I am often asked, “Why is handcraft so popular?” I think that handcraft is popular right now as a reaction against a whole slew of things, including our hyper-fast culture, increasing reliance on digital technology, the proliferation of consumer culture, and even war. …

For some people, sustainability is a part of their handcraft practice. Other people want to see a project through from beginning to end, something they don’t get to do in their daily lives. In their jobs, they do one part of producing something and they don’t do the other parts. In producing a handcraft project, people can see something from start to finish and then have a material product that they can use themselves or give away. Even though we all have frequent access to the internet and are able to communicate with people through digital media, we are still sensual beings. We need to maintain a tactile relationship to the world.

Sabrina Gschwandtner in Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design, Levine/Heimerl