[:en]In this chapter the author talks about craft in relation to the hand and body. The author explores the idea that hand craft is more than an appendage of the human body but actually a direct extension of the mind. Objects made from the hand must conform to the human body as it means they can be used with ease. Furthermore, the idea of weaving and craft like it are all limited to the comfort of human reach. An example is a vase. The neck of a vase has been made smaller so it can be held by a human hand; also the armrest of a chair is made for human comfort. The point is that the characteristic of a well-made crafted object is based on how naturally an object fits within a human hand for use as, for the most part, the objects are formed directly from the hand through technique. Due to the fact that an object is made from a reflection of the human organism it is in fact the mind that probes the object into existence, therefore, when skilled technique is met with the suitable material it is the hand that creates both the psychic and physical identity of the object. Through technique and skill the hand can produce a craft object into it’s physical form, thus, giving the material form and meaning.
As previously introduced, the idea of the craft being made within the confines of what the hand is capable of doing is a factor which I have never thought about. The author explains that if an object is too big to pick up and handle it become frustrating and, therefore, hard to use. This is the same as if an object was too small as it could break easily and becomes unnatural to use. I have found this out while learning to knit. As I am a beginner my grandmother gave me big needles and thick wool to use, me not realizing how big the end knitted product would end up I started with too many stitches when I casted on. This has now become troublesome as I have to battle with the wool to keep what I have knitted on the needles. Due to this annoyance I have to force myself to knit instead of enjoying it, disrupting the relaxing time I should be having whilst knitting. In the future I will opt to cast on using less stitches.
The author has opened my eyes to the physical and psychic connections between craft and the body. I have come to understand that this connection runs deep between the maker and object as the craft is a reflection of the human body, reflecting . This is a huge factor that I want to look into further as I believe it will help me to understand further the link between an individual and their garment, using my findings to work towards creating a strong message for my campaign that has the intention of inspiring the longevity of clothing.[:]
