People Need to Be Re-Educated!
Time for one of my classic rants! Often I'm being contrary, but this time I'm ranting in favor of something - something I think really needs to be promoted. Not that my topic is original, I've found snips and dabs of it on other writers' blogs. It's all about brain washing by commercial manufacturers and high paid media advertisers.
Of course with the mega-commercialism of the holiday season, we just see a lot more of this type of hog-wash: <Buy "X" because your loved one deserves the very best!> Those of us born in the post-war era don't know anything different because we have been bathed in it since we were able to hear. We have been methodically programmed to believe that mass-produced goods are better. Commercially produced is superior quality. Manufactured is more stylish, more attractive, more desireable. If you paid for it, it's better and the more you paid, the better it is. Haven't we all lived by their mantra? Why grow vegetables when you can buy them pre-packaged frozen or canned? Why sew or knit when buying is faster and makes you look exactly like everyone else (rather badly fitted)? Yes, yes, yes, some things really do need to be purchased as mass-produced goods (like an automobile) but NOT everything.
I think in this regard we are more or less in agreement, being spinners and knitters and crocheters and weavers, right? We know the superior quality and fit that can be achieved by custom made. We are all familiar with commercially produced goods yet we deliberately choose to spin our own yarns and create our own garments. Do our projects look like they were made by perfectionist geniuses? Some perhaps, many more look like they were made by perfectionist-geniuses-in-the-making.
What commercial mass-producers can't sell us on is the impersonalization of goods. We understand the gift-of-self involved in our fiber arts. That is the intangible value-added they can't brag about to sell us their wares. Show me a family heirloom that was purchased at Wal-Mart!
I have often pondered what is the number one thing that has had a negative effect on people's mental image of "hand made" in this recent generation. Believe it or not, I think it's plastic. The plastics revolution dramatically changed how consumers looked at everything from dishes to shoes to cars. When plastic invaded the fiber world (aka 70's Phentex) non-craft people went - "Oh, hand made means cheap plastic yarn!" My apologies to those who went ga-ga over it, but in my opinion it gave a real black eye to fiber crafting in general. As a child I'll never forget those Phentex ponchos that were stifling hot to wear and scratchy like steel wool to boot. I wore mine as little as possible! They were everywhere like a plague of chicken pox. Does anyone still have one carefully laid away in a cedar chest to pass on to grandchildren to show them the glory of their era? Not likely! But the imprint that craze had is still with us today. We are all familiar with those thoughtless, cutting remarks made by those who think we're "too cheap to go out and buy a decent pair of socks" or "If you really need a cheap sweater just go to the Sally Ann dear".
This generation is so collectively poisoned in it's thinking! And there is no better medium to change that mindset than the internet! The literally tens of thousands signing on to Ravelry is one of the most encouraging signs I've seen in a long time! People are re-discovering the intrinsic value in the classic meaning of the word "Handcraft". Hooray!
With this idea in mind I spent a bit of time making some buttons to share and posted them on my sidebar. They are not spectacular or professional-looking - maybe those of you to whom Photoshop is second nature can (and should) make better ones. Please feel free to take them, if you think they're not too shabby to put on your sidebar or anywhere else you'd like to post them.
The idea is that those items we treasure as heirlooms are treasured because they were crafted by hand. We value that gift-of-self and talent that went into the creation of it. People need to be reminded of that. Crafters need to help them remember.....
Of course with the mega-commercialism of the holiday season, we just see a lot more of this type of hog-wash: <Buy "X" because your loved one deserves the very best!> Those of us born in the post-war era don't know anything different because we have been bathed in it since we were able to hear. We have been methodically programmed to believe that mass-produced goods are better. Commercially produced is superior quality. Manufactured is more stylish, more attractive, more desireable. If you paid for it, it's better and the more you paid, the better it is. Haven't we all lived by their mantra? Why grow vegetables when you can buy them pre-packaged frozen or canned? Why sew or knit when buying is faster and makes you look exactly like everyone else (rather badly fitted)? Yes, yes, yes, some things really do need to be purchased as mass-produced goods (like an automobile) but NOT everything.
I think in this regard we are more or less in agreement, being spinners and knitters and crocheters and weavers, right? We know the superior quality and fit that can be achieved by custom made. We are all familiar with commercially produced goods yet we deliberately choose to spin our own yarns and create our own garments. Do our projects look like they were made by perfectionist geniuses? Some perhaps, many more look like they were made by perfectionist-geniuses-in-the-making.
What commercial mass-producers can't sell us on is the impersonalization of goods. We understand the gift-of-self involved in our fiber arts. That is the intangible value-added they can't brag about to sell us their wares. Show me a family heirloom that was purchased at Wal-Mart!
I have often pondered what is the number one thing that has had a negative effect on people's mental image of "hand made" in this recent generation. Believe it or not, I think it's plastic. The plastics revolution dramatically changed how consumers looked at everything from dishes to shoes to cars. When plastic invaded the fiber world (aka 70's Phentex) non-craft people went - "Oh, hand made means cheap plastic yarn!" My apologies to those who went ga-ga over it, but in my opinion it gave a real black eye to fiber crafting in general. As a child I'll never forget those Phentex ponchos that were stifling hot to wear and scratchy like steel wool to boot. I wore mine as little as possible! They were everywhere like a plague of chicken pox. Does anyone still have one carefully laid away in a cedar chest to pass on to grandchildren to show them the glory of their era? Not likely! But the imprint that craze had is still with us today. We are all familiar with those thoughtless, cutting remarks made by those who think we're "too cheap to go out and buy a decent pair of socks" or "If you really need a cheap sweater just go to the Sally Ann dear".
This generation is so collectively poisoned in it's thinking! And there is no better medium to change that mindset than the internet! The literally tens of thousands signing on to Ravelry is one of the most encouraging signs I've seen in a long time! People are re-discovering the intrinsic value in the classic meaning of the word "Handcraft". Hooray!
With this idea in mind I spent a bit of time making some buttons to share and posted them on my sidebar. They are not spectacular or professional-looking - maybe those of you to whom Photoshop is second nature can (and should) make better ones. Please feel free to take them, if you think they're not too shabby to put on your sidebar or anywhere else you'd like to post them.
The idea is that those items we treasure as heirlooms are treasured because they were crafted by hand. We value that gift-of-self and talent that went into the creation of it. People need to be reminded of that. Crafters need to help them remember.....
I am so with you fiber sister! I'm taking a button and proudly posting it on my site
Reply to this
Well said! I am rather new to the fiber arts, but have always admired folks that were talented enough to hand make items.
I've found in my short one year of knitting and weaving that nearly everyone that sees my handmade items also says something along the lines of "I would love to learn to knit or weave."
One person at a time I'm trying to pass on the joy of fiber arts. Even if it is as small as explaining where or how the fiber came to be yarn. I think that just like with anything, education is the key!
Thanks for the button, I'll try to figure out how to add it to my sidebar!
Happy Holidays!
Reply to this
I just had a conversation with my mother, which makes your point. My dad's going to be 70 coming February. She's calling around asking people what they are going to buy him for his B-day. I told her that I'm spinning some wool to knit him somehting. Ha, was all she said. She thinks it's not good enough. She'd rather have me buy him something he doesn't need, but looks expensive. He's got everything he needs, really. He's a painter as well as good in working with wood. I'm sure he'll understand the hours I'm going to put into his present. I'm going to think of him every minute I'm sitting there, working on it. I'm not mad at my mom, I know what she likes. I will not spend time for a gift for her, but buy her several kitsch big jewelry for her B-day, and she will be happy. The bigger the better. :o)Oh, and I understand why they crinch when talking about wool, and woolen things. They only knew very scratchy stuff, not the soft merino we all know today. I'm going to show them how wonderful knitted items can be nowadays. BTW she also asked me what I would give my grandma for Christmas. Something knitted? But not socks, she's knitting socks herself. Well, I'm not giving her socks, because I already gave her some for her birthday. She's getting a shawl. Although my grandma is still knitting socks, they are never for her, and she gets the harsh sock yarn, with lots of synthetic fibers in it. I made her cashmere socks, and she LOVED them. She's 85, so she'll not run around a lot, the socks will hold up for quite some time. I asked my granny if the socks fit O.K. She laughed and said, if not, I just pull them up higher. As long as they are from me, made for her, she's very happy! And so am I. :o) Took you button.
Reply to this
You go girl! And you're absolutely right! Some people will only 'get it' if you show them, and even then sometimes they don't! LOL! In bygone days wool was very commonly used from meat breed sheep and it was very coarse. Most farmers couldn't afford wool-only sheep back in the days when the only part of the pig they didn't use was the oink....
Your Granny is one lucky gal, cashmere socks! - and so are you to still have her to knit for! Isn't that the best part of giving someone like that a gift, when they KNOW and appreciate what really went into it?? Sweet!
Reply to this
Did you see the button I made and put on my blog? :o)
Reply to this