucca,

or a lamppost, or other things like that?

I think artists were ever thus misunderstood, weren't they?

If it's not got a point, why do it?

But it's all about bringing joy to people, in unexpected places.

It's about promoting knitting as an art form.

And that it's OK to put it somewhere unexpected,

because it transforms an inanimate object

-into something lively and interesting.

-It makes people look.

You might not look at a yucca,

but I'm looking at it, not twice, but three times now.

Also, sculptures too, sculptures are often not noticed.

Public works of art are neglected.

But you put a scarf on a sculpture, a leg warmer, suddenly people look.

It attracts attention.

Have you managed to get to a stage where you can show us

how to make one of your lovely loop stitches?

I'm ready to rock and roll with the knitting needles here. OK.

Here's a very straightforward knit stitch.

Now I'm going to do a loop stitch. So, you go in, and round.

You take your thumb and you put your piece of yarn or T-shirt material.

I've got a loop now. I'm pulling that out.

I'm going to put my needle in there. Round we go.

Then, you hook this little guy over there. You've got a loop.

-You got a loop. Bob's your uncle.

-Indeed.

Kath, you're obviously... You wear it, you sit on it,

-you cover your yuccas in it.

-I don't eat it?

You don't eat knitting yet.

But what would you like to achieve from coming on the programme?

I suppose I really want to encourage people out there

to see that knitting isn't any more from perhaps the older generation.

It's great that older people knit, but it's for everybody.

It's for all generations.

It's not just for jumpers and dodgy things for Christmas.

You can use the skill in any way that you want, any which way,

and it can be an art form.

I think, at the minute, we're in an economic downturn.

People are looking for ways to adorn themselves and their lives,

and to be more positive. I think it's creating that.

I'm not sure if Kath's rug does it for me,

and I don't think her knitted pieces have real commercial appeal.

Although I can't help but admire her philosophy

for bringing joy to the world!

It probably never occurred to the master craftsmen of the past

that their work, one day, many decades later,

would exchange hands for huge sums of money.

Today, upmarket auction rooms

regularly resemble a veritable treasure trove.

Kath's a real champion of taking knitting into the future.

But what of the ancient art of textiles?

At the top end of the market is tapestry,

a domestic art which dates from the third century BC.

Here we have a French tapestry of about 1900.

It's quite typical of its date.

The colours are not quite what you'd expect from an 18th-century tapestry.

The colours are a little brighter, and more garish in areas.

They would have been very expensive pieces.

Throughout the 19th century and Victorian days,

they would form part of an interior decoration of a typical house.

Especially a big, draughty house, where they were useful

not only for decoration, but keeping the place warm.

But, with the light, airy spaces,

and then the minimalism of the art nouveau and deco period,

a lot of tapestries would have gone by the by really.

This piece is the affordable end of the spectrum.

The estimate is £600-800.

For that, you'd get a nice tapestry

in the long tradition of the makers from Aubusson, Belgium,

other places in continental Europe.

Even when tapestries went out of fashion in the 19th century,

they never lost value.

In 2004, a tapestry by William Morris

fetched an unbelievable £180,000 at the Lyon & Turnbull auction house.

Today, tapestries are enjoying a revival.

British artist Grayson Perry is currently working in the medium.

Maybe we'll find someone today who is creating an antique of the future.

But first, let me show you a trade

which is being resurrected right here.

Once upon a time, Fleet Street was buzzing

with hand-worked printing presses like these.

Even in an industry as massive as the world of newspapers,

the tradition, until the mid-1980s, was to print by hand.

After the introduction of mechanisation and computers,

it seemed that the hand-operated printing world

would become a thing of the past but for some dedicated practitioners.

Amberley is not only lucky enough to have its own print shop,

but it's also run by a highly skilled team of volunteers

with a Fleet Street pedigree.

-Hello, John.

-Hello, Paul.

You were the head printer at a newspaper for 35 years.

What was your apprenticeship like?

My apprenticeship was at a local newspaper in Croydon.

Seven years, one taken off for National Service.

I'd always wanted to work in Fleet Street.

So, after my apprenticeship, I then had to do two years' probation.

I was 30 when I got the permanent job I'd always wanted in Fleet Street.

That is a long apprenticeship.

What do let visitors do here?

We mostly try to explain how newspapers were produced.

This represents a hot metal newspaper.

And we've probably got the best display in any museum in the country.

You can see all the lovely wood block and typeset.

It takes me back as well.

I started collecting a lot of that 30 years ago.

You've got something lined up for me to have a go at?

Yes, we've got something lined up, we've got a form down there,

which is made up with wood letter,

-which we'd like you to go and take a copy of.

-I'm going to have a go.

Thanks a lot.

Chris. I love the smell of print and ink. It's work in progress.

Yes, I know what you mean, whenever I walk through the door,

it takes me back years to when I was a lad.

You go, "Yeah, that's the office." What are you going to let me do?

-Roll some ink?

-You're going to print your own poster.

-OK.

-This way on like that?

-That's right.

Make sure it's all on there.

-That is a great smell, isn't it?

-It is, isn't it?

-Ready for this?

-Lower it down confidently.

That's it. With that handle, you wind this under.

You will feel it come to a stop.

That's it.

And look at that. Imagine doing this all day, it breaks your back.

-It would do, after a while. Oh!

-Oh!

-Is that allowed?

-No...

-Well, actually, it's not bad.

It shouldn't actually have done that, really at that.

I can see one little error straight away on the "i" of revolution.

There wasn't quite enough ink on it.

-But you can forgive me that, can't you?

-I certainly will.

That is what it's all about, look at that.

Someone who's promoting traditional skills

is 76-year-old Bastien Gomperts.

He's a retired academic who taught himself woodwork.

This is not just a box, is it?

It's a bit more than that.

There are boxes within the box.

So let's have a little look inside. Do you want to...

-Actually, take two out at a time.

-Two at a time.

-If you do this, it's just nice.

-Oh, I see.

-So, there is a method to unpacking it.

-Two more.

I imagine, Bastien, there's a reason behind that,

that you're going to explain to me.

I was commanded to make it by my daughter.

Obviously, you're using different types of wood to get this design.

Mahogany, pear, and rosewood.

-And also there's a silver inlay.

-That's right.

What gave you the idea of using this particular oval design here?

I've done many, many patterns.

In fact, you get some idea of the pattern

if you look at the logo underneath.

-Turn it right over.

-Look, right over there.

You can see a little bit, a little fraction of my complex patterns there.

I don't know whether the camera will see it.

I make big panels with such patterns on them.

They're computer-generated.

-How did you start?

-I think boxes are very attractive things to make.

There is something about a box which is very, very exciting.

-It speaks of treasures and hidden things.

-I think it does.

-You are retired now, Bastien, aren't you?

-Yes, I am.

You have more time to do this sort of work?

I try to spend as much time on this as I can.

Is it a release from other...?

-It's an obsession!

-An obsession!

I like it when people are honest about things.

It keeps me in house which is very important,

because I'm a carer, I have to look after my wife.

And my workshop is just an extension of our basement room.

So I am at the dark end. And we live at the other end.

So this means you can be working on something you are passionate about

-but be close to your wife.

-I don't have to go down the garden to a shed,

I can be there all the time.

-So, is this a form of therapy, as it were?

-No, I don't go for therapy!

-I go for pleasure.

-You go for pleasure.

When I retired, there was a choice.

I could learn to play piano, fingers!

Or I could do this, fingers!

-And this was the choice.

-This was the right choice, actually.

I can see, just one thing I notice from it,

it's very much the decorative finish and surface that you enjoy.

-Boxes should be, yes.

-Why do you think boxes should be?

Because, look at you handling it.

-It's just in that way.

-Yes, it does make me want to touch it.

-It is like that.

-You're absolutely right.

And what would you use this for? For jewellery?

My daughter uses it for jewellery, this one belongs to her.

Very lucky daughter,

I wish I had a dad who could make me a jewellery box like this.

I've got about 50 boxes, all different.

-You say you do it very much for pleasure.

-Absolutely.

Is there a commercial aspect to making something like this?

No, I don't give it a thought. I like them too much.

Why come on the show?

It's not a commercial reason, obviously, that's driving you,

-so why did you want to come on?

-I was pushed into it.

My daughter came along and said, "You've got to do this."

So she obviously sees a commercial value of what you're doing,

-she thinks it's worth something.

-I think she thought that, yes.

Perhaps you ought to listen to her.

-That's what she would say too!

-THEY LAUGH

With Bastien's combination of traditional techniques

with a contemporary graphic twist in silver,

this box could probably go on the market for over £200.

But will the other judges see its merits?

Well, I'm all for promoting crafts.

I think she loved it, didn't she? That's the impression I got.

As well as keeping an eye open for new talent,

head judge Glenn is keen to see professional makers at work,

especially someone working in the tradition

of one of his favourite glass artists.

Here, in her workshop,

Di Hill has been making stained glass for 30 years.

But this is glass with a difference.

-Normally, we think of stained glass as a flat art, flat thing.

-Yes.

But you're doing it as a form of sculpture really?

Yes. Today, I'm working on a three-dimensional bird.

This is copper foiled work,

which was pioneered by Louis Tiffany at the turn of the century.

So you start with a pattern.

And then with the glass cutter.

Really, what you want to do is get a nice, deep score mark.

Very accurate to the pattern, but so that it breaks very cleanly.

-You can really hear it.

-You can, can't you?

It means all the pieces on the pattern

are going to fit tightly together.

-No margin for error?

-Definitely not.

The more accurate you are, the better the finished result will be.

So, we think of Louis Comfort Tiffany

as one of the greatest figures in the history of the medium,

arts and crafts, stained glass maker, in America,

and doing not only windows, but also these beautiful lamps people know,

with dragonfly wings, all kinds of leaves and flowers on them.

An incredible use of colour.

And then also a very strong sculptural idea,

not only the shape of the lamp,

but also building up the glass into a kind of volumetric design,

not just on something that's flat.

That's right, that's one of his key strengths.

And then, basically,

you're wrapping each piece of glass centrally within the copper foil.

Then you end up with pieces all wrapped.

And put back on the pattern, ready to solder.

That looks like the tricky part there.

It's learning how much heat to put on, for a good finish,

but not so much that you actually crack the grass glass.

You hold a wing at an angle,

spot solder it.

Smoke's very exciting, it makes you feel like it's alchemy!

The other pieces that you need to do are the ring at the top,

which is attached with wire.

And putting on the beak.

And then you've got a finished result of a 3D bird.

-So, instant hummingbird, except maybe not so instant.

-Definitely.

It's so satisfying to make something yourself.

And there are plenty of willing teachers out there,

so why not find out what's happening in your area.

If you'd like to try your hand at arts and crafts,

then visit our website for videos to inspire you,

or download our how-to guide for crafty tips.

That's bbc.co.uk/handmade.

Many of our finalists have found making gives them a second lease of life.

83-year-old Rowena Kelly

was in the first in a generation of female graphic artists.

She's been making in her spare time for 44 years.

I wonder what Piyush will make of her unusual piece?

What a trendy candleholder.

Well, I'm very interested in architecture and buildings.

And that, as you can see, is where the starting point was.

And I just love working with clay.

So, you are fascinated by the buildings and architecture?

I would have liked to have been an architect when I was young.

I do this sort of thing, but also more abstract,

that really become like sculptures.

I see you've got some beautiful buildings here.

I really should be taking note of them.

I am speechless, at this age, you are doing fascinating work.

Oh, yes, but I started a long time ago.

Life in general contributes to what you produce.

And...

I mean, clay is just a lovely thing to have your hands in.

-Have you done any clay?

-I have tried, just once.

-Oh.

-I would love to do that.

-Oh, you must.

There's something in clay for everyone.

-Is it porcelain you are using?

-No, this is white earthenware.

-OK.

It's cheaper to fire.

-Tell me more about your glazing?

-It's lovely.

When it's lit, it reflects back beautifully.

You seem to be very passionate about your work.

Do you do it for a commercial purpose,

or just your hobby?

It really is really is my hobby, but I'm an old-age pensioner,

so I need to supplement it, if I can.

But it's not easy to earn money.

I've really got to start again with building up clients really.

You're never too old to start.

-Definitely not.

-It's worth a try, I think.

I think it's an investment because,

unless and until you show your work to a wider audience, you don't know.

I think any criticism you get is a constructive criticism.

And your work will grow from there.

I'm all for criticism.

If you can advise me, please do.

I think you should expand on scale.

I know it's very difficult to work on scale.

But I think it would be worth it.

Yes.

The only thing is, the bigger you get,

the more you have to charge.

And, if people are not prepared to pay, say, £30,

they're never going to be prepared to pay £100.

-You are meeting the wrong people.

-Maybe that's it.

-I should have met you earlier.

-Yes! THEY LAUGH

I don't think you should think that way,

that people are not going to pay for it.

If it's a good product, people are ready to pay.

I can quote you?

Rowena is clearly passionate about architecture

and I think her piece is very commercial.

The £50 or so she would charge for this piece doesn't seem much,

so I'm sure Piyush's advice will be welcome.

I felt that he knew what he was talking about.

And, I'm here to gain things from other people, if I can.

Back to Mary Jane, and something weird and wonderful.

Christine Williams works in secondary education,

but she's also pioneering a unique form of 3D felt making.

Chris, I make felt hats, as a milliner.

But I have to say, I've never had a go at making my own felt.

The felting itself is just using pure wool of a sheep.

And using strands of it to help it entwine.

So you are making that textile. It's not woven,

but you're layering the textile on each other.

And then, you've got to agitate it,

like you would in a washing machine, when it all shrinks.

You think, "Oh my God," but you've just made a brilliant piece of felt.

You've got to add the moisture, that's the most important thing.

-It's wet felting.

-Wet felting, as opposed to dry felting.

It's just amazing.

When I first saw it, I thought, "Oh my God, this is what I want to do."

-Does it grow quite quickly?

-It does.

It actually shrinks, so it has this elasticity, like your hair.

I suppose it's hair really. It sounds horrible, hair!

-It is, it's sheep's hair.

-And it has this elasticity first of all.

Then it will shrink up to 40%, so you've got to be quite...

-You've got to start big and go small.

-And go small.

What's interesting about you, there are lots of felters out there,

what's unique about what you've done is to combine it with this cane work.

I have never seen anything like this before.

My background is illustration,

so it's always been a bit of paper on the floor.

I've always wanted to make some sort of three-dimensional thing.

Discovering felt, I thought, brilliant, I can do that.

-It's sort of experiment, in a way.

-Yeah.

This basketry.

Again, I've seen very even basketry, very closely and carefully woven.

This almost looks like you've knitted it.

It was very loosely, literally, on my knee, intertwining it all,

-and thinking, oh, my gosh, until it...

-Until it came to be.

Then it was like, oh, my God, I'm going to stop now.

It's growing too big. What strikes me, Chris, could you do this again?

If you were doing this as more than a hobby,

if you were trying perhaps to market something like this,

do think it would be possible?

Now that I know what to do, especially the felting time,

yeah, I could do that again, I'd love to do that again.

-You're a teacher at the moment.

-Yes.

-A learning support worker.

Could you, would you like to take this further?

For me, art has always been my therapy.

It's one of the things that, when I'm teaching,

or whatever stresses there are in life,

I would always go and do something art and creative,

and that would relax me.

-There's one thing I have to try, Chris, as a hat maker.

-Yes.

Do you think it could work as some sort of a hat?

There's something about it, it's just made to be a hat, I think.

-Well...

-I'm looking at it and I'm thinking it could.

-It could.

I would love to see this, perhaps, used in millinery,

perhaps that something else you could try?

-Yes, absolutely.

-It's very inspiring.

I share Mary Jane's scepticism about this item,

and I'm not convinced it could be replicated easily.

But, as a one-off, I can see it making £150.

What matters is whether Christine strikes the right note with the other judges.

My travels have taken me all over the United Kingdom,

and I've met fascinating people wherever I've been.

But the people who inspire me the most

are people who work with their hands.

Especially the ones who are striving

to ensure the survival of our traditional crafts.

The Stroud Valleys in Gloucestershire

have a rich history of textile production.

These fertile slopes provided an ideal grazing for sheep,

whose coats proved a valuable asset to the local economy.

That association with textiles is still well and truly alive. In fact, it's even gone global.

Here in the Cotswolds, there's a small studio,

which is home to a textiles designer,

whose work has graced the catwalks of Paris, London and Milan.

She reckons she can teach me

to screen print fabric in about three hours, so I'm up for that.

Liz Lippiatt has an impressive background in the world of haute couture.

She's sold her finely decorated accessories

to some of the world's most discerning high-end stores.

But her start was a far cry from the glamour of Fifth Avenue.

When I started, in my father's cowshed on the farm...

Is that how you really started - in your father's cowshed?

Yeah, I did. Dad let me have an old shed.

I set up a print table.

Today, Liz prints her own designs onto fine fabrics,

which are supplied to the likes of Harrods and Liberty's.

It's a case of, from the cowshed to the catwalk.

I did a fashion degree, which meant I understood the cloth

and how it was going to be used and the cut of the cloth.

That's what's led me into the world of haute couture.

-I bet it's highly competitive.

-It is. It's a pretty cut-throat world.

In a way, that's why I preferred the textile side of it.

I do love the decoration of the cloth.

I hope Liz is going to be gentle with me,

as I'm going to be her apprentice.

First, we're trying a simple cushion pattern.

I thought we could do something which one can easily do at home.

What we need to do is make a stencil,

which is going to be our pattern.

You can take a really, really simple piece of paper

and cut something which is like a paper chain.

-Because I know you've got a lovely daughter...

-Called Meredith.

I thought we could take her initial and use that.

Screen printing materials are readily available and affordable.

And the style can be seen on everything,

from tea towels to high-street fashion.

Lovely! The next stage is to put the stencil onto the silkscreen.

It's called a silkscreen, but, of course, these days, it's polyester.

-I'm going to iron it, because it's.

-A bit crumply.

-An iron on paper.

And it just sticks down.

So, there we are. It's ready to print.

Liz uses a traditional form of fabric screen printing,

which has its origins in Japanese stencilling.

Silk was stretched on frames

to support hand-painted stencils. A process used by William Morris.

This is your tool for printing. This is a squeegee.

That's what's going to force the dye through your stencil

and onto your fabric.

Beautiful!

Screen printing hit the mainstream in the 1950s and '60s

when pop artist Andy Warhol used this technique to create art.

His iconic Marilyn being the most famous example.

And we can lift the screen - hopefully.

It will all come through perfect.

-That's great.

-Lovely!

-Handmade.

-Exactly.

-Nothing's the same twice, is it?

Much like wheel writing and newspaper printing,

the handcrafted side of screen printing is being swept away

by new technology.

Now, much of it is digital printing.

-Yes, you can tell the difference, can't you?

-Totally, yes.

Because it's much more superficial. It just sits on the surface.

-You don't get that same depth of colour.

-You're right.

But there's still a market for screen printing by hand.

Lizzie's speciality is the textured finish, known as devore.

It's this technique, which is so beloved

at the high end of fashion houses.

-This is quite labour intense.

-Yes, yeah.

Well, anything which is hand done is quite labour-intensive.

It's a very delicate process but Liz has agreed to let me try it.

Now we're going to use what you cut out from your stencil.

-So we're going to make full use of all your artwork.

-My Merediths?

Yes. Place them on to this open screen.

We just need to touch them with the iron, just to make them stay.

So, I'm going to pour the devore paste into our well.

That's just going to burn that out.

It's going to burn out the root of the pile.

The only thing left standing at the end of this process

is my Meredith Ms.

The erosion is then accelerated by heat.

There, you can see it.

If you put your nail against it, you can see it's just crumbling away.

That will all come out in the wash?

It should do. Fingers crossed.

You can see, it's starting to work. Still needs a bit more washing off.

-You can see all the little lumps, can't you, just falling off.

-Yeah.

-And now you're going to put some colour onto it.

-Exactly.

Simple dye. And you use salt in with the dye.

Because that attracts the dye to the fibres.

And this you can do at home just on a stove, in a saucepan.

-How long do you leave that in there for?

-Ten minutes minimum, really.

Right, now we just need to play the waiting game.

If that hasn't convinced you to try it out for yourselves,

I don't know what will.

In just a few hours, with the excellent guidance

of our master crafts woman, I've grasped the basics.

I can't wait to see the fruits of my labour.

-Is that the same piece?

-Yeah.

-That looks so rich.

-Transformed.

-That's beautiful.

-Luscious, isn't it?

-Absolutely beautiful!

Yeah.

-I can't believe that's the same piece.

-I know. It is. It's magical.

I can't recommend screen printing enough.

If I can do it, so can you.

I'm bowled over by the passion and skill that so many people -

young and old - have shared with me today.

I'm really optimistic that my handmade revolution can make a difference.

And, for one of the finalists, the moment of truth has come.

It's time to find out

which one of them will be named judges' favourite.

OK, guys. Here we are with our five finalists.

I think it's a really difficult decision.

Lots of very different things on the table.

Perhaps you could tell me a little bit about your conversations with the makers.

-Mary Jane, do you want to start?

-I'll start with Kath, over here.

Kath is one of the most passionate and enthusiastic knitters

-I have ever met.

-That's saying something.

-That's saying something. I've met a few.

Knitting has just been my woolly lifeline. Ever since I was 13.

I was going through quite a hard family time. My sister was very ill.

An old lady in the church taught me to knit and it's been kind of...

If it makes sense, my therapy, for me.

If I'm stressed, I just get my needles out,

and it's really important to me.

That piece is made out of old T-shirts,

which she's actually knitted together using a loop stitch.

A bit like rag rug making but a different twist on it.

-What do you think, Piyush?

-Haven't I seen that before?

Maybe you have. And the colours perhaps are a bit obvious, as well.

I think so. Not my cup of tea.

Maybe not. But she was... She's a real revolutionary.

But I have seen that hundreds of times. Come on!

In India, it happens all the time.

OK. It's not a rag rug though, remember.

It's knitted, I know. I can see that.

Then we've got Bastien.

His box is over here. Six little trays.

Made obviously in a different array of woods

with silver pointing in it as well.

I think working with one's hands is a wonderful thing,

as you use your brain at the same time.

It's a beautifully constructed box - but it's a box.

It's very safe. For me, it's a bit safe.

A bit familiar but very finely made.

Beautifully made. All the parallel lines line up inside.

It's special in its way.

And then, what can I say?

Chris's basket, which I suggested might be a wonderful hat.

I don't know if she'd like that.

She's used a felting method in the centre

and then incorporated it into this cane masterpiece.

I love the aspect of showing off the craft.

So, for Paul Martin's Handmade Revolution,

it was like, at last, bigging up the arts, as they say.

I couldn't miss the opportunity.

It sort of bamboozles me a little. I can imagine a cat curled up in it.

Perhaps a soft landing for apples. I'm not sure.

I'm struggling to understand this piece actually.

For me, it's a bit unfinished. The colours are very random.

I think she's just tried to place everything she could fill it with.

Maybe its strength and its weakness is its exuberance.

Yes, I think that's it.

I do like the challenging materials together actually, to be honest.

Certainly not something we've seen before in that case.

-OK, Piyush, what about your...?

-Here I have the gorgeous Rowena.

She's an inspiration to everybody out there.

She was a graphic designer for 50 years - more than 50 years actually.

Then now she works in clay.

She tries to create models of different buildings.

There's something in making with your hands for everybody.

Don't you agree? Yes.

This is a candlelight holder.

She's trying to develop a lot more sculptural pieces as well.

Nice to see the light flickering through it.

It's shiny glaze inside as well, lovely yellow colour.

Then we have Sian. She's an architectural student and she took up chainmail jewellery.

Initially, when I saw that piece, I thought, oh, it was run of the mill.

But when she explained me the concept,

she uses factory washers to create that piece.

That piece doesn't do that much for me

but if you see the bracelet

the combination of gold and silver - I think it's fantastic.

There's a lovely weight to it, isn't there?

I do think that can develop into completely high-fashion items.

She's playing a little bit safe here but it could be developed.

Imagine some brilliant big pieces that really worked on the catwalk.

-Definitely!

-I'd really like to go more into the high-fashion route.

I think that's given me the confidence I could do it.

I've just been holding myself back from it really.

It does create a very luxurious effect really.

-The whole recycling message.

-Yeah. Exactly.

Really interesting use of materials. Several of these. We have the T-shirts,

we have the cane, these washers.

-I'm going to find this quite hard to choose.

-It's a tough one.

What do you think? Do you have a strong sense of where you might be leaning for your favourite?

Definitely, definitely. From the process of elimination, I think I only have one choice.

What about you, Mary Jane?

Well, there are all sorts of things here, which are interesting in their own right.

As you said, the use of materials. For me, there is one clear choice.

One clear favourite. It's the same for me. There's really one thing I think would

really be great to see at the V&A.

-Are we really all agreed?

-Sounds like we are.

You'd better agree with me.

-Or else.

-Yes.

-OK.

-Shall we talk to Paul then?

-Let's.

-So, judges, have you come to a decision?

-Yes, we have.

-You have.

Wonderful! I think it's time we got the finalists in.

Congratulations to all of you!

You've done extremely well to get to this stage so far.

You're all gifted, talented makers.

Your work is technically executed

and I'm sure will be a source of inspiration to all the viewers watching.

I can now reveal who today's judges favourite is.

Before I do that, let me tell you what's at stake for that person.

It's a chance to have your work put on display

at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London -

the spiritual home of arts and crafts.

That's a wonderful showcase. It doesn't get any better than that.

Good luck to all of you, whatever the outcome.

You're all fully fledged members of the handmade revolution.

You've done us proud.

The judges' decision is based on...

and they've all agreed. This one piece demonstrates

careful craftsmanship, teamed with innovation.

It gives me great pleasure to reveal that today's judges' favourite is...

Sian, with her jewellery.

Well done, well done!

Absolutely lovely! Well done.

I love the magnificence as well.

Congratulations to the losers.

While the judges thought that Sian could take her skill

to the next level and push herself,

there was no doubting her raw talent and the commercial viability of her pieces.

They were unanimous in their conviction

that Sian deserves her place.

All of these wonderful pieces are a real testament to the fact

there's some talented and passionate people out there.

This is just the start. I'm asking for your help.

Harness your creativity. We need you.

Come and join our handmade revolution. See you next time.