I ♥ Handmade

Well, I would wouldn't I - I did name my blog Hand Made Me after all! :) I know my fellow handmakers know exactly why handmade is so beautiful and important, but I thought I'd share a bit about why I love handmade so much for everyone who is perhaps not a maker themselves.


1. I ♥ handmade because it is unique - Handmade is not mass produced. The chances of walking down the street and seeing someone else with the same bag, scarf, necklace etc are very slim.



2. I ♥ handmade because it is made with exeptional attention to detail.



3. I ♥ handmade because it is environmentally friendly. Locally made and upcylced handmade items are stylish and reduce our environmental footprint.



4. I ♥ handmade because it doesn't limit others from achieving their potential. Handmade didn't come from a sweatshop in a third world country only to be sold at a vastly inflated price. The person who made it didn't have to move hundreds of miles from their family to take up the only job available to them. They didn't have the profits of their labour taken away from them. A handmade item is made by someone who has control over their work (possibly someone in your own community), and who receives all the financial benefit for the work they do.




5. I ♥ handmade because it is exclusive. Handmade can be tailored to your particular specifications, you can have something that is made to fit, incorporates your initials or made unique for you in any number of different ways.



6. I ♥ handmade because it makes me happy. Handmade lets me bring my ideas to life. I love sketching something, thinking through the process of making it, cutting out a paper pattern, cutting into a new piece of fabric and stitching it together to create something new (yep, this last pic is one of my designs!)

Handmade is beautiful because it is original, unique, fabulously well crafted, better for the environment, shows respect for the person who makes it, chic, charming and individual.

Each of the images in this post is from handmade site Etsy. If you've not explored this incredible community of handmade designers and makers, I urge you to do so. If you're not sure where to start, you might like to look at some of my favourites on the side bar here, or click on the Buy Handmade tab above to see more chic handmade and vintage items on Etsy.

I'd love to hear what everyone thinks of these and other handmade items - I hope you're having a fabulous day xx