What are you making?

So my wifi situation tonight involves sitting in the dark near a campsite reception. Luckily there are no mozzies, but it means I can't finish the post I was writing.

So I thought I would ask - what are you making at the moment? If you are coming to this year's retreat I'd love to hear if you are making something special (there is absolutely no need to do this but I know some of you will!) And if you aren't coming, I'd love to hear what you are making to wear.

Before last year's retreat I was so nervous about you all enjoying yourselves that I didn't have the headspace to even think about making something special to wear. Luckily I had a fairly substantial handmade wardrobe to dip into :) ! Second time around, because I know we can pull off a really special weekend, I have a little time to do a spot of The Craft Sessions 2014 knitting!! 

I'm limited to what I have with me - luckily that involves the two yarns above. And while the blue-ness and grey-ness of them is making me feel just a little bit predictable, I'm OK with that because they are the most stunning versions of blue and grey. Looking at that photo above just makes me happy. 

The blue Shilasdair is well on the way to becoming Maeve. Although, I am slightly nervous about the fact I am knitting a shrug. While the pattern is sublime, I was a teenager in the 80s. Those of you that were with me in that decade will know what I'm talking about. I'm trying not to think about it too much.

The grey Isager is going to become another Carrie Bostick Hoge pattern called the Imogen Cowl. I have had this in my queue for-ev-er, so I am glad that I finally have a yarn and some time to focus on it. It isn't exactly kid friendly knitting but I hope I should be able to do a few rows in the car here and there.

So I'm looking for some inspiration for when I get back. Not having access to a sewing machine for over 3 months is proving a little frustrating so I am looking to live vicariously through you. Are there any new patterns out there that are tickling your fancy? Are you knitting up a storm?

I'd love to hear….what are you making?

Felicia x

The Great Colourwork Monogamy Strategy

So before we had our first baby, we went to a “Having a Baby” class. A great class with a great teacher – she had wisdom etched in the lines of her face - which is what you want. At the time, with our heads full of the sparkle and static of having our first baby, I didn’t understand that one of the things she taught me, was going to be one of those pieces of self knowledge that changes your life forever.

Sitting crossed legged on the floor, facing our partners, she asked us this simple question. “In stressful times, what is your natural reaction – fight or flight?” Now as I am hhmmming and ahhhmming, my partner is grinning and almost guffawing. Obvious to him and not so much to me, until that moment.

I am a runner. I run metaphorically and I run physically away from the pain. Any pain*. And although I am not a natural runner (if you meet me one day that will make sense) I can run fast when the need arises. When I have a problem, am feeling uncomfortable or unsure, I avoid the whole schmozzle and go to a happy place somewhere else. A little bit “run away, run away”, a little bit “ignore it, it will go away” crossed with a little bit “if it can’t catch me it doesn’t exist”.  

Running can look like lots of things. I can turn anything negative into something positive (otherwise known as running). I can find “solutions” to things that don’t need solving (more running). I can just pretend something isn’t a problem at all but pretending it doesn’t exist (and even more running). I do happy. I don’t do any of that other stuff. Or at least I used to.

About now I can hear you start thinking “but what about the crafting” and “who cares about babies”. And so here comes the lifechanging bit. Learning that piece of information (fight or flight), and really understanding what I do in any situation that is uncomfortable/sad/blah/blah - means that I now have much greater control over my life. Now I watch myself start to run, and often I stage a coup!

And so was born The Great Colourwork Monogamy Strategy. Otherwise known as Monogamy is The New Black.

I’ve talked about my love for multiple projects before on this blog. I think I even titled the post “Multiple projects are the way forward” and I totally still believe it. Some projects for comfort, some for utility, some for presents, some for art etc. Crafting to fit the need or mood you have on the day. Crafting for your life.

However in this case I knew that having multiple projects wasn’t going to get the job done. I knew that this sweater was going to be uncomfortable for me. And I knew I would avoid it. Even though I really wanted to see the outcome, I would avoid the discomfort.

Discomfort because I don’t know that much about colourwork. I don’t know for sure how to combine colours and patterns to achieve the effect (gorgeous!) that I want. It could just as easily turn out to be really ugly. And I like getting things right. Discomfort because I don’t have the internet like I normally would. I couldn’t check my “how-tos” at a moments notice when I wasn’t sure about something technical, like what to do with a float longer than five stitches. And while I was ready to “Rip with Joy” because I wanted to make this jumper something I could be proud of, I knew that there was no way to do this without making lots and lots of mistakes. And mistakes are sometimes uncomfortable. And many many mistakes can take me well into running mode.

Almost finished!

After getting a little way into the knitting  – and realising it had sat in the pile for a good month untouched because I wasn’t sure what to do next – I knew that I needed to act. In this case staging a coup meant looking at all the things I was doing instead of the cardigan and getting rid of them. It was clear that the solution boiled down to some monogamy. I needed nowhere else to turn in my time of need. 

No sweet little Pebble vest calling to me with its ease, constancy and guarantee of a good result.** No brand new, me-designed sweater for the girlchild which I had swatched for in a brilliant blue. No other options. That way the only option available to me – as I would still have to knit – would be to get on and do the colourwork. Sometimes that would mean I would have to sit with the discomfort of not knowing what to do and not knowing what was right. Because I was monogamous. Take that you runner you! You have nowhere to hide.

After posting the instagram picture (from the start of this post) where I thought I was nearly finished, I realised it still didn’t sit right and that I would have to rip it out again. I ripped the yoke three more times after that last photo; at least five times in total. Then I did the neck and got that wrong. And then ripped it and did it again.

This is not the way I normally work. I would rip once and then walk away for a while to recoup. Monogamy was totally working for me. I had to think about the problem rather than avoid it. I had to try different options and step into the unknown*** with no guarantee it would work. I had to be brave. And tenacious. And all the other words you don’t get to be if you are busy running and being happy.

And I feel pretty proud. I’m thinking I might try monogamy again the next time I really want to achieve something difficult.

A week or so ago my monogamy finished (read: was tossed aside with joy) and I am yet to finish the sweater. But I didn’t start anything else until the hard part was done. All that is left to do is the steek and the bands. And they are purely technical. No hard decisions left. Just a requirement for a bit of time and space and light, which are currently in short supply as we are between countries and campsites. When it is done, I’ll get back to you with a little steeking post.

What monogamy was tossed aside for….

In the mean time – do you feel like telling me about how many projects you have on the go?  Or are you a one project kind of gal? Ever tried monogamy?

Felicia x 

* Hence why it is a useful thing to understand if you are about to give birth to a baby.

** I had actually just started one, that I then pulled out – only 3 inches or so – just so it couldn’t sing it’s siren song to me.

*** Indianna Jones style obviously.

The third class and a winner

So first things first! Thank you all for all your lovely birthday wishes. I really loved hearing from so many of you and it gave me some perspective on why you come to this space to read. 

And so without further ado - the books will be heading out to Justine who left the following comment on the blog.

“Congratulations on a huge 12 months !!! I have learnt so much through your posts and look forward to a whole lot more to come ....Thank you for always challenging the way I think and go about my ‘making’. ”

— Justine

Thanks Justine!

And now one more good thing to tell you about today. For those of you coming (or thinking of coming!) then we have one more completely optional class for the Saturday afternoon. It will be run by the super clever Julia Billings and it is the perfect class for all you fibre lovers. Whether you are a crocheter or a knitter or a weaver, having an understanding of what Jules will be sharing will massively increase the amount of success you have with your projects…..

Fibre 101 with Julia Billings

We have access to such a huge array of yarns that choosing the right yarn for a knitting or crochet project can be overwhelming... and yet yarn choice can be the difference between a garment you love and wear forever and a frustrating mess. This class is designed to teach you how to work out the type of yarn best suited to your project and how to find it. Julia will explore the various types of natural fibres and the processes involved in turning them into yarn including scouring, spinning and dyeing. You will learn how these processes influence how a yarn looks, feels and behaves during and after knitting. 

I love everything about this class and just wish it had been around 10 years ago when I was a newborn knitter. It would have saved me so much pain and angst.

See you on Friday.

Felicia x

A question of unbalance*?

So I’m a little bit in love with Kate Tucker (actually a lot) . I know many of you out there will understand. Her painting’s are …..well I have no words except love. I get excited every time I look at one. And then I heard her speak a little at BHB2013 about making time for your creativity in the midst of motherhood and it made me love her even more. But I'll tell you about that some other day.

So I am on the mailing list from the gallery she is represented by and they just sent me a preview catalogue of her latest exhibition Unstable Elements. As expected, in the catalogue is a little bit of a discussion about her process for this body of work and she said this….

“In these works I tried to push everything and I resisted resolution and balance. Yet, despite this, everything seems to find its resolution. They have their own force towards it. I spent a lot of time painting over areas that were perfectly fine because they were not doing what I wanted them to do. Intellectually, I was exploring how I might bring more failure into the images.”

— Kate Tucker's catalogue for her latest exhibition "Unstable Elements"

She wants to bring more failure into the images and resist the resolution and balance.

Wow!

The idea of intentionally failing to find balance is so interesting to me as I suspect that it is often where the magic lies.** And is totally outside my comfort zone.

I’m still trying to do more quilting but I’m finding there is a vast difference between the quilts I love, and what I think I would feel comfortable making. Every design I try to draw is symmetrical and balanced. When I look at my visual diary on pinterest the quilts I love often lack symmetry and/or lack balance, but when I am making something myself the urge to balance is almost overwhelming. The idea of making something that is unbalanced is quite unsettling. And yet it it often what I am drawn to when I am looking at someone else’s work. What is that about?

I know that when I look at Kate’s work then that is the bit I find exciting. It is the bit that draws you in and keeps you interested. And this may sound like an odd leap – but it makes me think of times in my life when as a whole I/my life was a little on the unbalanced side. Thinking back I still find the chaos of it interesting when compared to daily life as a more harmonious mothering 40yo. In this case I definitely don't want to go back there but it was more interesting on many levels.

Kate goes on to say;

“Colour is obviously a very important part of my process. I don’t choose colours because they necessarily look good together. The colours are chosen intuitively, but I also seek discomfort. I don’t think, ‘That beige will look good with that blue.’ I am more likely to stand back from it and blur my eyes and think, ‘What would I not expect to see in there?’”

— "Unstable Elements" Catalogue

This last statement is so completely contrary to how I craft - I am always looking for harmony - for things to “go”. But again, it's not what I like when I look at other people’s work.

Kate finishes with this;

“Every time you pick up the brush you have to make a choice, and I get excited about making the difficult choice not to resolve what is there but to unbalance it. That way you end up with something that is the documentation of an inquiry that has been really free. Every single bit was an active interesting moment. There are no dead zones.”

— "Unstable Elements" catalogue

Free, active interesting moments and no dead zones. Wow!

I have no answers today – only questions.

Is it fear of making a mistake that makes me stick to the safe? Harmony seems easier to make than discord. You can tell when something "goes" but to make something not go and still have it work (the magic?) …..Is it something only genius' are capable of? Is it actually a problem that there is a difference between what I like and what I make?

Is this something you think about? Does balance bother you? And what are you attracted to – harmony or discord? Do you actively seek out one or the other in your craft?

Another interesting idea to come out of the visual diary. So thanks Anna x! And thanks Kate!

Felicia x

PS. I've heard from some people that they are having trouble leaving comments on the blog. If this has happened to you can you email me at thecraftsessions@gmail.com. I really want to try to resolve it and need your help..

* A quick note to all you lovely grammar lovers. I know the word isn't unbalance but I liked the fact that using unbalance made me feel the same as how a lack of balance makes me feel. Y'know??

**I’m totally seeing an image from Season 2 of Girls where she is having the interview with the magazine editor about “your comfort zone” and “the magic”.

Maybe it's not you - maybe it's the pattern?

This is a post for all you self-taught beginners out there. Just want to let you in on a little secret that some of us that have been around a bit longer understand, in the hope that it might save you some time and worry. 

Example 1:

In the comments the other week a newish knitter was trying very hard to get her short rows to work. She was ripping and ripping her swatch and trying to do it with some joy in her heart. But the joy was fading and frustration was setting in. She couldn’t get those pesky short rows to look good and not have holes. I answered her comment with a mix of encouragement (I hope) and a suggestion that she try Sunday short rows (which are totally awesome). She did and came back saying that she now had a perfect swatch and was off to start knitting. Yeah. Win for both of us.

Example 2:

A lovely friend who is a full-on get-sh#t-done kinda crafter was teaching herself to make a garment for herself. She was trying a fantastic intermediate pattern – the Washi dress and she did a sterling job. Her first efforts were getting compliment after compliment. And she looked tip top (partly cause she is naturally stunning – Hi JM x!). The thing was her facing was rolling. And didn’t sit right. All that work, all that get-sh#t-done-ness and she had a rolling facing. Which is fine. She still looks totally great. But there is a very simple technique called understitching, and while it is included as a suggestion in the pattern, it is suggested as (optional). So she didn’t do it and didn't understand that that was why her facing was rolling.

Example 3:

In the same week I got an email from another frustrated knitter that asked me to help decipher what this meant….

“Repeat these increases as follows, working each time 2 more stitches before the first and after the last raglan-style increase and two more stitches between the other raglan-style increase:
*twice every second row, once every 4th row * work three times from * to *, 16 times every second row.”

Now as I’m not local to this person, and I’m currently on the other side of the world with super limited wifi, and don’t know the pattern, there was little I could do for the poor woman but suggest she get on the Ravelry forums and ask someone who had made the pattern what the hell it all meant. Which she did and they did help and all was good.

In each one of my examples above the person was asking themselves whether it was them. "Why don't my short-rows work?", "Why is my facing rolling?" and "Why don't I understand the pattern?" and in each case it was a lack of background knowledge and sometimes a lack precise directions within the pattern. 

So here is what I want to say about all these examples – I want to say that sometimes when you find that you just can’t get something to work it isn’t you. It could be the instructions, or the pattern and sometimes the pattern makers. Some patterns are badly written. Some patterns are incomplete and some patterns were written for people who already know what they are doing.

Now this obviously isn’t true every time and obviously not every pattern can explain every single thing but hear me out.

I wrote recently about believing you can make stuff, and how important that was to the process of starting to craft. But the other big thing that I mention in the post is that once upon a time we would have learnt the techniques we would need to put the pattern together independently from the pattern instructions. We would have learnt our craft when we were young maybe from school, or family. And we would have known people who had the knowledge we needed to perfect our craft.

The beauty of under stitching.

In the ye-olden-days pattern makers didn’t have to provide detail on which precise technique to use or even how to perform techniques, as crafters already had that knowledge. And this was especially true of knitting patterns. They often just gave you the numbers. The pattern would say CO 180 stitches. But they wouldn’t say which cast-on to use. The decision on whether to do a cable cast on or long tail or tubular was up to you*. The pattern makers didn’t need to explain which to use. They assumed (possibly rightly) that the person doing the knitting would know which to use. For sewing patterns it was very similar. The pattern really only had to outline the order in which to construct the garment. They could use descriptions like "finish your seams" and the seamstress would use the finishing technique of her choice.

I believe that the world has changed. Many makers now are making without an old-school knowledge base. They are often self taught and many don’t know many other people that really craft. Now I love self taught – I am majority self taught myself. But self taught means that you learn as you go and you don’t necessarily get exposed to a range of techniques when you are learning. So you might have some holes in your knowledge base.

And while there are some amazing, thoughtful pattern makers out there, many pattern makers haven’t changed with the times. They are still making patterns for people that know their craft. 

It takes a lot to get started when you are trying to self teach yourself a new craft without support. It can seem a little overwhelming -  that you have so much to learn in order to do it to a level where you can make beautiful stuff.  And then when all that guts and effort gets rewarded by frustration when you get stuck, or you achieve a slightly less than terrific product, self-doubt can sometimes creeps in. People sometimes start thinking that it is them. That they just.can’t.do.it. OR that they are just.no.good.at.it.

Maybe that’s true - maybe you did get it wrong. But often, I truly don’t believe it is. Maybe the instructions are badly written, or poorly explained or missing bits or just plain rubbish or even just old school.

I don't want you to do self-doubt in your crafting as the default when you have a problem. It takes up time. Time that you could be spending doing something else - like fixing your problem.

In the first two of my examples above it was the little things that would have made a difference to the crafters in question. In number one – having the pattern suggest the type of short rows would have helped. In the second example – the instructions are amazing** except for this one part that says you should optionally understitch the neckline but doesn’t say why you would want to do this. So my friend ignored it. In the third example the instructions are just crappy.

The Seasons Hat by Brooklyn Tweed - an incredibly well written pattern.

Things to remember when you hit a problem

1. Consider that it might not be you!
2. Many pattern makers are old school and are writing for old school crafters. This is especially true of the old school sewing pattern brands. Their instructions are often pithy.
3. Some new pattern makers are just some person in their house in some suburb somewhere who has an idea for a project and writes a pattern. This is fantastic as everyone has to start somewhere but they may not be good at writing patterns. Obviously some new pattern makers are amazing naturals.
4. Some patterns are amazingly written but they can’t explain every detail of every technique so if you find something you aren’t sure about google away.
5. Avoid old-school vintage knitting and sewing patterns until you get your confidence and knowledge base up.
6. Remember that sometimes it will be you and that is OK too!

Some ideas to get you out of trouble

1. Make patterns from people that are known for writing good ones! Some new pattern makers are amazing and have thoughtfully constructed patterns which understand that their audience is coming to them with different backgrounds and different levels of knowledge. They include thoughtful descriptions and diagrams of how-to do XYZ that mean that you learn as you make. Win!! A good pattern can and will teach you things as you make it. Research the pattern maker online before you commit to one of their patterns.
2.  The internet and especially youtube is your friend. The other place that is often really good is the blogs of the different new independent knitting and sewing companies.
3. If you are making a pattern and run into trouble google your problem and the pattern name. There are often many others that are having the same issue as you.  

So for all of you frustrated beginner crafters out there I just want you to now also consider this as one of your options when you make a mistake. “It’s not me! – it’s them!”

I love a bit of a complete abdication of responsibility. Not sure this post is a life lesson ;). Or maybe it is?

Felicia x

* There is a vast difference between the three types in terms of their elasticity and their appropriateness for a given project.

**I have a copy of this pattern and it is incredibly well done as are all of Rae's patterns. You may know that I am a fan of a Geranium - another of her patterns.