the style sketcher

My newest obsession: Handcrafted textiles and embellishments... Check out the following products and artwork that are preserving the lost art of handcrafted techniques while making a difference all at the same time!

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Osborn shoes

http://www.osborndesign.com/

Osborn's mission is to do good with good design. Osborn offers the marketplace a unique collection of handmade footwear cultivated with positivity, hope and dedication.

Co-founder Aaron Osborn, whose family runs one of the largest orphanages in Guatemala, stumbled upon the idea for Osborn in 2007 when he met an out-of-work cobbler while doing charitable work in the country. He and co-founder, Carla Osborn, were searching for a way to combine humanitarian efforts with a fashion project.

This search led to Osborn shoes. That first cobbler still work with them full time, as so a small driven team of 30 gifted artisans. Nestled in the volcanic mountains outside Guatemala City, these artisans craft shoes in a manufacturing environment dedicated to integrity and quality. All the materials for each shoe are individually hand-cut and each shoe is assembled by hand.Each shoe is signed by its maker, as a testament to the sense of pride for the maker, as well as its wearer.

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Arpilleras

My all time favorite treasure hunt find was a vintage handcrafted Arpillera bag that I found at the Antique market in Toronto a couple years ago. Ever since then, I have admired the workmanship that goes into a work of art like these, although it was until recently after reading the history behind this craft that I gained a whole new respect for this art form and for the artisans who create them!

Arpilleras originated in Chile, where women political prisoners who were held during the Pinochet regime used them to camouflage notes sent to helpers outside. Even the most suspicious guards did not think to check the embroidered pictures for messages, since sewing was seen as inconsequential 'women's work'.

Today, Arpilleras are made from fabric scraps and threads to create three dimensional textile pictures illustrating the stories of the lives of the women of the shantytowns of Lima, Peru and provide essential income for their families.