I realize that I am about to step out on a limb here, but I really want to know what you think??? According to Webster’s Dictionary, handmade is made with the hands or by using hand tools. Sounds simple enough, but is it? With all the publicity surrounding the extremely successful “handmade” Etsy seller I thought I would take a chance and ask you what your definition of handmade is….
The purist: You raise alpacas, you sheer the wool, card it, spin it, dye it, knit it into an amazing sweater. I can’t imagine anyone questioning whether or not you are handmade! My question would be how much would you have to charge for a sweater to cover all your hours of labor????
Don’t make the components, but the components are transformed: How about those that purchase a bunch of components and put them together to create an amazing necklace? No, you didn’t make the components themselves but bought them individually and then took your own imagination and vision to create your wearable masterpiece. Or you bought all the ingredients from a supplier but stood over your stove for hours combining them into amazing soaps or candles….My guess is that most would call this handmade and this would be where most of the artists and crafters that I know would fall.
Now we get sticky. How about a mass produced charm on a mass produced chain with no further embellishment? How about mass produced lace socks where you sew on a mass produced button or lace? Handmade? For me, this is where is gets grey…..what do you think?
Each and every venue has their own rules as to what qualifies as handmade. Etsy allows the third option to call themselves handmade where other sites, like Handmade Artists do not allow items such as these. Each artist and crafter must decide for themselves what their definition of handmade is and then find a venue that suits them and their work.
So share with me, what do you think? What is your requirement to be called handmade?
I think Etsy has gotten into a very grey area… in my opinion… Handmade means that 1 person created an item with their own 2 hands. For example.. I knit and crochet every piece in my shop. I have friends who create jewelry and they string every bead and wrap the wire with their own two hands.
When you start allowing artists to “Outsource” their designs to be manufactured you have taken “Handmade” out of the equation.
If you buy premade items and slap a vinyl decal on it or buttons or a bow… it is upcycled but not truly handmade….
I think we need to go back to our basics in how this all started. Many of us love creating and the possibilities are endless… but lets not forget. When Etsy started out.. they promoted they offered a site for artists to list and sell their creations!
Etsy has just got too big and forgetten where their start came from.. people like you and me that created with our own hands… no machines.. no outside manufacturing…. just good old fashion crafting and creating!
I start with a pile of fabrics – some of them significant yardage and some scraps – and an idea which I need to get out of my head. I end up with a quilt. Sometimes, it really looks like the idea that was in my head; other times, it evolves during the layout process and becomes its own creation.
In between the pile of fabric and the finished piece, during the assembly process, I use a sewing machine…. an eight-year-old, $129 Singer sewing machine. Since the sewing machine will do absolutely NOTHING without my two hands being involved with it, I don’t even consider its use as detracting from the fact that my quilts are all handmade.
Handmade is two hands in concert with the owner’s brain and imagination to create some unique.
I agree with Anne, handmade is made by MY own hands, nobody else’s and then listed as handmade in my store.
Sure I buy vintage plates, but I cut them with my own hands and crate my art with them.
It is not an “assembler” of cheap jewelry pieces and or people that sew, assemble or put things together for you – by others outside this country or inside this country for that matter.
I understand there are grey areas, but some are really abusing
the real handmade sites.
I don’t care about etsy anymore, no comment there….as far as I hear, soon they wont be there anymore.
Thanks for bringing this up again, Anne.
Have a blessed day you all…..
Monika
Great post! Shared 😀
I do not believe that the use of a machine removes the handmade element from the process. I use a sewing machine and an embroidery machine, but my bears are made by me from start to finish. I develop a design, cut the fabric with my own hand, do the assembly and embellishment myself. As long as I do that, I consider each bear to be handmade.
This is an excellent article that sheds light on the grey areas of handmade that do exist in the creative world. Personally, I start with an idea. The idea is then brought to reality by researching, choosing color, components and design. Then by using my own two hands along with my original vision, I string, sew or wire wrap my chosen beads into my jewelry piece with my own two hands. For sure the idea comes first.
Addressing Myeuropeantouch. I am an assembler of purchased components for necklaces in my business PeacockProud on Etsy, just as iknitquiltsew assembles purchased fabric components for her quilts. Is one better than another or isn’t it the idea that we take care to make them with quality & uniqueness, as opposed to an assembly line just knocking things out haphazardly by the boatload?
I’m sure there are tons of places to sell replicated junk, which is fine, but it shouldn’t be mixed with the small handcrafters who could use some breaks & a trustworthy handmade venue.
Ahh, Handmade…yes….a marketeers dream word, like ‘fresh’! So open to interpretation.
The purist, Artisan, or hand crafted may be a better description in this modern world?
Components, often called hand-finished! Umm, could this ‘handmade’ include child labor from third world economies? as I am sure your final choice must do?
nice blog and gets the mind churning, but I have no definitive answers for you 🙁
Thanks, interesting article and comments.
I’m not sure it’s realistic for some crafters / artists to be purists, especially if attempting to make a living. As long as quality doesn’t suffer I see no problem with using mass produced elements, earring posts for example, and I would call my work handcrafted. After all handmade doesn’t always mean best quality, durability or value for money. I pride myself on being able to tell a good quality product from a poor one, but I’m not sure I’d be able to tell if it was truly handmade or not (depending on the craft). I’d be interested to learn more about how customers feel about this if anyone knows of any articles or research?
When I first looked into silversmithing I was surprised that ‘handmade’ items aren’t necessarily made by the hands of one person,there are many specialities and processes involved. But that’s another story.