The Newsletter and the Archive

    Andrew Crawford March 21, 2025

    This newsletter is a better way for you to see all of my projects and other things I am sharing.

    The original idea of social media was that people could share things online that you wanted to see, and you could see them. That’s not how it works now. Now, there is an algorithm, optimized primarily to make the owners of the networks money. Now, it doesn’t consistently show you the things you have asked to see. The people running the big social networks have said that their plan going forward is to try to eliminate that entirely, to make their networks a place where you just passively consume things made by machines. [1]

    You want to see the projects I and others are sharing, and be part of the connections and collaborations they create. To that end, there need to be ways to make direct connections to the people whose projects interest you, not intermediated by for-profit social networking companies.

    You will keep seeing at least some of what I post on Instagram, Bluesky, and Mastodon, as long as those places seem viable for making those kinds of connections.

    Subscribing to my newsletter will let you see everything I share, without a big social media company playing games with your attention.

    You likely won’t be getting email from me more often than monthly. You will almost certainly be seeing me mention things I sell, but that’s not the main purpose of the newsletter. You won’t be endlessly hounded to buy something.

    I am hosting everything for the newsletter myself. Your email address won’t be shared with anyone else, and you can quickly and easily unsubscribe at any time (there will be a link to unsubscribe in the newsletter).

    Composite of two screen shots from Instagram: one says that a post reached 179 accounts, and offers to let you boost the post; the other shows 1,020 followers for the account.
    "Of the 1,020 people who asked to see what you post, we showed it to 179. You can pay us to show it to more people."

    Of course, there is an official Privacy Policy for the website, if you want more detail on my data handling policies.

    Subscriber Archive

    In the process of making physical things, I create a lot of digital assets: pop up card patterns, box patterns, 3D models, laser cutting files, etc. To thank you for allowing me to talk to you directly, I have set up a Subscriber Archive where you can download some of that stuff to use in your own personal (non-commercial) projects.

    Subscribe

    [1] Here are a couple of quotes from recent news articles:

    “Mark Zuckerberg has been clear about his intentions: He believes that the future of ‘social media’ is a bunch of human beings scrolling through and arguing about AI-generated content on his many platforms.” – 404 Media

    “What he is describing, of course, are social media networks that are not even remotely social and which may increasingly not even feature much human-made content at all.” – 404 Media

    And here is a more detailed explanation of how social media got like this:

    With Great Power Came No Responsibility: How Enshittification Conquered the 21st Century and How We Can Overthrow It

    Celtic Design Fabric

    Andrew Crawford March 15, 2025

    I finally got around to making a Celtic knotwork / interlacing fabric design to go with my Celtic key pattern and spiral designs.  This design produces an endless panel of knots.  Getting the knots absolutely perfect to make seamless tiles is a fun challenge.

    I posted some bags I made (pouch with green spirals, pouch with blue spirals, and an azuma bukuro style dice bag) with a few of the fabrics I made before.  I hadn’t posted about the fabrics specifically, though.

    I have been adding these to my list at the fabric printer in case anyone else has a use for them.

    Fabric with an endless pattern of intricate Celtic knots in shades of blue with yellow stars on a darker blue field lying flat with a bright orange-red and bronze 20-sided die with black numbers.
    Endless Celtic Knot Panel Fabric in Blue
    Four pieces of fabric arranged like shingles: a field of spirals in shades of blue, a Celtic key / maze pattern in an almost-black on blue, the same key / maze pattern on a warm brown, a different key /maze pattern (like squared spirals) in dark on a minty green. A bamboo body pen sits at an angle across the stack (for scale).
    Celtic Art Fabric
    A piece of fabric adorned with a Celtic key / maze pattern that looks kind of like spirals but square in blues, red, and gold lying flat with a marbled blue 20-sided die with metallic copper numbers.
    Royal Squared Spirals Fabric
    Fabric with an endless pattern of intricate Celtic knots in shades of blue with yellow stars on a darker blue field.
    Endless Celtic Knot Fabric Blue
    A piece of fabric adorned with a Celtic key / maze pattern that looks kind of like spirals but square in dark green on a pale minty green with white stars.
    Squared Spirals Fabric in Green
    Close-up of a flat piece of fabric with a field of spirals in shades of blue.
    Spirals Fabric Blue
    A small fantasy/Medieval belt pouch. The main body is cotton fabric printed with interlocking Celtic spirals in various shades of blue. The front, bottom, back and flap are black faux/vegan leather. The flap is decorated with silver spirals and, there is a sliver spiral triskelion on the front below the flap.
    A small fantasy/Medieval belt pouch. The main body is cotton fabric printed with interlocking Celtic spirals in various shades of blue. The front, bottom, back and flap are black faux/vegan leather. The flap is decorated with silver spirals and, there is a sliver spiral triskelion on the front below the flap.
    A small fantasy/Medieval belt pouch. The main body is cotton fabric printed with interlocking Celtic spirals in various shades of green. The back has slits to accommodate a belt.
    Green Spirals Dice Pouch (Back)
    A small fantasy/Medieval belt pouch. The main body is cotton fabric printed with interlocking Celtic spirals in various shades of green. The front, bottom, back and flap are medium brown faux/vegan leather. The flap is decorated with black spirals and, there is a black spiral triskelion on the front below the flap.
    Green Spirals Dice Pouch (front)
    A small fantasy/Medieval belt pouch. The main body is cotton fabric printed with interlocking Celtic spirals in various shades of green. The front, bottom, back and flap are medium brown faux/vegan leather. The flap is open, showing a green braided kumihimo drawstring with brass aglets and a brass magnetic closure.
    Green Spirals Dice Pouch (Open)
    Azuma Bukuro Dice Bag (open)
    Azuma Bukuro Dice Bag (open)

    Knotwork Frog Print

    Andrew Crawford February 23, 2025
    Frog celtic knotwork design printed in green on a copper square on white toothy paper being held up by the corners

    I finally got a chance to play with my new Open Press Project Postcard Printing Press! I cut a plate with this new knotwork frog I designed, and got some pretty good results after a little fiddling. After starting on this, I noticed that frogs seem to be bubbling up out of the collective unconscious a lot right now. I wanted to join the Open Press print exchange, but ran out of time to get prints to them. Maybe next year!

    One minute printing video:

    Celtic Key Pattern Heart Pepakura

    Andrew Crawford February 14, 2025
    A pepakura (low poly) 3D paper heart covered in Celtic key/maze patterns in shades of purple, red, blue, and metallic gold rests on a cream-colored handmade paper background.

    Following up on last year’s Valentine’s day heart card, I wanted to do some paper craft with the new washi tape. I thought the wider key pattern would look good on a low-poly-style pepakura paper heart.

    I also made a one-minute video of making it:

    More Celtic Art Washi Tape

    Andrew Crawford January 31, 2025
    A staggered stack of four Celtic art washi tapes (two key patterns, one knotwork, and one spirals design) without their packaging for better viewing.

    I couldn’t resist designing some more Celtic art washi tape.  I did another key pattern, much wider this time (45mm), in purple and red (with some pale blue accents).  I made a variant of my Spirals design (similar to the Spiral Flow fabric I did) in shades of blue.  I also did  a riff on a classic Celtic knotwork/interlacing design in shades of purple (with a green accent).  All have gold foil outlines and accents.

    If you are into it, I made enough to share.  The new washi tapes are up in the shop, individually and in a discounted bundle.

    A staggered stack of four Celtic art washi tapes (two key patterns, one knotwork, and one spirals design) without their packaging for better viewing.
    Four Celtic art washi tapes
    Roll of 45mm-wide washi tape with Celtic key patterns in gold foil on deep purple with red and light blue accents.
    Celtic key pattern washi tape (45mm wide)
    Roll of 20mm-wide washi tape with a pattern of Celtic spirals in shades of blue with gold foil outlines.
    Celtic sprials washi tape (20mm wide)
    Roll of 25mm-wide washi tape with Celtic knotwork in shades of purple with gold foil outlines.
    Celtic knotwork washi tape (25mm wide)
    Rolls of 45mm-wide washi tape with Celtic key patterns in gold foil on deep purple with red and light blue accents.
    Celtic key pattern washi tape (45mm wide)
    Rolls of 45mm-wide washi tape with Celtic key patterns in gold foil on deep purple with red and light blue accents.
    Celtic key pattern washi tape (45mm wide)
    Rolls of 25mm-wide washi tape with Celtic knotwork in shades of purple with gold foil outlines.
    Celtic knotwork washi tape (25mm wide)
    Rolls of 25mm-wide washi tape with Celtic knotwork in shades of purple with gold foil outlines.
    Celtic knotwork washi tape (25mm wide)
    A roll of 20mm-wide washi tape with a Celtic spirals pattern sits on an open journal. A strip of the tape has been applied to a blank page along one edge.
    Celtic Spirals Washi Tape on Display
    A roll of 25mm-wide Celtic knotwork washi tape sits on an open journal. A strip of the tape has been applied to a blank page along one edge.
    Celtic Knot Washi Tape on Display
    A roll of 45mm-wide Celtic key pattern washi tape sits on an open journal. A strip of the tape has been applied to a blank page along one edge.
    Key Pattern 2 Washi Tape on Display

    Chibitronics Intervew

    Andrew Crawford January 16, 2025

    Chibitronics interviewed me for a Meet the Maker feature on their blog! If you want to know more about me, my background, my process, and what I do, check it out.

    Meet the Maker: Andrew Crawford