Craftswomen in the Spotlight

Women are increasingly picking up tools. We took the occasion of International Women’s Day to interview a craftswoman about her experiences in the male-dominated DIY community.

TENZ: Hello Sandra, could you briefly introduce yourself?

Sandra: I’m 29 years old and from the beautiful Altoschatz (Saxony). In my own small woodshop, I love getting creative and completing various projects – including some private commissions.

TENZ: How did you, as a woman, get into crafting?

Sandra: I can’t really say exactly – as a child, I always enjoyed building with Lego. Somehow, the passion for the material wood came along. I started with small DIYs – over the years, my skills, tools, and machines have improved. I taught myself most of what I know with helpful tips from others or by watching YouTube videos.

Since 2018, I’ve been sharing my projects on Instagram under @sandis_holzwelt, where I found an amazing community that provides lots of input, ideas, and inspiration. This exchange with other passionate crafters is incredibly valuable to me; I regularly gather new experiences and improve my skills.

to @sandis_holzwelt

TENZ: How do your male colleagues react to you, and where do you get your feedback?

Sandra: Positively. Most of them look at me wide-eyed when they first meet me . Few men expect to find a passionate craftswoman in their midst! I get feedback from family, friends, and regularly through Instagram from other colleagues.

TENZ: What project are you most proud of?

Sandra: There are several, but the most elaborate ones were the different VFB Stuttgart emblems, some even with LED integration. Check out my results – I think a lot of it turned out great!

TENZ: What was your last project?

Sandra: My latest project was a new mobile saw table for my table saw. Nothing too elaborate. In this project, I used TENZ screws in sizes 6×120 and 6×60 for the first time and was really impressed. Great for screwing and no splitting of the wood!

TENZ: What’s most important about screws in your projects?

Sandra: If you screw a lot, you come to really appreciate a good screw – that took me some time to learn! For me, it’s most important that the screws cut into the wood themselves without pre-drilling, and there’s no need to apply a lot of pressure with the drill. The screw heads shouldn’t wear out, and the wood shouldn’t split during screwing.

TENZ: Do you have any tips for other crafters?

Sandra: You can achieve anything you set your mind to! Take the leap, try things out, make mistakes, and learn from them. DON’T give up!