If a self-proclaimed Crafter (no I am not talking about Minecraft here) and a self-proclaimed Maker were put opposite each other in a cage fight, who would win? Are they equals? The same thing? What makes them different? Either way, they would certainly have the coolest wrestling masks ever! But I digress. Crafting and making are the essentially the same thing. They share the same basic DIY tenet, as well as the sharing ideas and how to’s, reusing, “up-cycling†or repurposing anything and everything. And both are made all the better if you can create using low cost, free or scavenged materials.
Where people feel the need to make a distinction is that many “maker†type projects seem to require micro controllers, arduino, hacks or just generally more technical ability than traditional crafting. To this I say, you do not need a micro controller to make a catapult but you might need some solid woodworking–aka crafting–skills. Not to mention the sewing skills needed to make a glowing wrist band using conductive thread and LED lights. It is all about being innovative and making cool stuff. So rather than separate one from the other I tend to view them as the same thing. In the end, it is all about being innovative, making cool stuff, and sharing cool ideas, and supporting each other’s projects.
How about it? What do you see as the distinction between crafting and making?
-Carla Avitabile, Teen Librarian, Novato Library
