I am always looking for more art to decorate the walls of
my studio and today I thought to myself, "what about art that portrays knitting?" So I set off to find some. The results were interesting. As much as there is a craft renaissance of sorts right now and a
lot of knitters out there, it seems like there is still a stigma about knitting among non-knitters.
With Grandma
It's that thing your grandma does, or something quaint but not actually of interest to people. The overwhelming majority of what I found was tagged as "art for nurseries" and a lot of it didn't seem to capture the delight and comfort those of us who knit find in fiber.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this - do you find there is still a knitting stigma out there? I often find myself getting looks of sheer horror from people my age when I knit on public transportation.
But, I did find a few pieces I loved and I hope you enjoy them too.
The Girl Who Knitted Love
Knitting Girl on 7 Train to Sunnyside
I will keep on knitting in public, hopefully changing this stigma and teaching people about knitting: people of all ages, and genders, are knitters. Also, knitting is a lot of work. Maybe by watching knitting in action, people will start to understand why hand-knit goods aren't priced at $5 a piece.
This one - this one is my alter ego.
Superhero Girl
Images borrowed from each artist's shop
I adore these images, Ana, and though it's a fascinating topic, I honestly don't care about any stigma associated with knitting. My grandmother taught me to crochet. What an honor and pleasure it was to learn from her. It made me feel close to her in a way nothing else did, and I like to think that some of her artistry carries on through my work. For me, knitting, crocheting, felting, and needlework of all kind reveals a nurturing tendency since it's often wearable art. The world and its humans all need a bit more comfort these days. xo
ReplyDeleteLara, thanks for commenting! I agree, there is something so precious about a skill passed down from generation to generation. And in a way, there's another question too - there's some comfort in being part of something that is "on the fringe" of mainstream. I wonder if people learning more about knitting means knitting will get more respect, or will it lose some of its appeal?
DeleteI think knitting is at an all-time glamorous! So many of my friends seem to envy me my crochet "thing." I'm very much a novice, but I've gotten good enough at the few things I do with yarn that I'm ready to move on and become more skilled. That's such a joy, the learning and growing, and I believe the lushness and texture of yarn as well as the private quiet time inherent in knitting are some of what women (and men) are craving. When I taught, my girl as well as my boy students were fascinated with the crocheting I did while they were testing or during breaks. I loved showing them that they could easily learn too. ; )
DeleteMechanically knitted and washed for shrinkage, boiled wool is very soft and often used for scarves, hats, jackets, and other cold weather garments. Boiled wool is most commonly seen in dress fabric as well. Silmukanpidin
ReplyDelete