last time, i shared a fab new craft magazine called mollie makes. today, i want to share an oldie that i hadn’t heard of before either.  when browsing through thrift shops, old magazines sometimes catch my eye. they’re such a time capsule, a snapshot of a moment in time highlighting what was of interest to readers or happening in the world.

there are plenty of blog posts out there making fun of fashions and crafts from yesteryear. i’d never do that here.

{ the easter bunny called. he wants his sweaters back. }

but seriously :-) … i came across a magazine called “hands,” published in the early 1980s right here in ontario, canada.

i liked the decidedly clear emphasis on canadian content. the question and answer section was interesting to read, with very specific questions, mostly from crafters wishing to find the most obscure bits and bobs for their creations.  in the ’80s and early ’90s, i remember only having a white rose and a piddly corner of zeller’s as my go-to craft sources. this was before michaels descended on canada. and clearly before the days of the internet.

the magazine includes highlights of businesses built on the handmade tradition, explanations of hand crafting techniques and quite a few recipes too.

knitting, sewing, wood working and more.

{ what kid doesn’t want a wooden grain elevator? i love this. }

clearly, teens don’t look the same today (though i could see a hipster looking ironic being effortlessly cool with a bowtie like the one below.).

jokes aside, i liked the tutorial on how to use ribbons to make woven bracelets. i saw a similar tutorial on a popular fashion blogger’s site a few months ago. so while styles may change, it’s obvious and reassuring that basic techniques endure through the years.

the hands magazine was endearing too, because it was so local. so organic. before it was cool to be local and organic. you know?

and while it was fun to sneak back in time for a little while, in the land of funky fonts and ads from a long gone era that wasn’t really all that long ago…

what made me stop and really read (and eventually purchase the copy) was this:

seeing this made me do a double take, and it made me piece together something that i’d wondered about for quite a while. and it’s not at all about the tea cozy. i’ll explain next time, in part 3.