Has anyone else been watching the BBC programme ‘‘the Victorian house of arts and Crafts.’’? I’m finding it fascinating, compelling viewing , such talented creatives
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I hadn’t been but I’ve just checked it out on Iplayer and it looks just up my street, I’ll be able to pop it on and watch while working. I love the Arts & Crafts era so thanks for the recommendation.
Off to watch the first episode 
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I saw the first one and loved it. Need to catch up.
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I’ve been watching it - love it! x
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I’ve been watching, I’ve loved William Morris since I did GCSE art, the crafter’s are really talented, and the house and gardens are incredible, I would love to know where it is, as I think it’s pretty close to me.
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Ooh, I may watch it whilst I have my dinner! I did see it advertised but I missed the first one. I forgot that I could watch it on iplayer!
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Must go and find this on iplayer or catch up, thank you. I didn’t see this advertised at all. Have they been to William Morris’s Kelmscot Manor or The Red House?
Kemlscot and the village are wonderful.
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Yes, I love it, never miss an episode. They’re all so talented and what a beautiful house!xx
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Yes, am loving it. In fact, I love any programme that shows a design brief being given and seeing how creative people can be. Which means bring on Sewing Bee!
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I’ve managed to watch a few and enjoy it. Made me laugh last week with the sewing machine and how slow it seemed. That’s how I learnt watching my nan. I now have her old treadle sewing machine in my own home only for decoration though.
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thanks for the heads up, I’ll try and watch it on iplayer.
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I have been watching it and have enjoyed it. I think I would enjoy it more if they had resisted turning it into another Bake Off spin off where the crafters have to work against the clock and be “judged”, with a bit of fabricated interpersonal tension thrown in.
Don’t get me wrong… I love Bake Off, but the time and skill involved in making a set of fire dogs will be different to baking some eclairs and I’d like more time spent viewing some of the techniques involved.
At least they don’t send someone home at the end of the show!
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Fully agree. All very talented but to much competition involved. Even so they have made some amazing things
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I watched all 3 episodes yesterday and I too feel frustrated at the time restraints the artists are placed under for the show.
I felt the same about the great Pottery Thrown down too…I know it has to be filmed over a short space of time but you can’t really see what they would be capable of if they were given a bit more time to learn the skills and complete the pieces properly.
It;s still really enjoyable though
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I too really love the programme and as others have said would like to see more of the actual work involved, but that might take up too much viewing time. I suppose they are covering several subjects in one programme. I like the fact that the artists are challenged to make something outside their comfort zone, it must be really difficult but they have all risen to the challenge in their own way.
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Yes I’m hooked on it and don’t even try and crochet or knit when watching! But agree with others that it’s frustrating they are under time pressure so much. I love the idea of creative community working together like they are trying to replicate though.
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Totally agree. Read that house being used is neither Victorian nor Arts & Crafts, but a Grade 1 building in the hills of Mid-Wales.
I too am frustrated by the judging and wonder whether there’s an agenda going on. The poor young potter’s only been crafting for 2 years and is given a challenge to learn a totally new discipline (gesso panels), followed by one he barely has experience of (throwing a pot). And then he’s teamed with Isla (?) whose design is ‘primitive’. And I wonder whether Bryony is wondering what she has to pull out of the hat to make an impression. Everything she’s done is exquisite. And the young carpenter who makes a wonderful A&C chair from a hunk of tree trunk is criticised for adding an extra crossbar! What?
I can’t help thinking that those who enjoy the edge and competitiveness of other shows would not be interested in watching skilled crafters at work. Having vented my tongue-in-check spleen, I am still looking forward to Part the Fourth.
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Totally agree with the above. The arts and craft movement mainly worked for the middle class so were payed well for the design they produced, then the mass produced cheaper incorporated it into every day stuff. The work was done by reputation, which is how we on folksy do, not by putting people out of their comfort zones and under pressure.
Spleen vented 
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Have just watched last nights episode, will have to watch the previous two tomorrow. The two Barnsley brothers, S-in-L Jewson and Gimson lived in a big house 2 miles from us with their workshop. Lots of people worked around our village worked for the arts and craft movement. Blacksmiths etc. Around the 5 valleys there are lots of examples of their work.
Barnsley’s beautiful pieces of furniture are in the Manor houses around the area.
These programmes are always weighted for good TV and are never a fair playing field really.
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This is the first I’ve heard of it, sounds like it might be interesting so will have to check it out on i player…
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