Weave on Wednesday
Post Prologue:
The fiber creation process has always been intensely satisfying, albeit intimidating, where I ponder and introspect myself nearly to death! As I continue to look back at blog-posts-gone-by, the neuroses are evident even in those early weaving days...
Blessing and Curse (originally published 10 June 2006)
Warning: Thursday-Night-Knitting-Friend-Mary once said, ‘Never knit when you’re tired or drunk.’ I’d say there’s a lot of truth in that. I wonder if the same holds true for introspection? But as it is now Sunday (albeit the wee small hours of the morning), I’d like to do some self-reflection. Tired blather? Maybe, so proceed at your own risk…
Having recently entered the sub-cultural fibre-world, I think having instant access to hundreds, thousands, or hundreds of thousands of blogs is a blessing. How inspiring it is to be able to click into someone’s life and see the wonderfully fascinating creations that are dripping from exceedingly talented hands! Aahh…
But having recently entered the sub-cultural fibre-world, I think having instant access to hundreds, thousands or hundreds of thousands of blogs is a curse. I am simply overwhelmed by the quantity of craftspeople there are in the world and mind-boggled at how creative they are and how much stuff they create! Whew!
And after starting by reading a few blogs, I am then connected to the blogs they read, which brings me to yet more creatively talented individuals who then share the 80+ blogs that they are inspired by, which sends me down another rabbit hole of creativity. I’m tellin’ ya, it does my head in! It’s like an addiction and seeing all that talent in the world leads me to realise that…
I am a hack.
I am glaringly mediocre.
And as much as I’d like to mentally and emotionally crash and burn at those two facts, I have to say…I’m okay with it. More so, as a cathartic exercise, I’ve made a short list of Confessions as a Craftsperson:
1. I will never be a master knitter, weaver, spinner, dyer, or _____ (fill in any fibre-related noun).
2. I will (probably) never be able to make a living out of being a _____ (fill in any fibre-related noun).
3. My things will merely make nice Christmas pressies for family and friends.
4. I will never have enough time in the day to create all that I want.
5. I’m way too hard on myself.
6. There will always be someone who is more experienced, more talented and more creative than me, for such is life in the Creative Food Chain.
7. In that Chain I am a guppie.
For all that, I’m still okay, because I don’t want to do what I do in comparison to anyone else but me. And why do I do what I do? I knit or weave or spin or dye or _____ (fill in any fibre-related verb) to work out in tangible form what is in me. See my first woven scarf? You know…it’s not bad and it’s something I created with my own two hands, which is something to celebrate!
Seeing your early scarf reminded me that I’ve been meaning to tell you my mother-in-law adores the scarf I bought from your etsy shop. It became her standard winter adornment this year. So what started as gifts for your loved ones has now spread to being gifts for the loved ones of others. I’d say that’s an accomplishment.
15 Apr 2009 at 1:26 am
That pretty much articulates what I think. There are some amazing artists out there, generous ones too that share their skills to inspire the creativity in others. The fact that mine doesn’t lead to as spectacular results I am oddly comfortable with. It is odd that craft has lead me to a place where I am ok with being ok. And I like it.
Thanks for republishing a post I would otherwise have missed.
15 Apr 2009 at 6:41 am
I agree – but if you look closely at many of those artists, you very often find that they stick to one technique only! of course you’ll get much more practise and experience if you do that. if you’re a dabbler in many techniques you spread your time and efforts:)) I think we should listen to criticism – but we should stand by our work too! if you’re happy with it, that’s all that counts!
15 Apr 2009 at 7:31 am
Hiya, that is how I feel…this blogging work is amazing and I think that YOU are one of those awesome artists!!
Thank you for sharing your blog, making the time to send replies and say hello.
How is the old man going? Have you walked by recently?
Debs : )
15 Apr 2009 at 8:48 am
Loved this post the first time I read it, and love it still today. Truth stands through time. Thank you for honestly sharing your life and thoughts so openly with us!
Jennifer
15 Apr 2009 at 4:05 pm
So you’ve become one of those knitter-bloggers that newbies like me read and go, “yeah, I wanna be like her!”
Starting with spelling fiber “fibre”
I’m sending you a picture of My First Sock. Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement!
15 Apr 2009 at 9:58 pm
For some reason you made me think about a quote from The Great Gatsby that I talked to my students about today. The narrator, Nick says, ” I was going to… become again that most limited of all specialists, the “well-rounded man..” I’d must rather be the “well-rounded woman” than specializing in becoming an incredible knitter. It seems like that’s your attitude too….even though you’re a much more sophisticated knitter than I am.
16 Apr 2009 at 10:09 pm
I read something recently that reminded me of you and your job. I hope yours isn’t as crazy as this one!
http://the-ravelld-sleave.blogspot.com/2009/04/penitentiary-life-week-4.html
17 Apr 2009 at 11:16 am
Your Confessions exactly echoed my feelings, but perhaps #5 especially so. We shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves. Your woven scarf is truly lovely. I also try to remember the creed of the Arts and Crafts movement whose proponents believed that a hand-crafted object was inherently more desirable, beautiful, serviceable, and worthy of human endeavor than anything made by machine
19 Apr 2009 at 1:59 pm
Cheryl you are absolutely one who I admire and hold aloft. Your words and work are inspiring and a pleasure to me and many others, so I think the truest of all your confessions is number 5, don’t be so hard on yourself.
22 Apr 2009 at 4:09 pm