Handicrafts      Before the Industrial Revolution, everything was made by hand. An extraordinary amount of care and attention went into the construction of just about everything. As the twentieth century progressed, however, the ability to skillfully craft something by hand became less common. The rise of automated machines and mass production began to replace the thought and detail of their human counterparts.      Though the market for skilled craftspeople has declined, it has not completely gone away. In fact, the popularity of handicrafts and homemade items is seeing a revival. The crafts are often a form of hobby or art practiced by people who have full-time jobs in other industries. The Internet has allowed for a whole new type of craftsperson to emerge. People today are making handcrafts and selling them online to customers all over the world.      Many types of handicrafts are available online today. Though they may look different in design and usage from the handicrafts of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many of the techniques are still the same. Embroidery      Embroidery is a craft that involves decorating fabric with a needle and thread (or yarn). Embroidery sometimes uses other items, like beads, feathers, or sequins. Most of the classic embroidery stitches, such as the chain stitch, the blanket stitch, and the cross stitch, are still used today. Traditional embroidery was often done on clothing, sheets, towels, and pillows. A quick search of the Internet today will uncover artisans selling embroidered shirts featuring company logos, Christmas stockings with popular cartoon characters, wall hangings with inspirational sayings, coin purses with retro designs, and even monogrammed dog sweaters. Origami      Origami is the art of paper folding that is often associated with Japan. Origami consists of transforming a flat sheet of paper into a finished form through the use of folds and creases. Traditional origami does allow cutting the paper or starting with non-square pieces of paper, a practice discouraged in modern origami. Paper cranes, fish, frogs, and other natural elements are common forms in traditional origami. Today, modular origami is popular among paper crafters. Modular origami consists of putting together multiple pieces of origami to create a final product. Fruit bowls, lamp shades, vases, string light covers, earrings, door wreathes, and peacock-shaped table centerpieces are just a small amount of the origami creations that one can find available for purchase. Jewelry Making      The design and creation of jewelry is probably one of the longest lasting and consistently popular handicrafts. The ancient profession of goldsmithing and metalworking has morphed into the jewelry production business. Jewelry is a type of wearable art that traditionally involved metals and gemstones. Jewelry design has evolved to reflect popular art styles. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, decorative belts, and rings continue to be popular types of jewelry. However, in modern online stores, buyers can find jewelry featuring objects unlikely to be found on historical pieces, such as necklaces with jeweled mustaches, earrings that look like headphones, and bracelet charms painted to look like the jar of a popular brand of peanut butter.      The popularity of the Internet and online shopping will only continue to drive more aspiring artisans to create and sell their goods. Although automated machines and technology have eradicated many traditional practices, they have also helped to revitalize the role of craftspeople in modern society. 2 Select all the correct answers. What are two reasons why the author decided to include information about different types of handicrafts? to show how handicrafts are still thriving to show a wide range of popular handicrafts to show how technology has replaced traditional handicraft techniques to show a brief history of the development of handicrafts to show how the demand for handicrafts is fading Reset Next