Craft world

World Sweet World (WSW) is a magazine grown from Wellington for the do-it-yourselves and crafters amongst us. Every time you pick it up you find another snippet to spark your own creative working bee.

WSW is the brainchild of Thomas and Hannah Schickedanz who explain “the idea behind World Sweet World Magazine is to give you a creative hit every few months to inspire you to get making. Inside you'll find projects based on the idea of up-cycling and re-using, along with a showcase of makers from New Zealand and around the world.”

Projects include a sofa from old doors, a compost bin made from palettes, chairs, fondue sets and all other interesting and creative things you can make from products around your home, at the recycling store, local Salvation Army or garage sale. Thomas and Hannah encourage readers to write articles and be a part of designing and submitting the projects.
Thread asked Thomas and Hannah about their creation.

WHAT VISION OR VALUES ARE REFLECTED IN WSW?“Reduction of waste was one of the factors, but not necessary the single driving factor. We have an interest in sustainability so we felt that it needed to be in line with this, but we also just wanted to inspire our lovely readers to have fun making stuff.”

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START THE WSW PUBLICATION?“Inspiration for the magazine came from a mix of things including vintage editions of the Readers Digest and Do It Yourself manuals from the 1970s, along with modern craft magazines from around the world."

AND INSPIRATION FOR THE ARTICLES FOR EACH EDITION?“Inspiration for the articles comes from everywhere including books, people, cafes, Cuba Street, a picture of a chair… and of course crafts old and new, but especially the modern craft movement. Lots of people in New Zealand are creatively inclined and we want to support them and give them a voice."

WSW has grown in a very short space of time. Thomas and Hannah recently celebrated the magazine's first anniversary, and issue 6 will be hitting the runway (design stores and book shops throughout New Zealand) soon.

Both undertake all aspects of the magazine from design, graphics, editing, subscriptions, and writing. Both are extremely talented individuals. Hannah says that she was “thankfully, slightly naive and optimistic when starting the project” and she says if she “knew now how tricky starting a magazine would be, I may not have attempted it”. But with the magazines ongoing success, fantastic reviews and increasing numbers of followers, both Hannah and Thomas are more than happy with the outcome!

Below, Editors Thomas and Hannah Schickedanz

Earlier editions are now selling out as keen followers increase and the demand for collecting the publications increase. Whitcoulls have now picked up WSW and are selling it nationwide.

To subscribe, which we recommend you do, especially if you are creative, fashion conscious, craft orientated or eco minded, visit www.worldsweetworld.com or keep an eye out in design stores and book shops.

By Cyndi Greep, April 2009
Photos by Angelina Lee