Something that will really last...

Handmade items have always been a part of my life,

from the time I was born. One blanket was even lovingly handstitched by my mother just days before my birth.

That was nearly 22 years ago. I still have that blanket, and both of my children have been lovingly snuggled in

it, just as I was. Just as my 3 sisters after me were. Just as my future grandchildren will be.
How often

does a blanket you buy in a store get saved, and used for 3 generations of children? Not often, they're not

worth saving.
I have dozens of handmade blankets, dresses, sweaters, hats that were saved over the years. I

will use them, and then save them again. Handmade items are something that will last.

The above photo

features my daughter wearing a sweater that my great grandmother knit for one of my younger sisters, and a

Tadpoles n Butterflies t-shirt made just for her.

Mama Stone, 21, Artisan, hyenacart.com/mamastonecreations
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Monday, October 6, 2008 4:51 pm

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The Little Things

I love the little things. As in, the little

whiskers stitched on my red kitty or the tiny felt berries made for a family of felt gnomes.

Personally I

like to make little things. I think little things have big character. They're easy for tiny hands to hold and

don't take up too much space. When I was a little kid I loved to set up miniature dollhouse scenes, and

everything would be perfect down to the last miniscule cup for a two-inch doll to hold. I still like to set up

scenes, and I still delight at seeing tiny versions of things.

And anyway, isn't it the little things that

count?

Chloe, 15, Etsian, www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5159475
USA
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 5:49 pm

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The Leading Thread

My introduction to the wonder of handmade was thru

my love of yarn. I. Love. Yarn. I'm pretty sure I need a support group for it, but the closest I could get was a

couple of stitch n'bitches at a local yarn shop, and a spinning class.
There was something about being handed

a big pile of in-the-grease roving, going thru the process of washing that, spinning it and ending up with this

beautiful skein of yarn in my hands that connected me instantly to something much deeper and primitive and primal.

I haven't put my spinning wheel down since.
My yarn addiction was furthered after finding sites like Etsy and

Hyena Cart and the colors of yarn that you would never find in JoAnn. I was hooked. It subsequently inspired me to

start dyeing my own yarn and rovings.
Along the way I picked up a sub-addiction. Sock knitting. Everyone on my

Christmas list is getting custom made hand knit socks. I've been hoarding sock yarn like it's going out of

style.
Handmade inspires me because it dares you to take something ordinary and make it truly unique, truly

rare. And never is a a handmade item created without a tiny spark of the creator's soul in it.

Krystl Zirkler, 27, Full Time Yarn Ho and Child Wrangler Extrordinaire, www.flickr.com/photos/mariposafibres
Gilbert, AZ
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 12:40 pm

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Wonderfully Handmade

I believe that it is incredibly important to support art and

to be creative.

Mamakopp, 32, mother that does everything, www.livenlearnnow.com
Central Missouri
Saturday, September 27, 2008 6:06 pm

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Heidi's handmade inspiration

Buying handmade helps other moms just like me stay

home with their babies! It is much more personal to give a handmade gift.

Heidi, 28, hyenacart.com/callumscorner
MO
Saturday, September 20, 2008 6:52 am

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