Hit 500 hand-stitched books last week and it hit me different

I've been binding books for about 4 years now, mostly as a side gig. Last Thursday I finished my 500th book, a little leather journal with a Coptic stitch. I didn't think the number would matter, but seeing that pile of spines in the corner of my workshop made me realize how much time I've spent perfecting my technique. Has anyone else hit a milestone that surprised them more than they expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

river3208d agoMost Upvoted

Drew, is it really that weird to feel something when you hit a round number you've been working toward for years? I mean, I've been doing woodworking on the side and when I sold my 200th cutting board it honestly caught me off guard too (like, wait, when did this hobby turn into actual proof of time disappearing?). Numbers can sneak up on you even when you're the one keeping track, that's just how it works.

drew_bennett248d ago

Hit me different" is a little dramatic for hitting a number you were already tracking, right? lol. If you've been binding for 4 years and counting each book, 500 is just math, not some deep revelation about your craft. Honestly, it sounds like you're romanticizing a spreadsheet more than the actual work.