The recent Journées des Métiers d’Art (JEMA) gave the public a unique opportunity to visit the ateliers of the talented artisans of the Swiss Romandy and to go behind the scenes to witness the skill and craftsmanship required to design, create and maintain articles of beauty, originality and longevity. The municipality of Carouge owes much of its present-day spirit of creativity and dynamism to its history as a home to artisans down the generations. That tradition continues today and the 20 artisan-members of the Parcours des Ateliers Carougeois (PAC) joined their fellow artisans in the region in opening their workshops to visitors during the Journées des Métiers d’Art. PAC’s goal is to encourage greater appreciation for artisanal workmanship and to illustrate how cherised articles are conceived, made, assembled and maintained — whether they are handwoven pieces of clothing or handmade hats, clocks, jewellery, soap, handbags, string instruments, furniture or floral arrangements. Passion, persistance and passing it on Given my love of fabric and with only limited time at my disposal, my focus over the JEMA weekend fell on a seamstress, weaver, knitter and hat maker on the Rue Saint-Joseph in Carouge. I also looked in on a …