Oh, and once I have the two huts and the sewing hut built, how do I get my adept builders to master builders?

Breed and you can then build more. I had the same problem. Also work on your puzzles, several of them offer building tech as they are worked on.

hcs

I have been having that same problem trying to create master builders when there are no more buildings to build and the other building projects (I don't want to creat a spoiler) are completed as well. In my very first village, I had plenty of master builders fairly quickly, but I don't know what I did. In my second and third villages, I have 2 (in the second) and none so far in the third. Wish I could get master builders are in my other villages as I did in my first. And wouldn't you know, it was before I even discovered these boards and had no clue as to whether having master builders was important or not! LOL!