Why I Craft

craft   noun, plural crafts, verb

an art, trade, or occupation requiring special skill, especially manual skill

Crafting is not just for middle aged women in bad sweaters anymore. It's not just friendship bracelets or popsicle stick birdhouses either. In our highly technological world people everywhere are finding joy in making things with their own two hands. Crafting is becoming more than a hobby, it's becoming a way of life. It's a garden, a painting, a wall, a blanket, a pair of shoes, a building, a fence, a dress. It's anything you want it to be, the possibilities are endless.

The pride in this small act of creation can be something amazing. The knowledge that you made this thing can be overwhelming. To my boyfriend, he just sees a shelf or a pillow or a birthday card, but in my eyes these are the simplest form of pure creation. Taking a pile of unrelated objects and forming them into something that previously only existed in my mind's eye makes me proud and powerful. By this act of crafting I am reenforcing my confidence in any small act in the rest of my life.

I am constantly looking for outside reinforcement of this pride as well. I want to show these things I made to anyone who will look at them. Then that light in their eyes or smile on their face when they are proud of my acts too, brings me more joy than any other recognition I get. The thank you for cleaning the kitchen is never as meaningful as the job well done for my first embroidery project.

By needing to share these things, I am creating a community for myself. I am seeking out other crafters and makers to share and learn from each other. I am learning new skills and being inspired by others, therefore increasing my knowledge set and desire to create.

By needing to create for myself, I am seeking others out and increasing my social network. This real life social network is something I think a large portion of my generation suffers from a lack of. We were the first raised on chat rooms and online forums. While these connections are sometimes no less important to us than the ones we make without our computers, we are missing something in not having that physical connection. The act of physically seeking others out adds a meaningful part to my life I would have not had otherwise.

There are psychological benefits to that quiet time you spend on the details of something. Some small tiny task your hands can do with little interference from your brain. When your hands are busy, you begin to let your mind wander. In that wandering you can find yourself dealing with long lost loves, past hurts, estrangements, regrets, love, joy, excitement in a way that lets you cope. By creating something physical, you can create something emotional inside you. These things you create with your hands might physically be something useful or mundane, but they are also a piece of you. A piece of your journey in finding yourself.

These things we are creating then become special and meaningful, more so than anything mass produced. Because these items are handmade, they are not perfect. As their makers, we know where every imperfection lies and we embrace them for it. These are items we are more apt to care for and repair as opposed to the mass produced items we throw away once they are scratched or old. By cherishing these items, we are surrounding ourselves with meaning and reducing waste. How can any of this be a bad thing?

I like to know what things were made of, what ingredients are in my soup and where things originated from. I know that the gifts I give are made of simple, wholesome products that probably won't do any harm to their recipients. While I hope that these gifts mean as much to their recipients and they do to me, it doesn't matter if they don't. My fulfillment is enough.

I am happiest when these things all come together. When I am creative and proud. When I feel better about myself. When I find others to reinforce that creativity. When I am surrounded by meaning.

I am only really happy when I am making something.

Letterpressed manifesto card!