I've had this idea bumping around in my head for quite some time. And I'm not even really sure when it became fully developed. It simply became this burning desire to TRY. And so last month I crocheted a tiny granny square out of cotton thread.
It wasn't the tiniest thing I've ever made. (this is) But bedspread weight cotton thread is still THREAD, y'all. And a 2.25mm crochet hook is still pretty dadgum little. And so was my miniature granny square. About 2" in fact.
I knew I wanted to create an image with this tiny bit of fabric. A pattern. A print. An impression. An expression of crocheting. An extension from fiber art to ... just ART.
Crocheting, it seems to me, has long been seen as a craft. Not as in its actual definition of a thing that takes skill to make by hand, but more as in the second row "arts and crafts" bin you find stuffed in the back of the Sunday School classroom. Crocheting is your Grandma's pastime. Crocheting is outdated. Crocheting is ugly.
Do you have any idea how many people feel negatively about this unique hand skill that they know next to nothing about? It makes me sad. Truly.
And so I strive to never crochet ugly things. I've become rather passionate about teaching crochet classes. I am constantly amazed and inspired by my students. Half of my designs are for them, created to fill a need to practice particular techniques or simply because someone wants a chunky yarn instant gratification sort of project like these fingerless gloves.
But I also crochet for ME. Sometimes it's as simple as an idea that pops into my head in the middle of the night and demands to be realized. Sometimes it's a brainstorm for a magazine submission call - which also gets realized even though it isn't chosen because now it's in my head and so I have to let it out. Sometimes it's a primal need for meditative crochet that becomes something really special, like my first garment design. Sometimes it's just for fun.
Through all of it, though, I knew there was something more that my crocheting wanted to become. And suddenly, I see it blooming before my eyes.
There were hiccups in finding the right media and some trial and error is a given with just about any new idea. And the results on the paper in front of me aren't quite what I envisioned to begin with. They're more ... imperfect. And I think that makes them perfect.
So come along with me on this new adventure and stay tuned for the next design in this series of crochet impressions in, not ink, because that was a bust, but FABRIC PAINT because it leaves this amazing raised texture behind on the original canvas that I absolutely love.
A few originals will eventually make their way here onto my website for sale, but for now, they'll be adorning my own walls while the digital image gets some love and attention. And, you know, printed onto leggings because I definitely need some of those to wear to my crochet classes!!