Perfectly Imperfect Craft Items

Often times at craft shows or gift shops, you'll see a customer hold up two seemingly identical items in an attempt to decide which one actually looks "better." It could be a matter of color differentiations in the item, the way it is painted, or the manner in which it was constructed. Rarely are these people ever looking for faults in a piece.

Those "picky" shoppers you occasionally see comparing two handcrafted items in a store are usually just choosing the craft item that they personally like best. It may simply contain colors in a hue that better suits their home, or they may like an item more just because of the way it feels in their hand. It's personal preference.

Crafting imperfections are often times noted only by the crafter themselves.

Generally, a crafter can point out places on their own items where they concede they have "goofed"; they can tell which ones were sewn together late at night, made evident by uneven stitching lines, or the one that was painted using the "wrong" brush.

An interesting trend that has been evident in recent years are crafts that are made to look raggedy, aged, and used. Faces on the dolls are stitched unevenly, the buttons used for the eyes are sewn on lopsided, and the doll's dress may have a ripped hemline. They are made to be imperfect and to appear as if they were lovingly made from mismatched, leftover materials. They have been purposely created to look "perfectly imperfect."

A fellow vendor at a boutique once told me, "The only goof a crafter can ever make is by not putting forth their absolute best work." She added, "The mistake is made when people hurry through their work and don't put their heart into what they're doing."

Most people find handcrafted pieces that aren't absolutely perfect to be "unique" and part of the item's appeal. That's why people seek out these handmade items. They are evidence of someone's time, talent, and heart.

Learn more about this author, Di Reiter.
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