Just realized my niece thinks all books are made in a factory

She asked me why I 'make them wrong' since my covers don't have that plastic film. It made me think about how we explain handcraft to a machine-made world. Anyone else get a question that made you see your work differently?

3 comments

3 Comments

taraanderson1mo ago

Oh, that's such a good point about showing the process. I had a similar moment when a younger cousin saw me knitting and asked why I didn't just buy a sweater. It's not about the thing being perfect, it's about the time and care that goes into it. I started showing her how the stitches connect, and she got it. The little flaws are what make it real.

terryk101mo ago

Honestly, my neighbor's kid asked me why my homemade bread had big holes in it. Tbh, showing him how the yeast works totally changed how he saw it.

robinson.hannah1mo ago

I read an article about a potter who said kids often ask why their mugs aren't perfect like store ones. That gap in understanding is pretty common now. It makes you want to show the process, not just the final thing.