Why making things by hand changes how you feel

Making things by hand means taking something that exists in my head into the real world. It is the process of generating an idea, an emotion, or a desire from inside and allowing my hands to shape it. For me, that usually involves sewing and producing garments.

There is an important gap between creating something yourself and purchasing something that has already been built. I'm not restricted by what already exists when I create garments by hand. I am able to create it accurately as I imagined it. How I want it to move with me, look, and feel on my body. Making something from scratch offers complete freedom, but ready-made clothes often have creative boundaries.

That freedom feels more than just expressive. It feels private.

My body becomes more gentle when I'm sewing. My thoughts slow down. It's difficult to describe unless you've experienced it. The clothes begin to have importance and no longer are "just clothing." It has an additional energy since I made it with intention, attention, and presence. Something ordered online never has the same sense of energy.

I also can't deny the reality of how much garment is produced today. Mainly fast, mostly made of plastic, through exploitation, and at the expense of both people and the environment. Because of this awareness, making things by hand feels even more grounded, like a silent protest against something that is completely out of balance.

From an early age, I realised that making things changed the way I felt. I've always had very specific interests, and I hardly ever found what I wanted. I started making my own garments as a way of communicating things that I couldn't find elsewhere. I felt as though I was designed to do it.

Additionally, there is a major difference between creating and consuming. I feel grounded and in the moment when I'm creating, as if I'm doing what I suppose to be doing. Since the beginning, creating has been a part of human nature. On the flip side, scrolling seems like an escape from that passion. Although it may seem creative to watch others create, it is not the same as actually creating yourself.

I'm more present when I'm creating. Calmness, love, attention to detail, and creative flow are the parts of me that feel activated. Because it begins from within! From my thoughts, feelings, and inner world and it builds up into something physical, creating helps me become closer to myself. It makes me ask myself, "What do I actually like?" What makes sense to me?

When I'm anxious, stressed, or overthinking, I discovered that creating helps me to breathe again. It allows me to reconnect to the present and becomes a reminder that life is about more than the issue I'm now facing. I created some of my best works when I was struggling to express how I was feeling. I let my hands do the work instead of speaking, and somehow, something lovely developed.

When I'm done creating something, I feel fulfilled. Seeing an idea emerge to life in 3D is incredibly fulfilling. It gives me a genuine, grounded sense of happiness and that is hard to find in todays environment.

Making things by hand has also taught me to be patient. You have to be mindful, slow down, and consider every step when sewing. Maybe part of the reason it feels so healing is that you can't speed the process. Creating challenges you to sit, think, and move carefully in a world that is always pushing for speed.

I believe that many people today feel disconnected because they don't take the time to reflect on themselves. We are told to search outside of ourselves for identity, answers, and approval. However, it becomes simpler to understand others when you take the time to understand yourself, including why you do the things you do and why you feel the way you do. A path to that inner bond is created.

A Gentle Invitation

I started my Discord community essentially for this reason. It is a place where we discuss creativity, self-connection, and the process of creating things by hand out of curiosity and personal development rather than perfection. Where we get knowledge from one other and share experiences.

Additionally, the community has a free sewing template for a small, basic hat that you can create yourself. It can be worked upon, customised, experimented with, and used as a foundation for creative expression. Just expression without any restrictions or demands.

If this spoke to you and you want to do something with your hands, you're welcome to join.