You need a blank to blank.

[farmchamp]

HHEEeagHHH! I am standing next to a fire, click roast meat. You need a fire to roast meat. I am next to a spinning wheel. You need a spinning wheel to make yarn. Make a large area of affect where you can stand and be able to use things! I hate this!

[Peter]

You have to right-click on the object in question to activate it.
You will walk up to the object and face it.

That took me a while, too.

[Jackard]

you can only use them from the cardinal directions, too

[theTrav]

The problem with making a large area which automatically binds you to using that tool is that:
a - Only one person can use it at once
b - What if there are multiple tools in range?

A may be an accidental design choice rather than deliberate, but I don't think it's unreasonable... I think if jorb had infinite time then they'd probably prefer to have the avatar change animations to indicate that they were actually using the tool (but that's a lot of art assets to draw)

[Jackard]

The problem with making a large area which automatically binds you to using that tool is that:

i dont believe that is the idea here

more that if there is a tool close at hand and your character tries using a skill that requires that tool, then they should automatically use the tool without fussing around with position or "bindings"

seems reasonable wouldnt you say

[farmchamp]

I tried everything, I still can't make gauze, and I'm dieing. Please fix this!

[Jackard]

where are you. maybe itd be easier to show ingame