Hit 500 books bound and it made me look at my old work differently

I finished a small custom order last night and updated my log. The total came to 500 books bound since I started keeping track. I did not expect that number. It made me pull out some of my first projects from a box in the garage. Looking at a simple quarter leather binding I did maybe six years ago, the difference is clear. My corners were bulky, the headbands were messy, and the leather paring was uneven. Back then, I was just happy it held together. Now, I see all the small things I would do better. It is not about being perfect, but seeing the slow change in your own hands. Has hitting a certain number ever made you go back and compare your early work to now?

2 comments

2 Comments

henry_martin5613d ago

My buddy who makes pottery hit a thousand mugs last year. He dug out his first batch from a closet. They were lopsided, the handles were clunky, and the glaze was all patchy. He said it was like looking at a different person's work. That number made the slow, daily progress real in a way just looking at his latest piece never did.

jade_hunt4813d ago

Wow, that's a solid milestone. It's cool you can actually see the progress in your old work instead of just feeling it. That kind of proof is way better than any number.