Although I’ve never reached expert level in any sphere of stitching; knitting, crochet and sewing have always been an essential background to my life. Your observations are very helpful in my understanding why the process is still as important to me as oil painting. In the early 1950’s, like most girls, I was introduced to the importance of stitching at school for sexist, utilitarian reasons. However, I still enjoy the tiny “kettle holder” that hangs by my cooker today. The carefully stitched words and folded one inch cross-stitched border of my small hessian scrap speak to me when recalling the process of ‘being allowed’ to create it all on my own. I often lift the button-holed loop off the hook to ‘hold it in my hands’, but has never held a kettle and now it never will. Nevertheless, it was made with good intention! I am so glad that stitching is re-entering the curriculum for all by other routes, that the process is being re-imagined and valued by young people like yourself.
Thank-you so much for your insightful writing and very best wishes for your new adventure.
I can really relate to this, I started crochet a year ago and included it in one of my weekly process art sessions over the summer (right after we did the stitch, paint ,cloth pathway from access art).
Although I’ve never reached expert level in any sphere of stitching; knitting, crochet and sewing have always been an essential background to my life. Your observations are very helpful in my understanding why the process is still as important to me as oil painting. In the early 1950’s, like most girls, I was introduced to the importance of stitching at school for sexist, utilitarian reasons. However, I still enjoy the tiny “kettle holder” that hangs by my cooker today. The carefully stitched words and folded one inch cross-stitched border of my small hessian scrap speak to me when recalling the process of ‘being allowed’ to create it all on my own. I often lift the button-holed loop off the hook to ‘hold it in my hands’, but has never held a kettle and now it never will. Nevertheless, it was made with good intention! I am so glad that stitching is re-entering the curriculum for all by other routes, that the process is being re-imagined and valued by young people like yourself.
Thank-you so much for your insightful writing and very best wishes for your new adventure.
I can really relate to this, I started crochet a year ago and included it in one of my weekly process art sessions over the summer (right after we did the stitch, paint ,cloth pathway from access art).