Clare Hunter

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK For the mothers of the disappeared in 1970s Argentina, protest was difficult. Every Thursday they marched in front of government buildings wearing headscarves embroidered with the names of their lost children. Through sewing, they found a way to campaign. In Tudor England, Mary, Queen of Scots was under house arrest and...

'A hymn to the sensory wonder and connectivity of the homemade' OBSERVER 'Packed with fascinating detail . . . a celebration of the overlooked artistry in crafts practised across the world' THE TIMES As children, we made things: snowmen, paper boats, elaborate costumes. But as adults, it is hard to find the space for such creativity, and to remember its...

'A celebration of the overlooked artistry in crafts practised across the world' THE TIMES 'Clare Hunter is out to reclaim the joy of making for the masses... no act of creativity is too humble, too ephemeral, for this hymn to the sensory wonder and connectivity of the homemade' OBSERVER 'Making Matters is an open door to the power of craft....

Making Matters celebrates the joy of the handmade in all of its wonderful variety. In a fast-paced world, it is a timely and beautiful exploration of making traditions. I loved it! Kate Strasdin, author of The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes As children, we made things: snowmen, paper boats, eccentrically costumed plays. That making fired our minds and imaginations...

I felt that Mary was there, pulling at my sleeve, willing me to appreciate the artistry, wanting me to understand the dazzle of the material world that shaped her. At her execution Mary, Queen of Scots wore red. Widely known as the colour of strength and passion, it was in fact worn by Mary as the Catholic symbol of martyrdom....