I am sad. Yes, I do think sad is the simplest descriptor for what I am currently feeling. Sunday evening I was sitting on my sofa, knitting a grief project for a friend, while generally feeling restless and unsure about the future. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world right now which can lead to a sense of unease when left to ponder it for any significant period of time. But there I was, knitting and pondering, when I received a text from my brother, “Bob Saget died.” What? That can’t be right. I have tickets to see his stand-up show later next month. I do a quick Google check and sure enough, America’s dad has left us. Now, I was already thinking about mortality and loss as I was working on a grief project for a friend. For a loss that was local and tangible but I was still nearly brought to tears by the loss of a celebrity, a tv personality, someone that I have never met. We mourn for the loss of celebrities and characters but not everyone understands why anyone would be upset about the passing of a celebrity. But Full House in some form whether it be prime time, syndication, DVD box sets, or streaming has been making its way into my living for my entire life. The hijinx of Danny, Joey, and Uncle Jesse are just as real to me as adventures I’ve experienced in real life with my own friends and family. Then when you add social media into the mix it blurs the lines between real life and the celebrities we follow even more. In any given scrolling session my feed is mixed with people from my real life and people who have come into my life through an entertainment medium. I think that makes it harder when those personalities leave us. There are three things I have learned about Bob Saget with his passing. I have learned that he was incredibly kind, he was very funny, and that he never shied away from telling those in his circle how much he loved them. And now I’m knitting this grief project, making stitch after stitch and row after row and hoping that as we continue to move through these times of sadness and exhaustion, of unease and restlessness that maybe we can all be a little bit more like America’s dad. Grief project. Cast on Sunday 1/9, Pattern Goonies Never Say Die Cowl, Yarn is Meeker Street
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Values Statement:
An Overview: My values as a person and as a creator are based around the simple concept of not engaging, supporting, or promoting persons, places, behaviors, actions, or corporations that are rooted in or benefit from of the oppression of others. What that looks like offline: In my offline life I am a teacher and am helping my students develop the skills for critical thinking, social-emotional literacy, and not shrinking away from subjects or questions that might make uncomfortable as a cis-het-white woman. I also read and research about different cultures, histories, and ways to help break cycles of oppression. The oppressed are not responsible for my education. It is my job to research systems or actions that are oppressive or harmful that I might not be familiar with. Monetary donations are made when it is feasible. Community participation is also something that I engage in when it is possible to do so. What that looks like online: In online spaces I try to stand up and speak out in spaces where it is appropriate to do so. I also sit down, listen, and learn in spaces that are not mine or not made for me to speak out. I do my best to research who I follow and like on social media to make sure that I am not enabling hateful or hurtful misinformation being spread through my likes and follows. I use my money to support companies and businesses that have similar values to my own. In our capitalistic society, money talks. I want my money to support and uplift as much as possible. Why am I sharing all of this: There are a few reasons why I am sharing this. The first is that I don’t have the energy for virtue signaling or developing a massive white savior complex. Posting or bragging every “woke” thing I do or think is not helpful. The journey to a more equitable and loving society is not going to be furthered by my virtue signaling on social media. The second reason is because I have to say something. Being silent is a great way to be on the side of oppression. I don’t agree with the many “isms” in our world and I can’t be silent when others are suffering. The third reason is that knitting, crocheting, and so much of our escapism is political. Art is created out of the environment in which it was born. That makes it political. Now, the sole focus of this blog and podcast isn’t politics or activism per se but I am not going to shy away from those topics either. The political is personal. If you just want to knit without politics or do not want to look at our society with a critical view then this is not the space for you January 1, 2022
This past Thanksgiving, I was able to go to Disneyland for the first time since the pandemic shut the world down. I was standing in line for the Spider-Man Webslingers ride at Disney California Adventure. This was not a short line by any means which allowed me plenty of time to knit and people watch. While standing in line I was thinking about how integral my knitting was to my theme park experience. I was wearing a hand knit sweater, made specifically for this trip, knitting a sock- cast on specifically for knitting in line, and using a project bag that made for ease of knitting in line and with fabric to match my outfit and the theme of the park. I started thinking about the different projects that I want to make to enhance my future trips. Then I began pondering what I would knit the following week at Emerald City Comic Con and it dawned on me how knitting had become such an important part of my comic-con experience too. This led me to think about all of the patterns, books, yarns, and other accessories/tools that have been inspired by different genres of entertainment and popular culture. How many of us have a knitting book with patterns that are inspired by Twilight or Outlander? How many of us have bought the amigurumi kits for Star Wars, Harry Potter, Friends, or The Office? Who saw Bernie Sanders’ inauguration mittens or Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s collars and thought, “I have to make my own version of that!”? With this blog and podcast I want to explore all of the ways that fiber arts and fandom intersect. There are so many genres to explore. Everyday creators and makers are using their fiber arts to connect to those genres and experiences. I think it deserves exploration and recognition for the amazing creativity and joy it brings people. I look forward to going on this journey with you. Knitters Assemble! |
AuthorBethany is a knitter, podcaster, nerd, and educator from the Pacific Northwest. Archives
May 2022
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