%0 Journal Article %A Brown, Sarah Emily %T To be ‘skilled’ or not to be ‘skilled’? A case study exploring the interaction of two crafts in anthropological fieldwork in Madagascar %D 2020 %J Journal of Arts & Communities, %V 10 %N 1-2 %P 53-66 %@ 1757-1944 %R https://doi.org/10.1386/jaac_00005_1 %K anthropology %K embroidery %K craft %K making %K weaving %K Madagascar %I Intellect, %X This article reflects on the use of, and interactions between, embroidery and reed weaving as methods in anthropological fieldwork with Malagasy craftswomen. The research explores changes in craft methodologies as weavers faced with declining natural resources have shifted to practising embroidery instead. Engagement with the making process was central to the research design, through an apprenticeship in reed weaving and participant observation using both crafts. Reflection on this approach suggests that the researcher’s pre-existing skills affected the role that each craft took in the research, shaping distinct modes of interaction and generating different types of knowledge. Research activities using weaving, in which the researcher was seen as ‘unskilled’, tended to generate technical, practical and logistical knowledge. Activities using embroidery, in which the researcher was already experienced and seen as a ‘skilled’ practitioner, shaped more exploratory research spaces in which more personal conversations emerged. This article discusses ways that the two processes were used to complement each other and suggests that combining both ‘skilled’ and ‘unskilled’ positions could help to overcome some of the challenges of cross-cultural craft research. %U https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/10.1386/jaac_00005_1