Handicraft

Handicraft, also known as craftwork or simply craft, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or using only simple tools. Usually the term is applied to traditional means of making goods. The individual artisanship of the items is a paramount criterion, such items often have cultural and/or religious significance. Items made by mass production or machines are not handicrafts.

Usually, what distinguishes the term handicraft from the frequently used category "arts and crafts" is a matter of intent: handicraft items are intended to be used, worn, et cetera, having a purpose beyond simple decoration. Handicrafts are generally considered more traditional work, created as a necessary part of daily life, while "arts and crafts" implies more of a hobby pursuit and a demonstration/perfection of a creative technique. In practical terms, the categories have a great deal of overlap.

List of handicraft trades

Handicrafts include:

* assemblage – collage in three dimensions
* beadwork
* bone carving buffalo, camel, elephant bone carving.
* horn carving buffalo, rhino horn carving.
* cabinet making
* chip carving
* collage possibly involving seeds, fabric, paper, photographs and/or found objects
* crochet
* embossed aluminum or silver
* gardening
* knitting
* Lathart
* marquetry
* metalwork
* scale model
* mosaic
* needlework
* pottery and ceramics
* pressed flower craft — uses real flowers and leaves
* puppetry
* quilting - also reference Quilt and Art quilts
* sewing
* shoemaking
* spinning
* stained glass
* wood burning
* wood carving
* woodturning
* woodworking
* List of handicraft manufacturers

See also

* Artisan
* Arts and crafts
* Rural crafts
* List of acronyms used in arts and crafts