Crafting for Charity:
October 23, 2007 at 12:25 pm | Posted in Crafting for Charity, Why craft? | Leave a commentI like writing. It makes me think about things, and be more aware. It’s nice.
I have a few charity-related items to post I’ve run across.
1) One is a swap – the Stamping Out Alzheimer’s Charity Fat Book Swap (via).
2) A news item – Quilters’ handiwork speaks volumes to soldiers hurt in Iraq.
3) A fundraiser – Fiberart for the American Cancer Society by Virginia Spiegel (her stuff, by the way, is amazing. You should really take a look).
Do you know what I think the best thing about charity and crafting is? Crafting is something people generally do because it brings joy to their lives (for example, this woman for whom quilting is a source of joy). And in many cases, it seems like crafts bring joy to people to whom they are given. The fit seems , natural – joy in making and joy in receiving.
I’m always particularly struck by how many times I see quilting and knitting referenced in regard to charity. I think this is because quilts and knitted items are very comforting by their very nature. By giving a quilt or knitted item, you are giving comfort by virtue of the materials, or the warmth it provides, or the knowledge of the care and work that went into it, and often the beauty of the item.
Makes me want to crochet something for everyone, thinking about it that way. ‘Scuse, have to get back to work on those scarves and afghans for Christmas now! 
Mabel and The Cat in the Hat
October 21, 2007 at 10:26 pm | Posted in Pets, Stories, Why craft? | 3 Comments
Many people live near their extended relatives while growing up. I was not one of those people. I lived near none of my extended family and traveled to see them about twice a year. What I did have was a next–door neighbor named Mabel Mattingly, who was a pretty darn crafty lady. She was in many ways my stand-in grandmother and gave me a deep appreciation for things done by hand.
Mabel made me my first quilt, which I will show you all sometime. Should I have children, that quilt and its matching pillow is my daughter’s. Mabel also made awesome apple turnovers, the like of which I’ve never had again. She provided our house with various jellies and jams for all the years I was growing up in that house. She used to go to Louisiana to visit her family and pick mayhaws and come back and make ‘em into jelly. Mmmmm. She also had a big garden and taught me how to garden as well. I had a postage-sized plot out back that gave me great joy. She canned a lot of vegetables- she is the reason I adore pickled okra today.
One of the major things that Mabel did was make ceramics. She was not a wheel potter, she was a ceramicist; she used molds. She had hundreds of molds on shelves in the garage, all tied up or wrapped with giant rubber bands. She had a big, deep kiln by the door to the kitchen, so deep that my small self couldn’t reach the bottom. She made me various things over the years, and I have 2 of them – a little turtle to put plants in, and a black witch hat. I also have a very pathetic vase she made with me – it’s the paint job that’s mostly pathetic. Mabel was an excellent painter – her colors were even and her finishes glossy. My witch hat isn’t very complicated, but some of the paint jobs she did were really intricate.
Hope you enjoy the little show that my kitten Callie put on with the hat that Mabel made me. Although I don’t know what happened to Mabel after she moved away, I always feel big warm fuzzies for her whenever I get out her handicrafts and remember the things she taught me to love.
@ the Market
October 18, 2007 at 11:32 am | Posted in Blogging, Conference/Fair, Why craft? | 3 CommentsIf you’ve ever been to a craft fair, purchased a craft or piece of art, or sold at a fair, you’ll want to read the following two posts and the comments on them. This is the sort of post to inspire a new appreciation of artisans and handmade items - a great deal goes into the production of these items and what goes into being the person producing them.
I was really sorry to hear about Margaux’s experience at the Crafty Bastards fair in DC. As a regular Barbie-defacer when I was young, I am quite taken with Margaux’s work and the statements she makes with it. I really wish she made something with Barbie hair, as that was my favorite aspect to deface.
I am really disappointed in the show attendees. I am a former DC resident, and although it’s not probably the artsiest place around, it’s not a void, either, so why the unfriendlies? Plus,I’m sure the show attracted plenty of non-residents as well. So why so many people who came to a craft fair and made stupid, insensitive comments. Were they not expecting artisans? And for pete’s sake – the artist is right there and you’re being rude about her art to her face? Hello basic politeness? Plus, what’s up with people telling an artist what she “should” and “should not” be creative about? I think Margaux (and the other artists who put up with this crap) had tremendous restraint.
I have quite a few more thoughts about all this, and hey! I have a blog, so I can sit down and tell all of you all about them. If you want to read (and I am somewhat garrulous), then the rest is after the jump.
Blog Action Day: Crafts, Environmentalism, Swapping, Etc.
October 15, 2007 at 9:05 am | Posted in Environment, Why craft? | 2 CommentsToday, October 15, is what they call Blog Action Day – a day during which bloggers are encouraged to make posts about the same thing – in this case environmentalism. Count me in.
What shall I post, thought I? I’ve already posted about crafts made from recycled stuff. It’s fairly obvious, if you read my blog at all regularly, that I approve of being environmentally conscious, and try to be environmentally friendly myself.
The main way that I try to be environmentally friendly, craft-wise, is by reusing things. For example, I shall soon be going on a hunt for wool sweaters and thrift and vintage stores that I can felt and turn into other shapes. Plus I tend to read Treehugger. Sometimes I feel like an environmentalist just for reading it. Is it totally cliche to like the Sierra Club these days? I still do, and I find myself envying their fundraising budget whenever I go to work, too.
SWAP STUFF:
Participating in swaps also helps with the re-using things. For example, there’s SwapDex, which posts swaps you can participate in. You can also check out the Swap Area on Craftster or log onto Get Crafty and check out the Swap Forum. On this coming Saturday you can participate in the Swap-O-Rama at the Maker Faire Austin or check out the Swap-O-Rama website for other swaps they do. Plus a lot of blogs/websites do swaps periodically, you just have to keep your eyes pieeled.
RECYCLED ART/CRAFT:
Your trash is truly someone else’s treasure. My friend Paula was halfway sure earlier today that a glittery top she gave away found its way into a costume store.
I live in a city that’s fairly environmentally conscious – for example the Keep Austin Beautiful campaign. This city is a place where I’m completely not surprised to see a Cathedral of Junk (and particularly unsurprised to see it on the south side) or have you ever heard of the “Enchanted Forest” work/live space here? I used to read articles about the “forest” back when it was a living place for the homeless. Interesting repurposing. Plus, I swear, Austin has the largest number of resale, consignment, thrift, junk, trash and/or secondhand stores on Earth.
Outside of Austin, the recycle/reuse thing is huge in the Craft world in general. Have you heard of Trashion? It’s a group of Etsy artists that make their art from what others throw away. They even have fashion (trashion, ‘scuse) shows! And you can always find some kind of recycled art/craft being featured on the Craft zine. Re-made plastic shopping bags are completely chic at the moment no matter what they’re turned into.
Plus there’s lots of places to find/get/use vintage, but I’ll get into that on another date!
Social consciousness rambling
October 9, 2007 at 10:02 pm | Posted in Crafting for Charity, Indie!, Why craft? | 2 CommentsConsciousness, y’all. Awareness. Thoughtfulness. I believe in it. And it’s why I talk about crafters, independent artists and small sellers all the time. It’s also, in large part, why I work for a non-profit organization. I like to think about what my time, energy and money supports. And I want to do what I say I believe in. Forgive me while I ponder that a minute…
When I go shopping, sometimes it’s hard.
When I purchase something, I ponder where my hard-earned money goes. I wonder what the company is putting my money toward. I wonder if what I bought was worth what I paid. Was the quality everything I desired? Whose pockets did I just line? Did the worker(s) who actually made the item actually get any of the money that I paid for it? Does the company who sold it to me, or who made it, have business practices I agree with?
We all have priorities, right? For some, finding the lowest-cost item is THE one and only priority. But for many people – in fact an increasing number of people – it’s important to support certain business practices and models, and price becomes a less important, or perhaps a secondary consideration.
Many businesses these days are finding out that operating according to certain “socially-conscious” ideas is really attractive to their customers. This is why you see a Subaru commercial on TV that touts its environmentally pristine, landfill-free plant in Indiana. Subaru isn’t advertising their cheap cost – they’re telling you that they’re eco-friendly and American. They’re selling to people whose priorities and values are based on more than just cost.
i think Indie Shopping is the best way I know of to be a responsible consumer. I know, for example, that the money I spent went to the maker. I often know whether the maker is ecologically conscious. I know who owns the business, and sometimes something of their story. I have, in general, a much greater chance of knowing that my hard-earned dollars got spent responsibly, and aren’t supporting things I don’t like.
Here I am, rambling on… so I guess I should at least say that this whole train of thought was started when I roamed by the outfit Marmalade Pink. Marmalade Pink is “a co-operative of online women-owned businesses supporting socially conscious shopping.”
Their definition of “socially conscious shopping” is a bit different than mine – their definition is sustainable, eco-friendly products, while I think that choosing to purchase from, say, a woman-owned business or an independent business is also socially conscious. That Wiki article I linked to above thinks a little differently about what social consciousness is. Perhaps my definition is influenced by pop culture! But I think, and you may disagree, that what it comes down to is that “socially conscious” really means “what are your priorities apart from money?”
We all have to think about money – where it comes from, where it’s going. But it doesn’t have to mean that we just fling it about carelessly. When you pay for things, you support their existence, you say “I agree with what you’re doing – keep on going, I’ll support you.” The question is – right now, are you saying what you think you’re saying?
Craft Brunch
October 1, 2007 at 8:15 am | Posted in Fabric-Related, People Doing Crafts, Weekend Warrior, Why craft? | 4 Comments
Happy October!!
Yesterday I had the happy fortune of having brunch at a cafe here in Austin with a friend. After noshing, I provided what I hope was a relatively decent explanation of crochet for a friend who wants to learn the art. Sunday Brunch is my favorite meal – husband and I often had brunch on Sundays at a cafe down the street when we lived in Manhattan, and I’ve continued to love the idea. And sharing crafting is one of my favorite things to do. It was a *great* Sunday afternoon.
Yesterday’s get-together was occasioned by my friend Paula’s receipt of a crocheting kit. Paula would like to make a blanket eventually, but when she wrote me last week all she had was yarn , a hook and completely confusing directions for making a granny square scarf. It is true that providing directions for crochet is hard: crocheting is essentially the art of making various types of knots into a piece of cloth using a single hook. And at the moment, Paula is in that really interesting stage of trying to get the feel of manipulating the hook and yarn together while not having the whole thing fall apart. I remember that stage well, and in fact Paula’s beginning efforts yesterday were a great deal more effective than my own a couple of years ago. I know she doesn’t think so, but she’s never seen how I started out. Although she now knows my little “secret” that I only manage to create a “real” slip stitch about a quarter of the time, I did hopefully manage to show her how to do a chain stitch and a single crochet.
Jean Railla, in Volume 4 of Craft, talks about how one of the important aspects of today’s crafting movement is how many crafters & artisans are intent on spreading the love of DIY around. So many of us post tutorials, tips & tricks on our websites to share what knowledge we’ve gleaned about our crafts. Even on Etsy, in a lot of cases you can not only buy a crocheted object but the pattern as well.
Crafters are usually not a jealous bunch – the point is not knowing but doing: making stuff & creating something, not keeping our proprietary knowledge squirreled away. When it comes right down to it, someone else’s version of my craft isn’t going to be the same anyway – I’m sure that they will add their own unique elements to it, their own style, their own sense of self. They won’t choose the same yarn or color, and they’ll probably tweak it, improve it. I like that, and I do that myself to others’ patterns. If I provide a pattern for something, I don’t even care if someone else makes it to sell – if it works for them, great!
Crafting is a skill: something to learn and to get better at, something that provides a medium for expression, something to take pride in. Crafting is also a pasttime: something to do when you’re bored, something to spend time doing when you read or watch a movie. Crafting is friendly: passing on skills, connecting at craft fairs, reading and writing blogs online. And hopefully, it’s enjoyable most of all.
Guest Post: Melissa’s Scarf
September 5, 2007 at 9:46 pm | Posted in Fabric-Related, Guests, People Doing Crafts, Why craft? | 1 Comment
My most frequent commenter is also a knitter and general crafter as well as a very old friend of mine. Her name’s Melissa (left). Recently she showed me her first finished knitting project, described below, and I thought hey – it’s not all about me, right? No, seriously, it’s really awesome to see others’ projects and see the joy they get out of making (and finishing!) things. Maybe Melissa will send us a picture of her mother wearing the scarf later, eh? Without further ado, I present:
Melissa and the Scarf
When Miriam asked me to contribute a guest entry on my first knitting project, I hemmed and hawed like crazy. I’m very much a beginning knitter, and I don’t have a ton of confidence in my skills yet. But considering my limited abilities at this point, I was delighted with how my first project– a soft heathered-blue scarf I knitted for my mom (shown right)– turned out.
I’m more or less a “dabbler” when it comes to crafts. Since childhood, I’ve tried on different crafts, looking to fulfill a longstanding desire to, well, create. But I’ve often abandoned projects after starting them, or become frustrated and quit before getting good at something. You name it, I’ve tried it through the years – crochet, cross stitch, puff painting T-shirts, stamps, acrylics, calligraphy, needlepoint. I still haven’t finished a cross-stitch kit I bought in 1994! So learning how to knit, and actually completing a project, gave me quite a sense of triumph. And with knitting, I think I’ve found the crafting hobby (or at least one of the crafting hobbies) that suits me best.
I didn’t know how to go about tackling my first project. After mastering the knits and purls and practicing ribbing, seed stitching and other techniques, I knew it was time to complete something. But I was afraid of attempting to read knitting instructions. I taught myself to knit left-handed, and I still don’t understand completely how to translate patterns for a lefty. (That’s a confusing endeavor I’ll have to embark upon as I go). A friend and fellow knitter suggested I keep it simple and just use the most basic stitch there is – the garter stitch – to make an uncomplicated scarf. No pattern, just knitting until the scarf seemed long enough, then binding off.
I chose a bulky yarn that is quickly becoming my favorite for projects – Lions’ Brand Homespun yarn, for this project in Blue Sky. The yarn is so silky, easy to work with, and has subtle color variations that I just love. I used large, size 17 needles, and because of the bulky yarn and the big needles the scarf was done in record time.
I haven’t given the scarf to my mom yet, because I completed it in August, and my mother lives in Houston, Texas. (She won’t need a scarf until at least November). But I’m so excited for her to wear it, and now I want to give knitted things to everyone! Friends, beware – scarves, bags, blankets and even tea cozies might be coming your way.
I’ve heard many people describe knitting as a meditative practice – a technique to calm the mind, its rhythmic needle-flicking and yarn-wrapping soothing the soul. It’s true for me, and I need more of that calmness in my life.
So now I’m already at work on my next project, a baby blanket for my friend’s little girl. And once again I’m using Homespun yarn, this time in Lemonade (such a pretty, sunny yellow!) It’s going to take awhile to finish. But I’m addicted to the pretty yarn, and to knitting in general. I think this hobby is a keeper.
Why craft?
August 17, 2007 at 9:16 pm | Posted in Indie!, Why craft? | Leave a commentThere are a lot of reasons to craft, to like crafting, to feel good about crafting. So today I’m going to share with you things from other people and a little snippet about another reason I like to craft.
The other day I posted about why I think it’s important that people support small businesses. This is a theme of my life, and I think I’m fortunate to live in a place like Austin, TX where supporting local businesses is a priority for so many. For example, there’s the Austin Independent Business Alliance – an organization which came up with now-locally familiar slogan “Keep Austin Weird.” I understand that the “keep weird” phenomenon has spread to other cities as well – yay!
But that’s digressing. Mostly, I wanted to pass along an Angry Chicken blog post about something recently in the news – toys made in China. She writes her thoughts about this and handmade toys, something along the lines of “consumerism, mass production and cheap labor” to quote her exactly. Seems there are others thinking along the same lines I am.
The other thing I wanted to pass along was something that Lion Brand yarn calls the “Sisterhood of the Needle” – otherwise known as a bunch of stories from people who love knitting and crocheting about their experiences with it. Some good reading. I was thinking about all the people in there – family a lot of the time – who practice needlework together.
I wish I’d gotten to do some of that kind of thing with my grandmother. She passed away some years ago – almost 10 – well before I got interested in crochet. But in fact, she was the person who made me interested in it at all. She was a skilled crocheter, focusing on intricate projects using thread and small hooks. She made doll clothing sort of like what I’ve pictured to the right – very, very detailed, with hats, accessories – even undergarments! There was a black-and-white spanish dress with layers and layers of ruffles that I remember being really impressed with. I also remember wondering how anyone could be so patient as to create something like that!
So anyway, there’s a couple more reasons why I find myself on the crafting side of the fence. The question is more – how could I not be?
Impatience and Creativity
July 31, 2007 at 8:50 pm | Posted in Finished Projects, Painting/Drawing, Why craft? | 1 CommentWhen I am feeling impatient, I become creative. Typically, I start painting or sewing. Usually painting. What reminds me of this is what I did a week or so ago when I was waiting for the new Harry Potter book to appear on my doorstep (which it never did – I had to go purchase it. Thanks, Amazon).
The day I was waiting for Potter was extraordinarily productive. I completed two paintings. I do not have these to show, as I’m waiting until the entire project is complete (I’m doing sixteen related ones for my living room).
But I do have this basket to show, which I was reminded of that day. This painted basket is actually titled “Impatience” and that’s what it reads on the bottom.
This incredibly involved thing was painted when I first met my husband 7 years ago. I was very taken with him from the first hours we spent together, and I was trying to be patient and not get too ahead of myself. So while I was trying to be patient and failing, I painted. Often I painted in the evening when I was waiting for him to show up at my house. Or when I wasn’t going to see him. It was only 15-20 minutes or so every day, so it took about three weeks to complete. It’s been a fixture of my decor ever since, and I now keep my paints in it
The material of the basket is wood, which is my favorite medium. The colors I chose remind me of the colors of Mardi Gras. The forms are ones that I find myself painting often – organically-shaped mazes, rhythmic yet detailed and precise shapes. It definitely looks like I painted it and no one else. If nothing else, this basket is definitely my colors, my shapes, my design, my material.
I tend toward these sort of engaging, involved projects when I’m impatient because I can really wear myself out without something to do. This takes up the mental space that would’ve gone into becoming a nervous wreck while waiting for whatever. I don’t wait easily. It’s my way of turning what would otherwise be a negative experience into something positive. And that, my friends, is reason #100,394 of why I craft.
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