Friday, July 03, 2009

Lucky People

It's not about what you make, it's that you make it.

It can be yarn, a sweater or lace shawl, miles of fabric or a garden, a good dinner, or a welded sculpture of a tree. Just use your hands, make something.

I am just home from Olds, and had much time to ruminate on the trip back. I packed my knitting. Say that again: I packed the knitting and just sat there (well sometimes snoozing).

Good thinking time.

We are lucky people, we who spin, knit, weave and felt. We gather at conferences like Olds, even in difficult economic times. We have reason to come together, to learn, to teach, to practice, to perfect, to meet new people and catch up with old friends.

And we make things with our hands. We watch just how to turn a wrist so the fiber flows more smoothly. We look at beautiful plain weave fabrics that have complex surface interest without using complex tools. Using just our hands, we can feel the difference, feel what is real, what is timeless, what is made by hands.

Olds? Good times. Good weather, and some fabulous conversations. Teaching, both formal classes and informally, around the table at meals, or on the porch in the evenings. Sharing, both intentionally and not. A little wine occassionally too, although some of us (Lisa) had to wear our wine.

And to Vicki? I have the hand cream, thank you! I will remember this kind gesture the next time I see you.

kumihimo

What goes around, comes around.

5 Comments:

Blogger Birdsong said...

Glad to hear you had such a lovely time! It is the gathering together, definitely, that makes hanging out with fiber people so wonderful.

3:20 PM  
Blogger Charlene said...

Sara, you're so absolutely right, and I genuinely pity the people who lack that compulsion (for it surely is one) and therefore are denied the pleasure and satisfaction of having created something. And that's also why, way back when people were gung ho about that fake cross stitch that they were doing with puffy paint (yes, yuck), I tried not to mock (much) because as least they were making something, and able to indulge in the deliciousness of the urge, even if the end result was not to my (probably elitist, as if that's a bad thing) tastes.

But absolutely yes: making stuff.

If I were forced to get vanity plates (the thought of which alarms me in so many ways), and I could abbreviate it suitably and sensibly, I'd probably have "MAKES STUFF" on mine.

6:26 AM  
Blogger Vicki Foster said...

Oh, Sara! I'm so happy you received the "hand cream" ;0) It was such a pleasure to be in the townhouse with you and the other instructors. I was very inspired by the warm welcome and experience you shared with me.

Now, to find time to do what I love. Something has to give, perhaps it's time for a grande purge of my life belongings to make room for the new.

Thanks again! I look forward to seeing you again.

Vicki

1:45 PM  
Blogger earthfairies said...

Sara, I am interested in some of your dyed tussah silk in the solid colors. Do you sell these? Please let me know. Thank you so much. You can reach me at earthfairies@gmail.com

Kind regards,
Wendy

7:43 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cretivity never dies. It grows even more when you try to kill it. Sorry for bumping.

11:34 AM  

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