Category: Tips for Crafters

What is the first page you skip to, when you come across a website that interests you? Most of us will click on the “About” page because we are curious to know about the people behind the product. Are they likely to be trustworthy? What experience do they have? What are their values? And, because most of us are naturally curious, how did they get to this place and what is it like doing what they do? Here at Craft Insurance, we’ve had several decades to hone our marketing skills and we know that having an “About” page which draws customers is a must. We’re happy to share our top ten tips with you, our wonderful crafting customers, and hope they will provide the springboard you need to create your own awesome “About”  pages which will shine out brightly from UK craft selling sites. 

 1. Introduce yourself.

In a competitive market, building trust is important and if customers can see you as a real person and can get a glimpse into your life this will go a long way to building a good secure seller/buyer relationship. A short paragraph will do; you could include your name, any relevant family connections, your rough location eg rural south of England, or in the middle of a buzzing city, and a couple of fun facts about yourself. Just share what feels comfortable to you, but with the aim of enabling your customers to feel they know you a little. 

2. Tell your story.

One thing AI can’t do is write your story. Your journey is completely unique to you and is what customers buy into. You could talk about how you started your particular craft, maybe your first steps at selling to the public, any light bulb or significant moments and how you have arrived at your current business footing. If you have been going a while, mention this along with any awards you have won or community projects to which you contribute. 

4. Next you could include a paragraph with your business values and ethics.

These might be that you use locally sourced products, fairly traded raw materials or processes which have a low environmental impact. This is where, as a small business, you can win over large, global organisations, so be bold about promoting the uniqueness of your products and your ability to trace their origins. 

5. Now it is time to turn the focus onto your customers and suggest a need they might have.

For example, they might have children or grandchildren who would love some handmade wooden jigsaw puzzles which will have longevity as well as providing them with a learning opportunity. Or, they might be weary of using cosmetics which often react with their skin and be pleased to have a natural alternative.   

6. Once there is an unmet need, you are able to bring your product to the forefront and show how it will best meet this need.

As the summer is approaching, your stunning range of sun hats made with organic cotton could be the perfect answer to both offer shade from the sun and a completely individual and stylish look. Or, your stunning hand-crafted ceramics will make the perfect and distinctive wedding gift. 

7. Now you have engaged your potential customers, you need to make the buying process as straightforward as possible.

If you are a small company you will have an edge on providing a personal service; you could assure your customers that their orders, whether online or via phone, will be dealt with by yourself or a staff member, and that they will generally be met within a specified time frame. You could name the people who will be dealing with orders, whether yourself or a team member, as this too highlights the individual care and traceability that each order receives. 

8. Next, you could troubleshoot any potential problems before they arise.

You could state your returns policy, that you are fully insured and your record of satisfied customers. 

9. By now you have hopefully gained a new customer, and you want to ensure that you keep them!

With such a vast array of craft selling sites UK, one way to do this can be to offer a window into your own life as a business owner, thus building rapport with them. You could mention a couple of the aspects of your job which you enjoy, how you juggle with other commitments, or how you nurture your own creativity. Or, everyday fun facts like your “go to” lunch or how you relax at the end of a busy week. 

10. In a web space filled with craft-selling sites UK you need to attract a potential customer before they have even begun to read.

Presentation and photos are a key element in this. Have a think about what atmosphere you are aiming to create when people visit your site; carefree and relaxed, homely and cosy, chic and elegant? Are you wanting to evoke memories of windswept moors and coast, of snug evenings around a fire or of sophisticated and stylish pampering? The layout, type set and photos you use as well as the wording will all contribute to this theme. 

Finally, let your own enthusiasm shine through! You yourself are totally unique with a blend of talents which are completely individual to you. In a world which is increasingly moving us further away from the sources of the products we use and the people who work hard to produce them, your small creative business will be a breath of fresh air to those who find it. We can all become weary of dealing with impersonal services and institutions and of endeavouring to interact with AI,  and the real-life, human connection you offer will be a real attraction. Be confident in your product and in yourself and enjoy sharing your story, knowing it will encourage others! 

  

If you are a crafter and you are looking to find out how to make soap to sell, perhaps as a sideways move from your usual crafting habits, we are going to walk you through a list of equipment you may need and the steps you can take to start creating your own beautiful soaps.

With the growing trend of switching to more ethically sourced and created products, handmade soaps have become a popular choice for many households. Making your own soap allows you to add your own personal touches and designs to every bar. When you combine this with high-quality photography that you can take yourself, it can significantly boost your sales.

If you’re new to soap making, you should start with a soap base – a pre-mixed combination of soap, glycerine, and add-ins like plant butter and extracts for skin benefits. This is one of the best ways to get started, as creating soap from scratch with ingredients such as lye can be problematic and potentially hazardous to your health if you don’t follow the right safety precautions. Soap bases can be found in transparent and opaque options, so you can create an entire selection of soaps to your own specifications.

The melt-and-pour process for soap-making is one of the easiest steps to get started. All you need to begin making soaps is a melt-and-pour base, the essential oils or fragrances that you wish to add, colourants and a few pieces of equipment. Please note that some essential oils are banned and all are restricted on the amount you can use. You will also need a chemist’s report, and when you have obtained it, you’ll need to register all your soaps on the government website. Once you have done all this, you will be able to show others how to make soap to sell.

Before you start your soap-making, gather all the tools you need – a heat-safe container to melt the base, a stainless steel wire whisk to stir in your fragrance and pots and pans (old ones that you no longer use). It is useful to also have a hand mixer if you’re thinking of adding extras to your soaps, such as colourants, exfoliant powders, glitter or dried flowers. Silicone moulds are a must-have as they make shaping the soaps and removing them from the moulds so much easier. You can find them in all sorts of shapes, for example, you might want to use a heart shape for Valentine’s Day or for bridal gifts and snowman and star shapes for Christmas.

Your first stage is to melt the base, and most melt-and-pour bases can be in the microwave or on a hob in a double boiler over low heat. Both techniques work well. Microwaves can be quicker, but you get more control over the melting when you use a double boiler on the hob. If you decide to use a microwave, you should place the melt-and-pour base in a microwave-safe container and heat it on high for one minute. Check to see if the base has completely melted, and if not, continue to heat in intervals of 20 to 30 seconds until it has fully melted.

If you decide to use a double boiler, you should fill the pot with a few inches of water, place the soap base into the container, and place it on top of the pot. Put the hob on medium-low heat and continue to heat until the base has melted completely. Try not to stir the base whilst it is melting, as it can cause air bubbles to appear.

Once you have melted the base, remove the container from the microwave or the hob. With your wire whisk, you can add any fragrance oils or essential oils. Do this gently to ensure that the fragrance is spread out evenly and to prevent too many air bubbles from occurring. Where possible, try to get cosmetic-grade fragrance oils for use in your soaps.

If you want to colour your soaps, you can also add in your colourants at this point. Again, you should use food or cosmetic-grade colourants for this. Mica powders are a great option, and they can be found in a wide range of colours. Including metallic and glitter colours and shines.

Next, you can pour your fragrance and coloured soap base into your chosen moulds. Make sure that you fill the moulds as close to the top as you can, as soap does not expand as it cools. Place the moulds on a flat surface and allow the soap to cool at room temperature. The time it takes for the soaps to cool will depend on the mould shape and size, as well as the temperature of the room. In some cases, the soaps may be set in just over an hour, or it can take up to 24 hours for them to solidify completely.

Once you have removed your soaps from the moulds you can start to think about how you can photograph them to give you some great marketing images. A light-box can be a good investment when it comes to taking photos of your soaps. These often come with different coloured inserts for effect.

Another great way to make your soaps stand out is to utilise the world around you as a canvas. This might mean heading out as the sun starts to set and placing your soaps on the grass to get some beautiful imagery. If you live near the beach, you might also want to consider taking some photos of your soaps on the sand.

Lighting is a critical factor in product photography, and natural light is often the best choice. The “golden hour” – the beautiful time just after sunrise or before sunset – offers the perfect lighting for photography. This light is soft, diffused light, which can help the colours and details of your soaps shine on the page.

When photographing your soap, be sure to use a neutral background that doesn’t distract from the product. A white or light-coloured background works best. You can use a tripod if you need to help keep your camera steady and to help avoid blurry photos. If you want to take detailed shots of your soaps, you can use a macro lens feature on your phone. Now that you have found out how to make soap to sell and how to photograph them you can set about planning your designs!

Colour is all around us. Everywhere we look, our brains interpret the world in the fantastic hues and tones it represents. Colour is essential to how we understand the world and has shaped everything, including our understanding of science and its relationship with light. The world would be a very dull place if it were not for colour. It’s why artists and artisan crafters have always tried to capture the best, the most vivid and the deepest colours they could find for their work. From the earliest cave painters of prehistoric life in Lascaux in France to Van Gogh’s Starry Night, they all seek to capture the colour of the world in some representative way. The world of wax melts is no exception to this rule either. There are numerous opportunities to use colour to the wax melt makers’ advantage in terms of product and ideas, as long as the Wax melt insurance is up to date to avoid any issues.

We are naturally attracted to colour. For many of us, this is a personal preference that begins in childhood. It is now widely accepted that certain hues and tones of colour are directly linked to our psychological state or can be seen as a representative of our feelings. Who hasn’t heard the phrase “I’m feeling blue” when talking about feeling low or sad? Another example is when one is “seeing red”, meaning they are angry or being “in the pink” as a sign of good health. Using the colours means that the person we are speaking with can conjure up an image of what we have said to enhance their understanding of how we are feeling at the time they talk to us.

These are examples of our everyday speech where colour is used descriptively. As we have discussed earlier, colour psychology is vital to understanding a marketing or advertising campaign. The use of colour should also influence the production of wax melts for the public. When you are designing a new range of melts and scents, you should always ensure that it speaks to and conveys to the customers a joined-up theme with the description.

General colour psychology holds to a few set definitions. Many of these are dictated by the way a society has developed culturally. How a civilisation has evolved is also essential. One historical example is how the Roman Empire used a lot of red in its armies’ uniforms and regalia. It is not a surprise then, for example, that red is seen as a colour that conveys power and vitality, but it also conveys danger. Blue, on the other hand, is one of calm and tranquillity. Trust is also associated with the colour blue, but, as touched on before, it might suggest sadness. Green becomes the colour of nature, the environment and rebirth. White, not strictly a colour, is seen as purity. Purple is the colour for spiritualism and creativity, and yellows and oranges are full of hope and can bring about feelings of optimism in a person. With this in mind, the wax melt maker should consider structuring their products around understanding what the potential customer will expect.

Colours also come in and out of fashion. Teal, a greenish-blue, has suddenly risen to become a very popular colour in home decoration. However, the wax melt maker should always be aware of the colour of the year as set out by Pantone. This year, it is Peach fuzz. Peach fuzz is a combination of orange, yellow and white. It is a beautifully warm colour and is generally regarded to produce a feeling of happiness and contentment. It is also seen as a very young colour that conveys a sense of youthfulness. Therefore, you could name and create a melt using this colour around childhood pursuits to try and capture the market. You will need to have Wax melt insurance on hand in case of any issues with those to whom you sell the melts.

Whatever colour you choose for your wax melts, they are the better option over the scented candle. For a start, wax melts take longer to dissolve, and they give off a steady scent that slowly fills a room and lingers longer. They are very much the safe option as the naked flame element of the melting is located in the ceramic wax melter itself whereas candles have an exposed naked flame. Even so, it’s a good idea to have wax melt insurance in place in case something should go wrong.

The other advantage of wax melts is their versatility. We have already looked at the use of colour, but the scent can be used to great effect as well. As with colour, some scents evoke feelings and memories. The wax melt expert can therefore even colourise and personalise the melt to the customer’s choice. It can also be said that certain senses provoke certain colours in our minds, a phenomenon known as synesthesia. Certain people will see colours or shapes when they see a colour or smell a particular scent. The ocean may produce blue or cut grass with a sense of green. The innovative wax melt creator may want to look into this phenomenon as it may provide an interesting selling point to prospective customers. A colour works in the same way with a red or an orange reminding someone of a sunset. This is particularly true if they are looking for a scent and colour that reminds them of a particular time or if they want to recreate a particular scent in their home.

Finally, there is the question of waste. With a wax melt, there is very little waste created, unlike with candles. The wax collects in the melting dish and is not as messy as what is left after a candle has burned down. As the wax melts come in handy cubes, they can be added to the wax melter easily, and they take up less room in your cupboards. The sheer scale of options means that anyone purchasing wax melts has a whole host of choices in terms of scent and colour options and they can easily accessorise them to the home, safe in the knowledge that it has not cost the earth to do so.

Whether we live in the middle of a big, bustling city, in a windswept, remote settlement or somewhere in between, one of the signature sounds of this time of year is the chirping and chatting of birds as dusk falls. With the start of British Summer Time, our evenings are beginning to stretch out and as they do so they invite us to step outdoors, breathe deeply at the end of a busy day, and allow the scents, sights and sounds to order our scattered thoughts and bring calm to our souls.

Birdwatching is becoming ever more popular as numerous initiatives reveal. For example, the RSPB’s annual big garden bird watch encourages us to take note of the birds which visit our small patches, and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust provide tranquil places of sanctuary not only for the great variety of birds which land within their unique wetland ecosystems but also for those of us who can take some time out to slow down and simply immerse ourselves in watching from one of their many hides. As well as these national organisations, there are numerous ornithological clubs and sites ideal for birdwatching all across the nation and even a visit to a local park to feed the ducks offers rich pickings in terms of imaginative inspiration.

If you can place a bird feeder, fat balls or even a nesting box in easy view of a window, you will have the fascination of watching a slowly increasing variety of birds come to feed. If too, you can get hold of a pair of binoculars, it is well worth taking some time to observe these incredible creatures; not only do their wings themselves offer inspiration, but their whole bodies are designed with flight in mind. They have very strong yet lightweight bones, many of which have hollow spaces within to make them even lighter. They can digest food fast and while flying. Their wings have provided inspiration for many artists and inventors over the years; they are shaped like an airfoil, forcing air to flow more quickly over than under them. They have three types of feathers; fluffy down feathers to provide insulation, contour feathers which cover the body and flight feathers, designed with a hook and barb system, on their wings. Feathers provide both an excellent subject for detailed still life drawing and also act as a springboard for many other pieces of art and design work.

Nesting birds have also been the subject of many artists. Van Gogh painted a series of five still-life paintings using nests he had collected once the young had fledged and flown safely away. He was fascinated by the texture of the materials used in their building; clay, moss, dried grass. Birds and their nests lend themselves perfectly to stunning textile and mixed media creations; appliqué, both hand and machine-stitched embroidery and a limitless variety of threads and base materials all join together to produce the most exquisite pieces.

A fun project to do with children that helps them and us to gain extra depth to our understanding of the innate creativity and skill birds have is by having a go at making a nest ourselves. You may be able to find an empty nest later on in the season, but if not, simply choose a bird and look up what type of materials it uses to build its nest. When you have a list, go foraging, and once you have collated your pile of grasses, feathers, leaves etc have a go at putting them together to make a nest! It’s harder than it looks, especially considering that our feathered friends build them with their beaks and feet!

Insects too have offered inspiration over the centuries. Possibly one of the most popular is the humble honey bee. It seems we cannot get enough of bee designs on clothing, textiles and homeware. They are incredible insects, and their hexagonally shaped wax combs in which they lay their eggs and produce and store honey are a design feat in themselves. Add to this their furry texture and intricate design of their body and wings and it is no wonder they continue to be an inspiration for so many crafters.

Heading out into nature benefits us in many ways; amongst other advantages, it reduces our stress levels, helps us gain fresh perspective and boosts our mood. If, alongside all this, you can come back from your ramble in the woods or stroll in the park with some new ideas for your next project, then it seems a win all around.

Once back indoors and bursting with ideas for new products to sell, you could well find yourself thinking “How much does insurance for craft businesses cost?”. With several decades of providing bespoke insurance for crafters, this is a question we can answer! It will depend on several factors and the best way to work out how much does insurance for craft businesses costs is to drop us a message or pick up the phone and talk to us. Either Naomi or Sam will be here to reply; we value our customers and communicate with each of you individually. You will not have to be in a long queue and we will answer your question of “how much does insurance for craft businesses cost?” with reference to your unique business requirements, thus saving you time and money.

We hope you can pull on your boots, grab a flask of something warm and head out into the beautiful, natural world around you. Try to find time each day to take a moment to listen to the birdsong around you, to look up at the immensity of the sky above and down at the intricate detail of the ecosystem beneath your feet. As you become inspired by the remarkable colours, design and textures, we’ll look forward to hearing about the business you are building.

Although Easter falls on a slightly different date each year, depending on the lunar calendar, it always occurs mid-spring, amidst William Wordsworth’s crowd of golden daffodils and John Clare’s little lambs with wagging tails. Add this to a bank holiday allowing us time to relax with family and friends and this is surely enough to warm even the most weary of hearts after the long grey winter.

Dig a little further into our nation’s heritage and you’ll discover why Easter has always been associated with hope and new beginnings. From the Middle Ages onwards, the sound of glorious hymns soaring high amongst ancient church rafters, yellow and white flowers mingling their sweet fragrance with the scent of beeswax on sturdy wooden pews and sonorous voices ringing from the pulpit with a clear message of hope and joy, drew faithful congregations, dressed in their Easter best, to churches in every parish across the nation. This brought a fresh sense of hope and a new start for many over the ages.

Easter is still a great time to find new inspiration, what with all the rebirth around us. So, why not get onboard and channel a newly found creative flow into trying out a different craft? It’s a great time of year to jump aboard this wave of enthusiasm and put in place some events and gatherings to encourage others to learn your craft. There are numerous ways we can learn a craft online with the help of YouTube tutorials or Pinterest inspiration, but here at Craft Insurance, we believe there is no substitute for meeting up with other crafters and we have often emphasised the benefits to both individual mental health and the cohesion of a community by gathering together like-minded crafty folk. There are also some great business opportunities in this; everyone wins on more than one level as new skills are learnt, friendships are forged and your skills and business are furthered.

What, therefore, are some ways in which you can both grow your own business and teach others your craft? Firstly, it might be worth connecting with other crafters in your area, if you have not done so already. There may be a local arts quarter where crafters congregate to work and sell their products or an annual arts and crafts week where they join together to promote their crafts. These may lead to opportunities to hold demonstrations or workshops, and you can get on board with their advertising. If you do not have your workshop, you may be able to hire space from a local community craft centre. Or, you might find that there are already a series of workshops running and you can add yours to the line-up.

It might also be worth approaching local groups to see if they would like a demonstration or session teaching some of the basic skills of your craft. A quick look through Facebook or on a town hall noticeboard will give you an idea of what kinds of groups meet regularly. You could also go for a lateral approach; if there is a toddler group, there will also be a group of new mums who might appreciate a night out with a glass of wine and the opportunity to learn a new skill. It is also very likely there will be home-educating families in your community; they are generally a creative bunch and enjoy any opportunity to learn something new (especially if it involves a cup of tea for the parents!) so this too could be an avenue worth exploring.

It is also not too late to book yourself into some craft fairs and markets. Although you may not be able to do a full-blown demonstration here, you can use the opportunity to advertise your workshops, and by displaying your products and chatting with customers, you may well inspire some recruits!

With all these opportunities for growing your business and expanding the reach of your craft, you will need to consider acquiring the correct craft insurance. So, how much does craft business insurance cost? This will depend on several factors and the most straightforward way to ascertain the best package for you, is to get in contact with us; either drop us a message or pick up the phone and Naomi or Sam will be here to answer all your questions, including “how much does craft business insurance cost? If you are demonstrating or teaching, it is strongly advisable to have public liability insurance. This covers you for any claims of harm made by members of the public. You may also use these opportunities to sell some of your products, and in that case, product liability insurance is advisable. Check out our website for further information; we have years of experience answering the question “How much does craft insurance cost?” for a wide variety of crafting needs and businesses. We can provide you with a bespoke package for your unique business, thus saving you money and enabling you to have peace of mind and confidence as you go out and promote your craft.

It’s time to enjoy the new impetus accompanying the hope of new beginnings at Easter-time, by taking some time out to enjoy the beauty of the natural world bursting forth in all its new life. Let the beauty and joy around you seep into your soul! There’s a steady reassurance that comes from the new life in the changing seasons that has stood the test of time and helps us to set our compass for a busy summer ahead. Then, newly refreshed and re-inspired, we can get to organising some gatherings to teach and inspire others in our amazing crafts!

Redingote or fontange, drum farthingale or stomacher? I beg your pardon. The question we ask ourselves each morning “What shall I wear today?” has been repeated through millennia, with innumerable answers and combinations. While we no longer have to endure the inconvenience of wide skirts held up by a farthingale or the need for a highly tailored redingote for horse riding, we are still influenced by fashion. What is it then that influences fashion itself? Is it simply the popular vote and good marketing, or are there other factors which hold sway? Looking at the last hundred years of fashion, are there some timeless items that have endured the test of time? Let’s dive into the fascinating world of fashion!

From woollen tunics worn by Saxon women to the short nylon skirts of the 1960s, fashion has travelled seamlessly through the ages and provided us with a rich insight into the lives and times of the people of our nation. Amongst the many factors which have influenced fashion are the textiles available. Our consistently high levels of rainfall have given rise to the green and pleasant lands of Great Britain, ideal for sheep farming. Thus wool has been a staple textile for our clothing for centuries, arguably reaching its peak in the Middle Ages when the wealth of numerous towns was built upon the wool trade. Linen was a staple textile in France; the Bayeux tapestry was created from it. Despite our cooler climate, flax was grown here too and both wool and flax were woven on home looms. The increased availability of cotton during the eighteenth century, followed by the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century, resulted in huge changes both in fashion and in the widespread availability of new clothes. No longer was each item painstakingly hand stitched, but factories manufactured the cloth and sewing machines produced the garments.

Maybe the next seismic shift in textile production came post the Second World War with the explosion of man-made textiles. We have, in some ways, come full circle now with our growing awareness of the impact on our environment of never-ending consumerism and the high energy costs of man-made textiles. Thus there is a growing demand for clothing made from natural fibres which are both durable and have a low environmental cost.

Fashion trends are also influenced by national and global events, and we can trace this throughout the twentieth century. Amidst the horror of the First World War, the “war to end all wars” women took on many of the tasks which had until then mainly been carried out by men. With the tragic loss of life of so many young men, women continued to work in these roles as both individual families and the nation endeavoured to recover. Skirts were shortened, a utilitarian look became popular and trousers were worn. In the 1920s, as the economy began to stabilise and women had won the right to vote, skirts became shorter, corsets were discarded and comfort became the goal in design.

Through the Second World War and yet another generation of young men lost; women took on many uniformed jobs and worked as land girls with the iconic khaki trousers and bright red lipstick. Siren suits became popular, the forerunner of the jumpsuit. Clothing rations continued for years after the war, and women learned to “make do and mend”. Skirts were A line to used minimal fabric and gloves, hats and strings of pearls became must-have accessories.

With the arrival of the fifties and sixties, man-made fabrics such as polyester and nylon had a huge influence on fashion, with the advent of feminine wide swirling skirts in the fifties and the mini skirt making its debut in the sixties. The hippie style influenced the 1970s with crocheted tops and eye-catching jewellery. The 1980s through to the 1990s saw experiments with bold colour and man-made fabrics, although denim was also popular.

As crafters, what can we draw from this brief look at fashion through the ages? Are there any timeless classics we can recreate with a twenty-first-century twist? Well-made and well-cut garments will endure through decades, as will classic knitted jumpers. A string of freshwater pearls alongside pearl earrings can be worn on just about any occasion, and beautifully crafted hats, gloves and scarves are needed every winter.

There are plenty of opportunities to sell timeless items of hand-crafted clothing, so if you are a stitcher, yarn whizz or jewellery designer, why not collate your stock? With the warmer weather finally approaching you will be able to choose from a wide variety of fairs and markets, as well as selling online. Once you have done this, one question you will need answered before selling is, “How much does craft insurance cost?”. This is a good question and one for which we are ideally placed to answer. It will depend on many factors, so the best thing to do is to drop us a line or pick up the phone. With knowledge of your unique business needs, we will be able to give you a quote and answer “How much does craft insurance cost?” both clearly and concisely. As a family-run business with several decades of experience in insuring crafters, we are committed to providing a personalised and prompt service. No bots here…you will get to communicate with either Naomi or Sam, thus making the whole process of purchasing the correct insurance straightforward and hopefully stress-free. We look forward to hearing a little about your amazing business and allaying any fears you might have about how much craft insurance costs.

Tomorrow morning, when you ask yourself what you will wear, spare a thought for those women who struggled into tight corsets or uncomfortable ruffs each day! We have a wonderful freedom to develop our individual styles, wearing what feels comfortable and best reflects our unique personality. So step out with confidence and enjoy being you!

Homely rituals and wholesome habits are tools we all have at our disposal which help sustain and ground us through challenging times. They are part of a set of ancient rhythms which have been practised for centuries but are in danger of being lost in our fast-paced world. Happily, positive habits are something that can always be developed again as they are something which we carry out so often that we do not need to think about it; tying shoelaces, brushing our teeth, feeding the dog. A ritual is any set of actions performed regularly. Historically, rituals were associated with religious ceremonies and linked with our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. As candles were often associated with religious ceremonies it may be unsurprising that many of our homespun rituals involve the warm glow of candlelight. Examples of this could be sitting quietly with a steaming mug of tea and a flickering candle at the start of the day, or taking a candlelit soak in the bath at the end of the week.

Candles have been around for well over two thousand years, with the mention of them as far back as in Old Testament Biblical times, in Ancient Egypt and China. The method of creating dipped candles was probably first discovered by the Romans, who would have dipped the wick into liquid tallow (animal fat). This was widely used as it was easily available and cheap. Candles continued to be made with tallow throughout Europe until the 1500’s when beeswax was introduced. This had a much more pleasing fragrance and burnt with less smoke, but as beeswax candles were more expensive they tended to be used only by the upper classes and the Church during this period.

Making candles by dipping the wick into the liquid flammable material is time-consuming, and another landmark in candle-making history came in the 1400s when a French inventor introduced the concept of pouring the fluid into moulds, thus producing the first tapered candles. Wicking has also changed over time and across geographical locations. In Ancient Egypt it is thought that reeds were used, and in the Roman times that rolled papyrus was the fibre of choice. Across Europe, loosely spun cotton was a preferred fibre.

Candles were a necessity for both light and heat during the Middle Ages and candle makers, or chandlers, had their craft guild. They would travel from home to home making candles from household scraps and pieces of fat while others sold candles from their shops. Various advances, including paraffin lamps, made the population slightly less reliant on candles and of course, with the introduction of electric lighting in the twentieth century, candles were no longer needed as a source of light. However, they have far from disappeared and a whole new purpose for them has developed over the last few decades; we now enjoy their gentle glow during mealtimes, the calming ambience they provide and their festivity during celebrations, to name but a few.

Here at Craft Insurance, we are proud of the talented and innovative candle-making businesses that are part of the Craft Insurance family. Many of these began as kitchen table crafts, then moved on, dipping their toes in at local craft fairs and markets, to become fully fledged homespun businesses, employing staff and selling online as well as at markets.

If you are at this initial stage of your candle-making business and are considering leaping to either sell online or face-to-face, you will need to consider insurance for product liability. Insurance for product liability is not a legal requirement, but if you are out and about selling your homemade candles, event organisers may request that you have it in place. It covers you and your business against any claims made by a member of the public that one of your products has caused harm to themselves or their property. You will ensure your candles are of the highest quality but insurance for product liability is all about catching you if the completely unforeseeable occurs. We are a family business and have been insuring your amazing craft businesses for several decades. Pick up the phone or drop us a line and either Naomi or Sam will be here to answer your queries and ensure you have the best insurance package for your unique needs. We offer a personal service with no need to communicate with chatbots or wait in a long queue. We are very proud of all our customers achieve and look forward to hearing about your business.

Back to habits and rituals. Most of us thrive off a level of routine; some like more and some less, but it is helpful to have fixed points of reference within our days and weeks. While we may be unable to do much to restore order to our increasingly chaotic world, we can root ourselves and our families in rhythms which will help stabilise us as the whirlwinds run their course. Many of these will be enhanced by a scented, flickering candle. What about starting your day with a warm drink in hand, accompanied by a mellow candle? Some people use this time to read poetry, some motivational maxims or a faith book. Candles add civility to our evening meals, and even if is just beans on toast, the mere habit of lighting a candle makes a shared meal a little less commonplace. At the end of a long day, a massage candle is also a wonderful way to prepare for sleep and there are so many more brands of massage candles on the market to choose from these days! There’s never been a better time to explore the marvellous range of handmade candles available and create some unique, comforting rituals and rhythms using these pots of molten joy.

Basket weaving must be one of our oldest and most globally distributed crafts; in its most basic form, the only tool required is a knife to harvest and trim the fibres and the only material needed are the fibres which grow locally to the area. We know of baskets being in use as far back as in ancient Egypt; in Biblical times, the baby Moses was placed in a ‘Moses’ basket (as it became known) and hidden amongst the rushes to escape Pharaoh’s order to kill all the baby boys in the land. Thankfully he was then found and adopted by the Pharaoh’s daughter…but that is another story!

Articles for trade were placed in baskets distinct to their geographical location and as traders carried their wares across the continents, the art of basket weaving was also transported from one people group to another. New and different patterns were admired and copied and thus designs merged and expanded. While there is vast variation in styles, techniques and the weaving process, the beauty of basket making is that out of fibres taken from the local landscape, something practical, attractive and useful is made. Baskets are inherently regional and are intertwined with the patch of land from which their fibres are harvested. As such, they not only have ultimate sustainability credentials but also are a celebration of their particular locality. A foraging trip here in the UK could produce willow, rushes and grasses, along with woods such as oak, ash, chestnut and hazel for stronger baskets. Basket making has been a traditional rural craft for centuries, and we have a delightful connection to the past when we use handmade shopping baskets, laundry baskets, baby baskets and gardening trugs.

Macrame

Macrame (the creation of a textile product using knotting techniques) is not quite such an ancient craft but still dates back at least to the thirteenth century when it is believed to have emerged from Arab weavers, who knotted the end threads of their hand-loomed fabrics together to form decorative fringes around their creations. It became popular in Victorian England, where it adorned many household items. It then enjoyed a resurgence in the 1970s in which it is almost synonymous with the decor and fashion of the era. It is now, once again, enjoying a resurgence in popularity among crafters and buyers.

Macra weave

Macra weave is a fusion of macrame and weaving, fashioning stunning wall hangings with a bohemian vibe. As the latest trend in fibre art, it is a fun and growing wave on which to be surfing.

As crafters, we know there is something immensely satisfying and stress-busting about working with our hands. Maybe it is the rhythmic nature of the work, the sensory input we receive from the materials we use or the opportunity for our innate creativity to find expression; probably a mix of all of these. In our fast-paced, often screen-focused world there is increasing recognition of the value of practising a creative skill, whether that be arts, craft or music-based. Alongside this, there is a desire to learn these new skills, which opens up numerous opportunities for artisan crafters. Fibre art is an ideal craft to teach and pass on, as it is low in cost, the materials are readily available and it is just about mess-free! As an expert in one of these crafts, you will already be producing and selling irresistibly delightful products that are particularly eye-catching at a fair or market. Their attractive appearance not only generates sales but might also lead to opportunities to hold workshops and courses in your locality.

Now is a good time of year to book yourself into some craft fairs. There may also be local Farmers’ Markets or other community events coming up over the late spring and summer at which you could demonstrate as well as sell. Organisers are often keen to have something a bit different; a demonstration of weaving, macrame or macra weave is fascinating to watch and can be done in just about any space provided. You will need to look into market trader public liability insurance. If you are just beginning to venture into the public arena with your craft, phrases such as this can sound a bit overwhelming. However, market trader public liability insurance is, in a nutshell, insurance that covers you for any claims made against you or your staff/volunteers by a member of the public for damage or injury while at a public event. You will put all common sense procedures in place to ensure accidents do not happen, but the very purpose of insurance is to protect you and your business from those completely unforeseeable incidents. Market trader public liability insurance is not a legal requirement, but it is often requested by fair and event organisers. It also offers you peace of mind, thus giving you the freedom to concentrate on the important tasks of creating stunning products and innovative ways in which to market them. This is why we often refer to it as “sleep easy” insurance. As a family firm who have been in this business for decades, we can ensure you get the right package for your unique needs; pick up the phone or drop us an email and either Naomi or Sam will get back to you.

So, as the weather warms and the skies brighten, book yourself a space at a market or craft fair, check your market trader public liability insurance is in place, build up your unique, eye-catching and sustainably sound range of products and take the wonderful world of basket making, macrame and macra weave out to your awaiting public!