This week in Sunday Life I use my hands (which, admittedly, when coupled with this picture below, reads a little wrong!)
As kids, my brothers and I had a ritual. In the school holidays we’d sit on the back step with an ice cream bucket full of kero, a few rags and an old toothbrush and clean our bikes. We’d pull apart the hub and crank set and clean out our BMXs and mountain bikes right down to the ball bearings. Crud. There is little more satisfying than sitting in the sun picking crud from a rear cluster, I tell you.
When done we’d go for a test ride. Oh, the smoothness! It was joy on two wheels. We’d revel in our handiwork for days. Poor Mum. She must’ve turned inside out with the tedium of our post-mortem gloating.
Nowadays I get a similar kick from making my own mung bean sprouts. The soaking and sprouting takes three days. I become a helicopter parent, fussing over the sweet little things, perfecting technique, trying new approaches. Sometimes I just stare at them as they sleep. When done I’m so damn proud and, can I tell you, they taste unfathomably better than the packaged versions. I tell everyone. I post the results on Twitter. Look what I made! (Don’t get me started on my recent fire lighting efforts.)
Since no experience these days is left unphenomenon-ised I wasn’t surprised to learn this week my crud-scraping and bean-sprouting passion has a name. Harvard Business Review has dubbed the phenomena The IKEA Effect. Researchers found that when we make stuff with our own hands we like it more than the pre-fab version. Even if you “built” it from a flatpack and it’s called Fartful (seriously, IKEA actually stocks a children’s desk by such a name) and it wobbles when you walk down the hall.
The philosopher-turned-motorbike mechanic Michael Crawford argues in The Case for Working With Your Hands that we’re more satisfied when we’re getting our hands dirty. Tradies are happier, he says. Tinkerers with sheds are happier. I get that. At my most despondent and stressed I wish I was a construction worker. “I just want to dig holes,” I cry out from my office-bound fug. Effort in, results out. I want to say at the end of the day, “Look what I made”.
It’s why packet cakes didn’t take off in the 1950s until the formula was changed to require “cooks” to add their own eggs. In spite of our lazy leanings, we humans do value working for our happiness.
And yet we set up our lives to avoid the messy work. We delegate our gardening, our cooking and our peering into the bonnet of a car all Saturday afternoon. When I was 16 I delegated my bike cleaning to my brothers. I haven’t had the same smooth satisfaction since.
So how do we get that satisfaction back? We make stuff. Cooking is a good start. Experiments have found we like to work for our food. And it’s suggested the reason we over-eat now is because pre-fab food just doesn’t satiate. I’d add that more satisfaction is gleaned from making staples. Know someone with a bread maker? Heard about their amazing pizza dough yet? I realized this while making a batch of activated pepitas on Monday. It felt earthier, more humble than merely making dinner that night. And I think that’s what we’re seeking: back-to-roots humility and rawness.
I also got out a toothbrush and cleaned my bike. I sat on my haunches and lost myself for an hour. I tended. I entered a flow. And you know what else…it felt adventurous. A contrast to the sanitized life of a computer-tethered worker who could easily run her life from the internet.
And that’s the point. Nowadays we have to make an effort to get our hands dirty. We have to do courses. From my desk as I wrote this column I discovered there’s another world out of DIY learning out there – woodwork classes for women and bread-making and fermenting courses. Dare2Courses say they have noticed a specific increase in the number of people searching for patisserie, bread making, floristy, automotive electrics and clothing production courses. Who knew there could be such a hankering for sauerkraut? And what is it with crocheting? On craft site Morris and Sons, the long list of crochet classes around Australia sell out in advance. Meet Me At Mike’s blog lists 25 tea-cosie-making links and 20 how-tos for making Amigurumi (crocheted Japanese toys). Various skill sharing groups such as Brown Owls run informal classes, as well as teaching one another over cups of tea and biscuits. And you can learn to hook at the CAE too.
Speaking of crochet, Matilda Bay’s ‘Dirty Granny World Extreme Crochet Championships’ were held recently. Check it out!
I’ve just signed up for a Knots & Knatters group. Stay tuned for the results on Twitter.
PS I’ve just come across the most insane thing! A cycle event combining coffee, cycling and crochet in the one day – 6 and 7 August - as part of Sydney Design Festival. If I were in town, I’d be soooo there.
Got any other shout-outs or ideas for home-made satisfaction?
Sarah, why is this??? – -I have recently started crocheting and knitting again too as a relax at the end of the day. Already knitted a wonderful rib scarf for my daughter, (it’s cool mum) and crocheted 3 beanies for their heads. And now embarking on the best blanket (http://www.purlbee.com/granny-stripe-blanket) that will take me time but so brings me back to my beautiful nanny who made the most divine lace blanket when my babies were born… The beauty and simplicity of the past again. Oh, and that purlbee website will inspire all of us. Happy Sunday.
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This is close to my heart as I’m a big-time knitter!! Have fun!
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I have done the same! re discovered my passion for making things by hand and it makes me wonder why on earth did I ever stop! How did life get so busy that my sewing machine, knitting needles and crotchet hooks lay hidden away in a dark cupboard? I missed it so much! I have crotched 2 beanies and hemmed 6 table clothes made from lawn instead of using plastic/paper ones for my daughters recent birthday.
I’ve longed to decorate cakes since I was teen and last October attended a workshop, ( fulling filling a dream), to make my daughters christening cake which led me to make and decorate elaborate cakes for both birthdays this year!
The satisfaction is indescribable.
The looks of disbelief and surprise when you tell people you have made these things is surprising to me and the gushing and fawning over them is, I must say sometimes embarrassing, it’s really not that hard or all that time consuming I do this as an expression of love and my own joy and sense of satisfaction not for praise.
Be inspired make something, the joy of a completed task… there is nothing like it!
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August 7th, 2011 at 11:46 am
You’ve inspired me Sunny
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From a boy perspective – I’ve been building my study/office desks since I was 15, such a joy. I also love building computers from scratch and doing minor repairs around the house.
So relaxing & enjoyable fixin’ things!
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Have to laugh..you do have fun with your sausage photos/comments
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Honestly, I struggle to assemble a Kinder Surprise, so I tend to stick to cooking to get my creative fix : luckily, making a lasagne requires much less precision than putting up a shelf!
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I use a serious amount of hand sewing and crochet in my artwork – very, very satisfying! Public transport is now a blessing – all that glorious time to sit and make something while someone drives me about the city! I’ve just posted a lovely bundle to my niece – my first ever crocheted blanket, for her new born first baby. And boy, did I ever feel like I’d joined the League of Centuries of Women – what a wonderful sense of love, all that making filled me with! Make something = make happy – easy!
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This is a good article! Motivating. Thanks!
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You know what shits me? Somewhat unrelated… That you cant do stuff any more without it being pulled apart, analysed, and given a name. Usually the X effect, or Y syndrome. Why cant we just say we like making stuff instead of trying to call it the Ikea Effect? Obviously making stuff was popular long before Ikea. My grandparents did it all the time.
I make Lego when I am stressed. I love having an adopted family with a younger son, it gives me a legitimate reason to cruise the kids toys aisle. I get so much pride out of constructing something (occasionally something with MOVING PARTS! Wow!) and its all about teamwork too. Making something with a loved one is awesome.
Great article Sarah. Nice work on those mung beans too!
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August 7th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Really good point, Mia. I must admit, and maybe this is just ego, but I always feel a little bit sorry when I hear that I’m a part of a “trend’ or social pattern.
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Here here to watching mung beans sprout! And sunflower sprouts mmmmmm
Lately I’ve had a hankering to Macrame one of those hanging pot plant holders that were the rage in the 70′s. A few bit of strings with some fancy knots and voila! Beats cheap plastic immitations. Look forward to the knots and natters posts.
I saw a lady knitting whilst riding in a car today. Cute.
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August 8th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
I loved Macrame! I used to do it all the time during Scouts would you believe! I had so many hanging pots it wasn’t funny!
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Thanks for the article Sarah.
I love sewing. I just love the tactile feeling of material in my hands. I also love just the sound of cutting out material with scissors on my desk. And I do feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that I created something myself and how it holds together. Most of the time though I find myself mending clothes for my family: breathing new life into items that would otherwise be thrown away as rags for Vinnies to sell. There are many things in my life that I cannot immediately fix but my brain sorts itself out over the methodical task of fixing something material. Its calming and centering and so rewarding.
I still find it surprising when people are shocked that I identify as a feminist who loves to sew and knit. Why do so many think the two are contradictory?
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August 16th, 2011 at 11:13 am
I know why you mean about the sound of the scissors – my favourite part of sewing!
And you’re not alone in the reactions to being a feminist who loves to sew. It’s funny how blind people are to the fact that they’re creating a new ‘iron maiden’, instead of creating a new ‘ideal’ woman I think feminism needs to be focused on empowering a woman to be herself whether that’s sewing or running a company or putting a car together (or all of them together – they all sound fun to me!)
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I so hear this!
I have just recently have started sewing.
It’s the ‘anti-trend’ of everything getting faster, quicker, impersonal, mass produced.
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Great article Sarah – it reminded me of a talk I heard at Gathering’11 (http://gathering11.net/) in Melbourne earlier this year about the Maker movement. A great site called Feltronics (http://www.feltronics.org/) was mentioned. This is the overview of the site:
“Teachers today are facing a difficult problem with far-reaching consequences for all levels of education. One of the world’s most required skillsets is not only difficult to teach, but conceptually difficult and hard to develop a passion for. With FELTRONICS, electronics theory and design can be presented to any age with hands-on experimentation rewarded with instant feedback from a completed circuit.”
Wired also wrote about the Maker movement over the weekend http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/08/big-diy/
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Earlier in the year I pot planted strawberries and a lemon tree in my front courtyard. I have been nurturing them..watering them diligently..and then finally a few weeks back I got my first strawberry…(I actually photographed – and shared – it’s maturation process!). It was just perfect; and tasted devine!
The lemons are growing now too. I agree, there is something special about ‘creating’ your own stuff.
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I have been knitting and crocheting since I was nine years old (39 years ago to be exact) thanks to a wonderful primary school teacher that taught the entire class (boys included) how to make a granny square rug. Doing things with my hands makes me feel grounded and I have continued to do this even when it was uncool. I dont make big things, in fact I mostly knit beanies for the homeless and am now crocheting baby blankets for charity. It is my little way of giving back for getting so much enjoyment out of something. So embrace it and lose yourself in the joy of switching off and creating something with your hands.
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Sarah, thanks so much for highlighting the healthful and rewarding benefits of crochet, the combination of craft and stress management is a passion of mine, I truly believe in this fabulous combination and frequently see how effective it can be.
You twitterdly invited the sharing of craft course details – as part of my Melbourne based Naturopathic practice, I run a Crafty Stress Management course ~ http://craftinghealth.com/crafty-course/ in which I teach (or embellish on existing) craft skills and introduce crochet and embroidery as informal minfulness based meditation practices; we also discuss other stress management techniques, drink herbal tea and have a lovely crafty social time ~ I love it! the participants love it! so please excuse my immodest sharing of it!
I also co-ordinate the Brown Owls Melbourne 3000 (CBD) group, being fortunate to know and having been inspired by its creator, the lovely Pip Lincolne. As you have already mentioned, details of Australia-wide (and international) Brown Owls craft group gatherings can be found here ~ http://brownowls-members.blogspot.com/
Thanks once again.
Sue
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Hi Sarah.
Loved your blog post and article in last weekend’s Herald. If you or your readers are looking for fun projects to create with your hands and want to get the whole family involved, check out the Balmain Boat Company. You can find us at http://www.balmainboatcompany.com or facebook.com/balmainboatcompany.
We are a new start-up, whose mission is DIY boats that make parents and grandparents look like legends. The Balmain Boat Company creates flat-packed, Ikea-inspired boats. With the help of The Balmain Boat Company, anyone can build a boat.
Our creator was most recently featured at the VIVID Sydney festival. You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSsryGlEuz8
And, here’s the link to the making of the first boat:
http://tiny.cc/89s6j
Drop us a line if you are interested in giving it a go. A pre-school even contacted us about building a boat in class.
Cheers,
Nic
I made a boat this summer by myself and rowed to Cockatoo Island.
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Hi Sarah
Great article. The resurgence of handmade is such an interesting phenomena.
Ta for the mention of our first Sydney Design CultureCycle tour. You can read about the day of cycling, coffee, museums and crochet here!
http://www.culturecycle.org/cycling-cultural-attractions-and-crochet-our
I do hope you will join us next time!
Cheers
Angelina
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[...] Ikea Effect – a phenomenon where labour enhances our affection for an object. Sarah Wilson writes in her Sunday Life column: “Researchers found that when we make stuff with our own hands we like [...]
Great post, this times in nicely with the interview last week about the thyroid and creativity being blocked. I sew my own clothes but don’t have had time lately, maybe I will sow some mung beans instead!
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I started making friendship bracelets
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[...] DIYing our lives a lot more. This makes us happy, I’ve written about this in Sunday Life. [...]
Love it. I’ve started crocheting & knitting this year, as I moved to Sweden over a year ago & wanted something creative to do indoors during the long winter months. There is a great sense of satisfaction & accomplishment that comes with every completed piece. Especially when you’ve made yourself a beanie & scarf, & people complement them!
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[...] -Reading: The IKEA Effect – “when we make stuff with our own hands we like it more than the pre-fab version” via Sarah Wilson [...]
[...] first read about the Ikea effect and it’s applications to baking here. I <heart> Sarah Wilson and her musings on life. So often she totally encapsulates what I’m [...]