Since my youth in the 60's I have believed that anything handmade is superior to anything commercially produced or "store bought." I still believe this, and that is one reason I continue to create useful crafty items for myself, family and friends.
 |
and partly I like knitting for the process--I just plain enjoy sitting and knitting. But part of the pleasure is also seeing someone wearing and enjoying the finished knitted item.
And I also know that the quality of the knitting and the quality of the yarn one rarely sees in a "store bought" knitted item (especially socks!). I like that whatever I create is very good quality and will wear and last a long time.
I remember once showing my Grandmother--in the '70's---yarn I had handspun and was knitting into a vest. She asked me why I would go to all that trouble to spin yarn when I could just buy yarn? She was knitter--but not a spinner--so she understood why I would knit a vest...but didn't understand why I wanted to spin yarn. I don't remember what I answered--but I know now that it was partly the process of spinning (very relaxing!) and partly the quality of the yarn..and partly the satisfaction of learning an ancient skill.
People are always asking me if I sell my knitted items;
mostly I don't sell them--I prefer to give them away.
I am not a fast enough knitter to make any real money selling what I make...and I rarely make anything with the idea of selling it...I usually knit something for a specific person....
or for myself. I enjoy picking out the yarn that I feel matches the person I am making the item for and that fits the project. Socks for my sister? ah! she would love these colors...
I have set a new goal for myself---for this winter. I want to knit enough pairs of socks for myself that I can get rid of ALL crummy "store bought" socks, and only have hand knit ones for myself. Of course, this means knitting pairs of socks in a variety of weights and fibers..from wools to light weight cotton.
Seems a worthy goal...and one that fits with my conviction that hand made is best.
Posts
4 comments:
I'm a firm believer that handmade is best too. I've made myself 4 pairs of socks given a pair to my mom, and 2 pair for my husband. I have a few skeins of sock weight yarns to play with but I need to finish the sock on my needles and Summer just isn't the time that I think about that... Love those citrus-ie colors of the socks you are modeling! Have fun--
Couldn't agree with you more that "handmade is better..." The pictures of your hand-knitted items are evidence of that, and the love you put into your work comes through as clearly as the quality.
So nice to reconnect with a friend from many, many years ago. Since we last saw each other I've shifted from work as a nurse to being a writer and book artist. I think you'd be interested in my first book, Hands at Work - Portraits and Profiles of People Who Work with Their Hands (http://www.handsworking.com).
Hands at Work includes profiles and photographs of a spinner, a knitter, and a weaver among others who work with their hands. I'm sure you'd resonate with their words about how their work connects them to other people, places and times.
Let's stay in touch!
I totally agree with you. Handmade shows the love that is put into it. I would love to learn to knit socks, but haven't figured it out yet. I think it would be awesome to have all my own knitted socks!
handmade is always better than store-bought... i'm knitting a sweater for myself to wear this fall and winter and i know i'll treat it better than any of my store-bought rags!
Post a Comment