Sunday, January 18, 2009
Knitting for Good
I may run a sewn-goods business, but my re-introduction to the world of craft came through knitting more than sewing. I say re-introduction because I was very crafty through early college. I started sewing clothes for my dolls at age 7, progressed to making counted-cross stitch and needlepoint gifts, embroidered C's on several of my shirts during late elementary school (when I really wanted to be as cool as Laverne and Shirley), made Jamz for my brothers and I during the 80's, and so much more. I was so crafty, and so unaware that there was a right way and a wrong way to learn a craft, that I taught myself to knit by reading a Woman's Day magazine in 1986 and my first project was a sweater. It was awful. It didn't fit, the yarn was crappy, it was all stretched out and gross after just a few wearings. But I wore it because I was proud of it. Very, very proud of it.
Flash forward about 15 years and I realize that I've lost touch with crafty side so after making a lot of tatted pieces that just didn't get used on much of anything useful, I started knitting again. And this was in 2001, when the Great Blog Creation was beginning. Since I was turning to the internet for all kinds of things, and since I'd learned so much about tatting from the internet, I began to read about knitting. And I was blown away to find out that I wasn't the only woman who had been an awkward, crafty girl with a skateboard, skinned knees, and a desire to make things with yarn. It was awesome and for the first time I stopped trying to hide my crafty side. I became proud of it. I had understanding. And as I began to "meet" people online, I began to realize that there were some amazing people writing about crafting, activism, changing the world, and politics all at the same time. Betsy Greer was one of those people. Her site Craftivism opened my eyes to a lot of things and made me see my actions in a more global framework. Making a knit baby blanket and bundling it up with some baby powder, washcloths, and a hair brush seemed like a minor way to donate my time to a great cause. But Betsy made me realize that this small act of kindness on my part had resulted in a positive effect on the life of someone I would never meet.
Betsy's first book has been out for a few months now and if you're at all interested in crafting and how it can be used to improve not only your personal world, but the greater world around you, I can't recommend it more highly. Knitting for Good is a great read that includes "larger framework" political perspective, great essays by wonderful crafters (yours truly included in that), and free patterns that you can make for yourself or for a non-profit that seeks out hand-knitted items.
Betsy suggests, and I think all the craft mafia members would agree with her, that taking some time to slow down and think through a project that you are creating can have a therapeutic effect on you and each project is one step closer to a better world. Creation is a great expression of energy. And is positive effects will take one further than you could imagine. Betsy can show you how to make your creative energy impactful in a larger manner.
posted on 11:44 PM by Cinnamon