Are these handmade?
posted in Knit-witted |Saturday we all went to the arts and crafts show at ExpoMart. I was very excited, as it would be my first time going. I have heard so many things about this show.
There were so many interesting things to see, from the moment we entered. The first vendor that caught my attention was a man selling incredible hand-crafted quilts. They were absolutely gorgeous. He told us how his wife’s church assisted in making each quilt, which also had matching pillow shams. They were beautiful, beyond words.
In my search for fellow knitters, I came across a woman selling crocheted handbags. She had every color, size and shape you could think of. They were really well done and she even worked on a bag as she sat there. Very talented woman.
Finally! I came across a vendor, who had knitted items. Although, her main focus was quilts, she had a number of knitted baby items: sweaters, blankets, bonnets. They were all knitted with fingering weight yarn and were very intricate. After close inspection, I asked, “Are these handmade?”
“Why, yes they are!” She replied, all too eager to show the detailed work.
I didn’t want to let on, but I knew better than anyone that nothing there had been handmade. In fact, not even her quilts were handmade. I don’t know why, but it seemed to bother me a great deal that she was “misleading” buyers. The seams were all machine sewn and even the hems were sewn. Perhaps they were knitted on a machine that someone hand cranked, but does that equate being handmade?
I don’t know.
There just seems to be something sacrilegious about it. Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with using a machine, but can you really say that it’s handmade?
I left ExpoMart with an even greater appreciation for all of the hand crafters out there, whether they be a knitter, crocheter, seamstress, or anything in betwixt.