Crafts and people

After spending several years as a fashion designer for a big brand, and seeing the shocking working condition in the garment sector, Sigrid decided it was time for a radical change. So she has stopped buying new clothes, and decided to teach upcycling and repairing clothes to kids and adults in Berlin. She’s been doing it for 10 years now, and now also has got a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEZ87S_V-ifAbidDy7no5gQ). And this podcast now has a partner! Check them out at...

“The bar in this industry is so low, that if you just turn up on time, you're already standing out”- can you guess what is the job that my new guest does? Well, of course, it’s renovations- or, to be precise, smaller home improvements like painting and building furniture. Charly, from the UK, moved to Berlin to work in graphic design, but, being faced with very low salaries in that field, decided to look for something else. That’s how she ended doing home improvement- one of the very few...

"Don't start developing a whole collection of things and writing a business plan, just test one thing and see what works". This time, I'm talking to Greta Bolzoni, an Italian set designer who has just started making and selling her own macrame bags. What is it like to be a freelance artist in Germany at the peak of the pandemic (not that terrible actually!), and what to look out for when making macrame accessories? Listen to find out. See Greta's work at @te.x.ur And don't forget to...

Welcome to episode 7, where we talk with Mar, who came to Berlin all the way from Maljorka, to try living in a big city. At the start of the pandemic, she tried making kokedamas ‒ then one thing led to another, and she started selling them on the city’s flea markets. She’s tried two so far- and told me all about it. Mar’s Instagram: @koked.amar My instagram: @craftspod craftsandpeople@gmx.de

Giorgio, the owner of @giomeccapastry, who came to Berlin from Italy just for its nightclubs, but ended up opening one of the city’s first Italian pastry shops. We talk about becoming a pastry chef, renting a shop in Berlin, and Germany’s terrible eggs. Follow me at @craftspod, or email at craftsandpeople@gmx.de

Tatiana moved from Moscow to the UK and then to Berlin ‒ and now has her own brand of accessories and hats called “Beretkah”, which started with odd bits of unneeded fabric, and is now worn by brides and TV stars all over Europe. Check her and other guests on Instagram at @craftspod You can see her work at www.beretkah.co.uk And you can always find this podcast on Facebook, or write me an email at craftsandpeople@gmx.de

Maki has worked as a professional tailor her while life. Eventually, she got tired of the big fashion and moved to Berlin to create her own brand of wedding dresses. We talked about moving from Japan to the UK and then to Germany, and about the challenges of making fashion sustainable. You can see her work at https://www.lasposaberlinese.com/ And you can always find this podcast on Facebook, or write me an email at craftsandpeople@gmx.de

Bill lived in London and worked in a hospital administration. Eventually, he started lino printing in his free time, and then moved to Berlin to be with his boyfriend. We talked about explicit prints, instagram, moving to a new country, and why pet portraits are a good idea to make some money. You can see Bill’s pictures here: www.instagram.com/bilboroberts You can write to me at craftsandpeople@gmx.de And follow this podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftsandpeople/

Anna worked as a TV and movie prop maker, and never planned to become a goldsmith. Katya was disappointed with her office work, and wanted to feel in control of something in time of a political turmoil. Both of them ended up designing jewelry. They live in Moscow and in Berlin, and I’ve talked to them over the internet, since the lockdown doesn’t allow for personal meetings anyway. You can see the works of Anna on her website https://www.metalatelier.com/ and of Katya on And you can talk...

How do you become a woodworker, and what are your options to earn with it? And what stops women from working with power tools? Anna Lisa, who designs furniture and jewelry, and teaches woodworking in Berlin, tells the story of how she became a woodworker after a successful career in journalism in her native Estonia. You can connect with Anna Liisa on her website www.wood-sisters.com And you can talk to Daria at cfartsandpeople@gmx.de.