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Ra-Ro Journal
Rare Stories
Stories, news and behind the scenes of Portuguese craft. What’s happening in the workshops, at the fairs and at Ra-Ro.
How to care for wooden utensils: handmade spoons, bowls, combs and boards
Wash by hand, air dry and oil with food safe mineral oil: that is almost all a handmade wooden utensil asks for. A step by step guide and the mistakes to avoid.
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Madeira embroidery: what it is, its history, stitches and how to spot the real thing
Madeira embroidery is handmade on the island on linen, cotton, silk or organdie. Its history, its stitches, how to recognise the real thing and how to look after it.
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Marquetry: what it is, how it is made and how to recognise a handmade piece
Marquetry builds pictures from thin sheets of wood in different colours. How it is made, how it differs from inlay and intarsia, how to recognise a handmade piece and the work of Jacky Cavallari, t...
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Pieces with soul: how handmade objects change the energy of a home
Handmade objects in natural materials bring texture, warmth and a story into a home. Why they change how a room feels and how to start, one piece at a time.
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Madeira: an island itinerary and the crafts worth bringing home
From Funchal to the levadas of the Laurisilva, a Madeira itinerary with the places not to miss and the crafts worth bringing home: embroidery, wicker and the ear cap.
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How to spin wool with a drop spindle: a step-by-step guide for beginners
You can learn to spin wool with a spindle in an afternoon. See what you need, how to start, how to draft the fibres and the most common mistakes, with carded wool and ash spindles from Madeira.
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Portuguese handicrafts: a guide to traditional techniques by region and where to buy online
A guide to Portuguese handicrafts by region: black pottery and figurines from the Minho, Cobertor de Papa blankets and burel from the inland mountains, esparto, palm and copper from the Algarve, ba...
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Pulling on the barrete: Madeira's most serious hat
A hat with earflaps and a tassel on top that was once farm workwear. The Enfia o Barrete collective keeps Madeira's barrete de orelhas alive.
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Hoopoe Picture: the marquetry that brings wood to life, veneer by veneer
A picture of a hoopoe made in marquetry by Jacky Cavallari, with 25 woods and an 18th-century technique in which the colour is the wood itself.
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November Selection
