1966: When ugly craft items were proudly made in America

Before Hobby Lobby and Michael's and the importation of cheap chipwood baskets and fake flowers made in China, America worked long and hard to produce its ugly, ugly handicrafts. And then it took pains to display them in the worst possible ways. Better Homes and Gardens promises us in this tome "a complete guide to the most rewarding stitchery and craft projects for the whole family." A big promise, and largely failed.
It isn't always the fault of the craft itself. Take these rocking chair cushions (please! ba-da-bing). I've often felt hot pink was a color more sinned against than sinning; the combination here with red, orange, and purple is ambitious, but the angular shapes help to make sense of it. But then the photo stylist felt it would be a good idea to place the chair in a red room with an orange-covered table. That's way too much of a bad thing.

What often strikes me about home furnishings spreads in later-1960's magazines is how uncomfortable rooms look. Wrought-iron wall hangings and lamps. Ugly, brittle, and cheap looking--they promise pain if bumped against and give the look of a medieval torture chamber (as a teenager I babysat at a house with, honest to God, fake maces hanging on the living room wall). Painted brick walls in bedrooms with tile floors--cold, hard, and unfriendly. Spindly Formica furniture paired with faux-Americana wood pieces. The conspicuous, purposeful ugliness of it impresses me.

As the week progresses, andd we wade through more of this crap, you may find Craftzine a helpful antidote. I bought some Kool-Aid this week to try out one of their projects.