My big brother is bound to ask, him being of the school that if you want or need something, why on earth wouldn't you just buy it from someone who's job it is to make it?
For example, Marks & Spencer sell smart & stylish jumpers for a lot less than even the wool would cost, & that's before you've knitted it up & sown it together - also, that's assuming that you are a reasonably competent knitter who won't produce a jumper with three arms, or an 8" circumference neck, or something.
Equally, why would you grow vegetables at your allotment when Tesco sells them all washed & ready to cook? And making wine - how odd! And your apple wine doesn't even taste like proper wine!
Etc, etc.
Well, I do these things because practical hobbies stretch the mind, satisfy a creative urge, & you get something unique at the other end of it that you can be proud of making.
Mind you, I might be the world's most rubbish quilter, in which case, I would still get something unique at the other end, but it might end up being a talking point for the wrong reasons, in which case I will stick to making my apple-wine-which-doesn't-taste-like-wine, & chalk it up to experience.
Of course, I may be utterly brilliant - but I won't ever know if I don't give it a whirl, will I?
Funny that - apart from the quilting, I think I'd have a lot in common with your brother.
ReplyDeleteI think that his objection is that 'homemade' is often held up to be 'better', because it's bespoke and made with love and care.
ReplyDeleteHowever, just because it is bespoke and made with love and care, doesn't mean that it can't be a bit rubbish - 'homemade' does not automatically mean 'skillfully made'!
Yeah, and "bought in M&S" does not automatically mean skillfully assembled in a sweatshop somewhere either.
ReplyDeleteIt's OK your brother feels like this, he will be one less person you will have to make a quilt for when you find out
(a) how easy it is
(b) how much fun you are having
(c) how incredibly GOOD you are at it.
and I'm sorry to take a few days to come and visit here - trust me, quilting is FAR easier than an 8 week old puppy, and way less tiring.
Can quite believe (a) and (b), Bilbo, although (c) is yet to be proved! Mind you, logic says that as long as you concentrate and don't accept any dodgy seams, you can't go too far wrong....now wait for that to come and bite me on the bum!
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt that (c) will come much sooner than you expect.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
BTW, in the event of (c), you underestimate my capacity of wanting to show off!
ReplyDelete