Why Handmade Things Mean So Much

Summary

The Nightly – "Why Handmade Things Mean So Much"

Host: KP Parker (for Hatch Podcasts)
Guest: Lee (Listener/crafter)
Date: June 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

This cozy episode of The Nightly centers around the unique, personal value of handmade items. Host KP Parker, in a solo hosting night, takes a call from listener Lee, who discusses knitting as part of a New Year’s resolution. Together, they explore why handmade things mean so much more than store-bought items, delving into themes of love, inheritance, craft, nostalgia, and the joys and challenges of making things by hand. The tone is warm, chatty, and peppered with personal anecdotes and lighthearted humor.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Paint Swatches, Personal Projects, and KP’s Vulnerability

• [00:01–02:40] KP opens solo, sharing a mundane but relatable story about struggling to pick a paint color, setting a playful, laid-back tone.
  • “You gotta bring the swatches home... I got what I thought was just a beautiful dandelion color. I go home in 50% of the lighting, it looks mustard. Gross. Mustard color.” — KP [01:16]
• KP segues from introspective ramble into welcoming a listener, indicating the episode will focus on personal journeys and thoughtful creativity.

2. Listener Call: Lee’s Knitting Journey

• [02:40–04:07] Lee joins to discuss knitting, revealing her New Year's resolution: finish existing craft projects before starting new ones.
  • “My resolution was, I’m not starting any new projects until I finish the eleven that I had in progress.”—Lee [03:52]
• KP lauds Lee for her dedication, noting it’s rare to persist so long with resolutions.

3. Love and Meaning Behind Handmade Items

• [04:22–05:42] The heart of the conversation: why handmade holds such power.
  • “Is it too obvious to say the made with love thing?” — KP [04:22]
  • Lee emphasizes how she crafts with recipients in mind, making each gift deeply personal.
    • “When I’m making something for someone in particular, I’m taking all of their preferences into account... It really is personalized.”—Lee [04:49]
• KP discusses the ancestral and timeless element:
  • “There’s something very, very ancient and cool every time we make something instead of buying it... I think there’s a real pleasure in that.” — KP [05:03]

4. Passing Down Craft and Family Connections

• [05:42–06:05] Lee shares learning to knit from her grandmothers and using inherited supplies:
  • “For me, there’s definitely an ancestral part to it.” — Lee [05:55]
• KP marvels at the difficulty and craftsmanship in lace-making, broadening the conversation to the historical ingenuity behind handmade skills.

5. The Meditative Nature of Crafting

• [07:12–08:03] Sharing the experience of learning and relearning knitting, both discuss the mind-body aspect:
  • “Your brain is doing a little bit of mathematics, but then it’s quite peaceful and relaxing.”—KP [07:27]
  • “I find it very meditative... the memory is in your fingers. You don’t have to think about it.”—Lee [07:51]

6. Craft Project Highlights and Intergenerational Legacy

• [08:10–11:14] Lee describes her projects:
  • Finished a Pikachu plushie for her 7-year-old son [08:10]
  • Poncho for her 3-year-old, now working on dish towels for her mom [08:42]
  • Planning to finish a half-knit sweater her late grandmother began, hoping to pass it to her own child—a symbolic act of both continuity and remembrance.
    • “My grandma, when she died, had a half finished sweater that I have and I’m gonna try and finish it.” — Lee [09:41]
    • “It’s got half of a lion on the front... it’s the size for my 3 year old. So I gotta get to it because otherwise he’s gonna grow right out of it.” — Lee [10:51, 11:08]

7. Contemporary and Creative Crafting

• [11:26–12:48] KP brings up various viral and unconventional craft projects, from chest “cozies” to arm-knitted blankets, discussing the rise of unique, creative approaches.
  • “Being outside in the sunshine and knitting seems really nice.” — KP [09:13]
• They note seasonality: certain crafts (like knitting) feel less appealing in summer, but Lee (living in Milwaukee) enjoys long winters and ample sweater season.

8. Learning and Making: Embracing Mistakes and the Creative Process

• [13:03–14:45] early knits were “abstract art”; discussion on avoiding perfectionism and enjoying the process.
  • “The first scarf looks ugly. You might as well make an ugly beanie... at least you’ll use it.” — KP [13:25]
  • “The nice thing about scarves is it’s hard to get the sizing wrong, you know?” — Lee [13:55]
• Discuss “blocking” and how wool transforms when felted—a small magic of craftsmanship.
  • “You throw it in the dryer and it felts the yarn and makes it smaller and it fits...magic.” — Lee [14:45]

9. Craft Economy, Hobbyist Hustle, and Cost of Handmade

• [16:06–16:31] KP and Lee touch on the challenges of requests from friends and family, and how true labor and material cost far exceeds what most would expect:
  • “If I actually charged how long it took me...I would be charging, like, 350 per item.” — KP [16:08]
  • “The yarn alone.” — Lee [16:18]
• KP signs up for a stained glass class, reflecting on the satisfaction of learning new crafts—but also how some arts resonate with us more than others.
  • “If I even just kind of know how to do this, I can pretty much make my money back because of how expensive stained glass is to buy.” — KP [16:48]

10. Crafting Preferences and Acceptance of Non-Mastery

• [17:27–18:12] Lee admits painting never quite “clicks” for her; KP says the same maybe true of knitting. They agree it’s okay to move toward crafts which suit us best.
  • “There are certain crafts and arts... others, they don’t draw me in quite as much.” — KP [17:12]
  • “I want to like painting... it just always fizzles out.” — Lee [17:30]

11. Closing Reflections: Inspiration and Encouragement

• [18:12–18:45] KP celebrates Lee’s persistence with her resolution—“a standing ovation for you”—and invites listeners to share their own crafts or hobbies on future calls.
• Encourages the audience to find comfort in small, creative acts and get a good night's sleep.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There’s something very, very ancient and cool every time we make something instead of buying it.”
  — KP [05:03]

• “For me, there’s definitely an ancestral part to it.”
  — Lee [05:55]

• “If I actually charged how long it took me and how little I want to do this, I would be charging like, 350 per item.”
  — KP [16:08]

• “When I’m making something for someone in particular, I’m taking all of their preferences into account... it really is personalized.”
  — Lee [04:49]

• “I find it very meditative... the memory is in your fingers.”
  — Lee [07:51]

• “The first thing I tried to make was a scarf... but now they’re saying... ‘you might as well make an ugly beanie’.”
  — KP [13:25]

• “That’s a difficulty in being a crafter and a hobbyist... then the requests start coming in.”
  — KP [16:08]

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Segments by Timestamp

• 00:01–02:40 — KP’s intro, paint story, setting the cozy tone
• 02:40–04:07 — Lee introduces herself and her knitting resolution
• 04:22–05:42 — Why handmade matters: love, personalization, ancestry
• 05:42–06:05 — Generational connections in crafting
• 07:12–08:03 — Crafting as meditation, mental health benefits
• 08:10–11:14 — Lee’s knitting projects, family legacies, sentimental crafts
• 11:26–12:48 — Unconventional knitting, viral crafts
• 13:03–14:45 — Embracing mistakes, learning, and craft “magic”
• 16:06–16:31 — Labor and the economics of handmade
• 17:27–18:12 — Craft preferences, acceptance of one’s creative nature
• 18:12–18:45 — KP wraps up with encouragement and a listener call-to-action

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Final Thoughts

This episode of The Nightly is a warm exploration of why handmade items are treasured—because they are steeped in love, intention, tradition, and a soothing kind of magic. Through Lee's journey and KP's playful curiosity, listeners are reminded that every imperfect stitch, every inherited tool, and every unfinished project carries meaning and memory.

If you’re looking for inspiration to pick up your own old craft project—or just want some gentle late-night affirmation that handmade things matter—this episode delivers just the right blend of nostalgia, encouragement, and cozy storytelling.

Transcript

[A]

Audio for sleep by hatch. Good evening, everyone. I'm kp. Welcome to the nightly from Hatch, where your late night thoughts go to rest. It's just me by my lonesome tonight, alone in the pillow fort just for a second because we are promptly going to open up the lines and talk to a listener. It'll be sleepy. It'll be cozy. I am very excited to hear from listeners like you. But first, what's going on in the old KP world? You know, this is my. Matt's not here to kind of keep me in check. So maybe I'll just talk about the most boring things that are ever happening in my life, which is I'm repainting my bedroom. And this is not a new thought, but it is really, really wild what those swatches do when you bring them home. I, I am, I'm quite an impulsive person. I'm quite a type B person, as you may have gleaned from listening to this, to this show. But I usually just. If I like the paint in store, I'm buying two gallons of it. I'm letting it ride. But I have been trying to be more thoughtful about my life. And so I brought the swatches home. They're not kidding. You gotta do that. You really do have to do it, that is. I got what I thought was just a beautiful dandelion color. I'm painting my ceiling. Only another thing that, you know, those that get it, will get it. It's gonna look really good. But it was supposed to be a nice little dandelion color. I go home in 50% of the lighting. It looks mustard. Gross. Mustard color. So I know Matt would have been thrilled to hear that boring story for you. But that's just what's happening with me is, folks, you got to bring the swatches home. I'm going to paint store today and I'm getting a beautiful dull yellow in store, but a gorgeous, gorgeous dandelion on my ceiling. What do you say we bring in somebody that is a listener that has things that are way more interesting to say than literally watching paint dry. I would love to hear from our caller who's on the line here. Lee. Lee, can you hear me?

[B]

I can hear you, kp.

[A]

Hi, Lee.

[B]

Hello.

[A]

How are you this fine evening?

[B]

Oh, I'm doing lovely.

[A]

Oh, good. Okay. Do you have any paint pressing paint thoughts?

[B]

Oh, I avoid painting whenever possible.

[A]

It's a real pain in the butt, isn't it?

[B]

But we did our shed last summer and it was.

[A]

And I'm sore for like five days after Too is my harsh truth is like just even lifting my arms. It really is. But what are you here to discuss with us this evening?

[B]

Yeah, my question for you is I've been spending a lot of time knitting lately because of my New Year's resolution. And my question for you is, why do you think we love handmade items so much?

[A]

Well, Leigh, firstly, incredible that you're still doing something with a New Year's resolution in June. You might be like one of five people in this world that has made their New Year's resolution last six months. That is really great. What was your actual New Year's resolution?

[B]

Well, I have a problem where I start projects and I don't finish them.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

So that was my resolution, was I'm not starting any new projects until I finish the 11 that I had in progress.

[A]

Wow. So what does finishing knitting look like? Is it just one sweater or is it like you're finishing out the yarn that you bought?

[B]

No, it's finishing some kind of project. So yeah, I did a Pikachu stuffy earlier this year, a little poncho for my 3 year old. So yeah, when I finish the. The project, whatever it is.

[A]

Wow. Okay. Well, the question is, why do we think we love handmade items so much? I mean, is it, is it too obvious to say the made with love thing?

[B]

I mean, it's true.

[A]

It is true. It's true. I love a handmade sweater versus just one you can buy. It's so cute. Agree with a plushie. Anything really handmade is just times a million in my mind.

[B]

When I know that when I'm making something for someone in particular, I'm taking all of their preferences into account. You know, when I'm making my design choices and the color or you know, how they're gonna use it. So I mean, it really is personalized.

[A]

Totally. And I just think it's. I really think we can't lose the recipes on all this. It's like learning a craft or learning just how to repair something or learning how to make something yourself is what we've been doing since the dawn of time. And I think there's something very timeless and I'm getting too woo woo. But there's something very ancestral about it. I'm like, it is cool. Yeah, I'm definitely. My California is showing and I'm getting a little woo woo here. But I'm like, I think there's something very, very ancient and cool every time we make something instead of buying it. I think there's a real pleasure in that.

[B]

When I learned to knit from my grandma, and I have. Both of my grandmothers were knitters. And so I have all kinds of knitting needles and various supplies that I've inherited from them. So, I mean. Yeah, for me, there's definitely an ancestral part to it.

[A]

Yes. Well, I mean, the ones that I'm like, God. God bless whoever can still. Have you seen people make lace? Oh, I'm just going off on a tangent.

[B]

Extra level.

[A]

Goodness gracious. That I can't. Those are one of those things where I'm like, I don't even get how we got there to, like, figure that out. It is.

[B]

Some genius did it. I don't know.

[A]

It's a total genius. I am like, that has to be, like, now I get why, like, actual lace things are so expensive, too. I always was like, why. Why is that dress a trillion dollars? And it's like, oh, that's like vintage lace. That took so time, effort.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

For those that haven't seen the videos, it's like each thread of the lace is attached a long thread to a little, like, wooden bobbin handle. Yeah. A little bobbin thing. And you just have to pin each section and move the threads around one by one. It's hard to explain, but if you watch a video, you're like, I never in a million years would have thought, that is lace. It's incredible. So, I mean, that could be your next project once you finish knitting, you know, maybe year's resolution, you'll finish.

[B]

Yes, we'll see. I don't know. It's pretty intimidating.

[A]

Very. I did just take a knitting workshop that my friend was hosting because she's so into knitting this year, and she has some sort of. She'll just put the TV on and she'll finish a sweater in one season of a show. It's wild.

[B]

Oh, amazing.

[A]

But I took the knitting workshop, and I did. I learned when I was, like, 15, off of YouTube videos. And it is crazy that it all comes back to you kind of quick. Like, it's a difficult thing to actually, like, get your foot in. But I found it's like you gotta kind of. Your brain is doing a little bit of mathematics, which is always hard for me. But then it's quite peaceful and relaxing. Do you find peace in it when you're doing it?

[B]

I find it very meditative. Yes. Yeah, yeah. It's the repetitive motion. It's the memory is in your fingers. You know, you don't have to think about it. Sometimes you have to think about it depending on the pattern.

[A]

But sure. Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Wow. Have you finished? So you finished the Pikachu plushie. Was this recent that you finished this?

[B]

It was February. Yep.

[A]

Okay. And that was for. That was for you or for a three year old?

[B]

For my. I have a seven year old son.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Very into Pokemon. Yes.

[A]

That was also not a shade to anyone. That was like Pikachu is for her adults too. That wasn't like. Was that for a three year old? There was just a three year old mentioned.

[B]

Pokemon's for everyone.

[A]

Pokemon really is for everyone. Yes. And Pikachu, I mean a classic basic choice doesn't really get much better than that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. And now you are on. You said what is next? I'm so sorry.

[B]

I finished a poncho a few weeks ago form that was for my 3 year old. And now I am working on some dish towels for my mom out of some cotton yarn.

[A]

Incredible. At this knitting workshop, all I made was a finger warmer. I mean, that's all I could really get to.

[B]

I'm a slow knitter, so it takes me a long time to finish stuff.

[A]

So yeah, that was all. And a finger warmer is not a thing. But I just wanted to say that I finished something, so I called it a finger warmer. And now it's finished.

[B]

Absolutely, yes. And now you can say you've done that.

[A]

Yes. My friend was doing it. She's incredible. As I said, she's so fast, but she was doing it while camping and I was like, wow, there's something really. These go hand in hand. Being outside in the sunshine and knitting seems really nice.

[B]

I agree. Yep. Knitting outside is something else.

[A]

Mm, that is lovely. Well, what is. What were the other things on your New Year's resolution? Hobbies or things you have to finish?

[B]

Yeah, my. So my unfinished knitting list. So I have one of the things actually I'm kind of excited to work on, but a little intimidated is my grandma, when she died, had a half finished sweater that I have and I'm gonna try and try and finish it. So that's. That's on my list.

[A]

Wow. Have you tried already matching the yarn on that?

[B]

I haven't even touched it.

[A]

No, I would imagine that would be okay. A half finished sweater. I'm so curious if this yarn because I feel like the yarn quality I'm sure is either maybe better or worse these days. I don't know.

[B]

It came with some yarn, so I have at least something to start with, but I might have to take it to the store and touch all the yarn and match.

[A]

Wow. Now this was she Taught you knitting also, right?

[B]

Yes. Yep.

[A]

Wow. So this is a very special. This would be very cool to pick right up.

[B]

Yeah, I hope so. I hope that, you know, the pattern is in there, so there's hope I might be able to do it.

[A]

What does the sweater look like?

[B]

It is. It's a little kid sweater and it's light blue and it's got half of a lion on the front.

[A]

Oh, wow. Wow. This is really, really, really cute. Okay. And this, it's the right size to pass down.

[B]

Yeah, I. It's the size for my 3 year old. So I gotta get to it because otherwise he's gonna grow right out of it.

[A]

Just like, don't feed him his veggies for a while. Keep him, keep him short. Little, little, little. For this, we gotta get the sweater rolling.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Okay. A lion. That is really, really sweet.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I've also been seeing in the knitting realm, people are kind of knitting unconventional things. And I don't even think knitting because I actually don't know. Knitting versus crocheting versus embroidering is a little tricky for me. But this woman had a big chest of like, to put sweaters in and stuff, and it had holes all in it. So she was able to like, knit around the entire chest or something. And it looked just like a giant, beautiful ball of yarn. This was my description. Leaves a lot to the imagination, but hopefully you guys have active imagination.

[B]

Sure. I'm imagining a big ball of yarn, like furniture sized.

[A]

Thank you. Good. That is really. That is really it. Now, have you seen. Because she did it with those, like, arm knitting. What is the deal with that? Have you seen arm knitting?

[B]

I think so. With like the big rope, like the big yarn. Yeah. And you end up with those blankets that. I mean, the texture is so cool.

[A]

It's very, very cool. Yes. This is all. This all falls in a realm, though, where I am an overheated person in general, and I'm like, my friend is summer while knitting. To me, it's not sweater season.

[B]

It's not,

[A]

sadly, not sweater season. But that means you have a little extra Runway time before it gets to sweater season at least.

[B]

Yes. And, well, we have a. I. I live up in Milwaukee, so we have a nice long winter to wear.

[A]

There you go.

[B]

The sweaters.

[A]

Yes. There's many months of sweatering. What was your. When did you learn how to knit for the. In the first place?

[B]

I was 7. I was a little kid. Yeah.

[A]

Did you finish anything when you were seven? I mean, scarves and things.

[B]

The stuff I was Making was not really recognizable. Yes.

[A]

It was abstract. It was art.

[B]

It was exactly abstract.

[A]

Well, I was shocked. The first thing I tried to make was a scarf, just because it seemed easiest. But now there's. Yeah, but now they're saying. People are like, I would actually encourage you not to start with a scarf because you're going to get bored. And it's like, you should just make something that you're really excited to. To use and to make. It's going to look ugly anyway. Like, the first scarf looks ugly. You might as well make an ugly beanie. And then you have an ugly beanie as opposed to an ugly scarf, which you'll not really probably use as much.

[B]

So the nice thing about scarves is that it's hard to get the sizing wrong, you know?

[A]

Yes. And if it's wonky, it's like you're wrapping it around anyway. You can't see. There's a lot of forgiveness in the. In the look of a scarf or a finger warmer. Lot of forgiveness there.

[B]

The first beanie I made was the size for a giant.

[A]

It was completely wrong. Well, I find knitting with the wool so fascinating because the blocking of the slippers was like. I don't know why I was getting so many tiktoks or videos about these knitted slippers being happening, but they look absolutely comical. They look like size 18 floppy socks, and then you block them down and they're a delightful, like, stiff, beautiful slipper that you can put on. So I was like, that's kind of magical.

[B]

That's felting the yarn. Yeah. So you throw it in the dryer and it felts the yarn and makes it smaller and it fits, you know, I don't know. Magic.

[A]

Wow. Wow, that is. I know there's some magic at play there with those things. And I did try. I tried to save a shrunken knitted thing from the thrift store last year.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

And they make you work for that, don't they? They do.

[B]

You have to really want it.

[A]

I know. And I kind of did. I mean, I got it a little. A little more soft. It was just a thick eggplant sweater that was really stiff and small. And I did get it. I got it usable. But I was like. By the end of it, I was like, do I even like this sweater anymore now?

[B]

Just worth it.

[A]

Trauma inducing. The hours that I've been over the bathtub here. But that is lovely. The lion sweater is something really to look forward to. And then this Pikachu. Now was the Pikachu how big was this Pikachu plushie?

[B]

I was small. It was probably about 6 inches tall.

[A]

Okay. Cute as can be. Cute as can be.

[B]

It was a little kit. Yeah. He spotted the kit and begged me to make it for him.

[A]

Hard to deny. Well, that is a. That's a difficulty in being a crafter and a hobbyist, and all of that stuff is. Then the requests start coming in.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Then all the requests. And I have heard my friends that do. These are like, if I actually charged how long it took me and how little I want to do this, I would be charging, like, 350 per item.

[B]

Oh, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the yarn alone. Yeah.

[A]

That is the thing. I know. Well, the thing with handmade, you're always like, well, I must be saving a ton of money. But knitting, I'm like, that's pretty. That's pretty.

[B]

Not really. Yeah.

[A]

I just signed up for a stained glass class. Oh, cool. Because stained glass, to me, there's nothing I want to spend my money on more than, like, just. I think stained glass is so beautiful. Hanging in the windows.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And so I was like, yeah, it's so vibey. And I was like, if I even just kind of know how to do this, I can pretty much make my money back because of how expensive stained glass is to buy. So this course was, like, kind of cheap. And then I was like, well, then I'll know how to make stained glass, which I think is such a weird. That's another thing where I'm like, the handmade of. That will feel really cool.

[B]

Yeah. And think about all the personalization you could do.

[A]

You know, for someone I know, I. I'm definitely. We'll see if that's my art. I'm. I'm good at certain crafts and certain arts, and then others, they don't. They don't draw me in quite as much.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Do you have ones like that where you're like, that is not exactly my craft.

[B]

Yeah. I want to like painting.

[A]

Oh, yeah, Absolutely.

[B]

And it just. I don't know. It always fizzles out.

[A]

Yeah. Knitting might be that for me. I. I might need one more go at it, because I did have a great time at this workshop, but I. I lose track of where I'm at. A little bit easy, but you said maybe the body just sort of eventually you don't have to think as hard. Right.

[B]

Yeah. I do a lot of projects where they're not complicated patterns, and I just pick some really nice yarn and let the yarn shine and keep the pattern really simple. And those are the ones where I can just watch a movie and knit or not think about it.

[A]

That is inspiring. I. I love this. I'm really, really excited for your sweater works to come and all of the other things. I'm mostly just this has been the most fascinating person that is still doing their New Year's resolution is a standing ovation for you. This is wonderful. I don't even remember what mine was. I forgot about it so quick. But, Leigh, thank you so much for being here today. Yeah.

[B]

Thank you for letting me come on.

[A]

Absolutely. And best of luck with your crafts.

[B]

Thanks.

[A]

And folks, if you would like to come on the show to talk about absolutely anything that's on your mind, truly, absolutely anything, email us or send a voice memo to thenightlyach. Co. It could be foosball. It could be diamond painting. Have you seen this where you take the little diamonds and pick them up with the wax and put them on the sticky poster? I'm actually begging you to come on if you do that because I have a lot of questions on that. It could be your love of karaoke. Absolutely anything. I want to hear about it. But for now, I want you to get an amazing night's sleep. I have been K.P. parker and this has been the nightly Good night, y'.

[B]

All.

[A]

To learn more about our phone free light and audio experience, head to Hatch Co. You can also follow us at Hatch Podcasts.