12 Favorite Artisan Finds to Bring Craftcore into Your Cottage

Text by Elizabeth Czapski

While the term “craftcore” started popping up everywhere from the interior design world to the fashion realm in 2020 when we were all tucked away at home with time on our hands for taking up hobbies, the movement has yet to lose steam. Rooted in an authenticity that comes with the distinctive nature of a handcrafted piece, the rich materials and textures that mark this style feel especially on point during the cozy autumn season and as we move into the holidays. So, whether you’re updating your own cottage to include the one-of-a-kind aesthetic or looking to do some Christmas shopping later this month on Small Business Saturday, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite recently featured artisans whose work fits the trend and would make welcome additions to your home or gifts for your loved ones.

Benevolent Baubles

Drawing vision from a distinctive Christmas tradition, this Georgia-based business offers merriment and employment opportunities to countless mothers in Haiti—all wrapped up in a tiny needlepoint stocking. Learn more here. Needlepoint stockings by Kate Stewart, Bauble Stockings.

“Needlepoint has a ton of hobbyists, but there are only 200 needlepoint stores in America and about five manufacturers in the world. It’s very specific. It’s a labor of love.”

—Kate Stewart

Knitting Nostalgia

Inspired by all the intricacies of the knitting process as well as lifelong memories viewed through a lens of color, this Ohio artisan took her craft to the base level and began hand-dyeing yarn in meaningful hues. Hand-dyed yarns by Rachel Carleton, Zeezee Textiles.

“I’d been curious about dyeing yarn, and since I’d spent the majority of my life collecting textile-related hobbies—knitting, crocheting, spinning, embroidery—dyeing felt like a natural next step. My inspiration is very dear to me—nostalgia. My colorways and collections all come from this space—often a mix of places I’ve been that were important to me, the childhood quilt I spent every night with growing up, paintings my mom created and hung in the hall, the way seasons in Ohio feel and look.”

—Rachel Carleton

Watercolor Whimsy

With the magic of New England as her muse, this watercolor artist captures the region’s iconic motifs in playful depictions that grace paper and home goods. Learn more here. Illustrated goods by Sara Fitzgerald O’Brien, Sara Fitz.

“I knew watercolor art would be the primary focus, and I’d continue to offer stationery, but I also wanted to bring in a home element—goods that people enjoyed on a daily basis, items that reflected their style while also celebrating New England—a place I’d never left and realized had become incredibly influential to me. New England . . . is so rich in character. My work tends to focus on celebrating the simple, everyday things one might not otherwise notice. I aim to make these ordinary things meaningful.”

—Sara Fitzgerald O’Brien

Hand-Carved Christmas

Every year, Santa visits homes all around the globe—and he does it with a little help from this Alabama artisan who has carved out his own niche in the woodworking world. Woodworking by Alex Joiner, Joiner’s Handcrafted.

“Everybody started wanting Santas. So, I just kept doing them. And even when spring came along . . . people were still wanting Santas. There are so many different things you can do with Santas.”

—Alex Joiner

Raise a Glass

Fusing form and function, this California artist’s stained-glass window and glass mosaic compositions invite viewers to see things in a brand-new light. Glass artwork by Ted Ellison, Theodore Ellison Designs.

“The thing that I like about stained glass is that it’s both practical—it serves a specific purpose, whether it’s to bring beauty into a room or to manage a view or to transform light or add color—but it’s also a creative expression of something.”

—Ted Ellison

Stitching Outdoor Splendor

From abstract landscapes to botanical pieces, this Colorado artisan spreads an appreciation for nature’s subtle beauty through her thread-based designs. Embroidery by Anna Hultin, OlanderCO Embroidery.

“Everything I stitch has to do with the land in some way, shape, or form. I am constantly inspired by the [Colorado] plains. Most people, when they think of Colorado, think of the mountains and these huge, grand landscapes. I’m always looking for more subtle beauty that nobody might notice.”

—Anna Hultin

Homespun Holiday

Working out of a historic barn on a New Jersey farm, this textile artist gives well-loved fabrics new life with her creative touch, and come Christmastime, her online shop is taken over by garlands, decorative mittens, stockings, and tree and candy cane pillows stitched full of seasonal charm. Textile designs by Christina Wade, The Halsey Homestead.

“I definitely look for cutters. I’m not looking for pristine quilts by any means. I don’t really have a plan until I’m looking at the quilt or the grain sack. And then, something will tell me what I need to make out of it.”

—Christina Wade

Function & Form

Boundless personal touches from the mother-daughter team behind Alabama-based Riverwoods Art make their uniquely sculpted and hand-painted concrete bowls worth collecting. Bowls by Sherl Woods and Lauren Sajjadieh, Riverwoods Art.

“People always ask for different shapes, so we’re trying to always play around with different molds, forms, and sizes. They’ve pretty much stayed true to what we started with. We’ll always continue with the same styles that we’re doing now, but we’re constantly talking about new ways to invent the bowl, if you will.”

—Lauren Sajjadieh

Second Nature

When a Florida restaurateur turned furniture maker tried his hand at painting 20 years ago, he unwittingly launched a distinctive career as a sculptural artist with his own line of paint inspired by his deeply textural style. Learn more here. Paintings by Justin Gaffrey, Paint from gaffrey art material.

“It’s not common to see these compositions in such texture. It really draws you in, but I think it’s just the beginning. The expressiveness of what I do—I’m very rambunctious. There’s a lot of movement in the work. It’s a life-fulfilling thing, and I think people like to be a part of somebody doing what they really love.”

—Justin Gaffrey

Needlepoint Nuance

A Vermont artist channels a lifetime of training and travel experiences into hand-painted needlepoint designs that boast detail, distinction, and delightful Christmas enchantment. Hand-painted needlepoint designs by Beth Nagle, Doolittle Stitchery.

“There is nothing better than a needlepoint holiday decoration. It is a special thing to know that my designs might show up on someone’s tree or in their homes for years to come, passed along from generation to generation. They really are family heirlooms.”

—Beth Nagle

Earthborn Impressions

Restaurants and retailers around the world are taking note of this Alabama-based artist’s spin on natural elements as she creates stunning ceramic pottery rooted in a philosophy that everything she makes is born of the earth. Learn more here. Pottery by Tena Payne, Earthborn Pottery.

“I felt a bit like [Rumpelstiltskin], but I was spinning gold out of clay. I want it to look like a rock that has just been polished. Like something a caveman would eat on—fossils and all.”

—Tena Payne

Inspired Pillows

Since 2004, this Mississippi artisan has been designing and creating distinctive antique pillows made from 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century European textiles and tapestries—discarded fragments and found treasures she’s uncovered by scouring auctions, flea markets, and antiques shows along the streets of France, England, Italy, and beyond. Learn more here. Antique pillows by Emily Alexander, E Alexander Designs.

“Many think that it is a very tedious process to cut away all of the deteriorating fabric from an embroidery, but for me, it is a labor of love. I hope the person who buys a pillow from me feels the same joy I felt producing it.”

—Emily Alexander