Knitting has long been a skill that has been way undervalued and diminished by dismissive comments such as "women's work." I was very much taken aback recently by a friend who asked me to knit her an aran sweater and offered to pay me. I laughed a little, as I am wont to do when presented with such an "offer."
So I did a mental calculation of what hours were involved even if I agreed to do it. With design, drafting and gauging, followed by swatching and then knitting it up, it would be 150 hours + material. I told her this and as she was a friend and not a stranger I didn't add "So how much would you pay me an hour?" She merely looked at me aghast and said ruefully,"I guess no, huh?" and I nodded.
As I begin a project, I am struck always by how mathematical a skill it is with all the calculations involved. Like architecture. I reflect on my foremothers who were ill-educated if at all, and marvel at how they managed to do endless arithmetic on sizing and yarn thickness and measuring the multiple many sized bodies in their households as all winter wear was knitted then from socks to sweaters to mittens to underwear and hats. And sanitary napkins. I believe I was one of the last people on the earth to see these knitted feminine hygiene items on a clothesline when I was quite young.
I am working on a sofa throw - afghan, sofa blanket - for a nephew at the moment, and I thought to do a series of photos showing the process as I go along.
My "drawing board" i.e. dining table, where I develop the pattern. Note I use many abbreviations that only I can understand. D is for diamond, C for cables of different sizes, T is for twist, G is for Garter, etc.
A one stitch mistake can be a disaster so I double and triple check my numbers.
I evaluate my yarn colours, I am extremely fortunate in that I can visualize the whole completed colourful project in my head before I start in on the drawing board. I lay the materials on the couch in formation of how they will integrate. At times like these I miss my craft rooms which were always an integral part of previous dwellings. There I could lay everything out and walk away and close the door and get on with other things.
Then I do a swatch for measurements which involves knitting a small piece to make sure the design works.
Now I'm ready to rock and roll and start the piece with bated breath that it all works out mathematically and gauge-wise. This becomes super important in aran work as with plain borders moving into a design there is a massive increase in stitches across the work to accommodate the cabling and twisting and diamonds.
And now, yes, yay, brava, the pattern has worked out beautifully and I am on my way with the project. Just a little showing here of the honeycomb pattern which is in the middle and is tricky.
I will post a little more as I go along so you get an idea of what happens as it blossoms. And particularly, for me, the creator as it encourages me onward.
So there you have it, readers. If you have read this far, I know you will never think of the simple complex art of knitting quite in the same way again.
Do you do any work that you believe is undervalued?
I do admire your knitting skills, WWW. Never learned when I was young but now in my seventies have decided to knit a pair of socks. It will be a challenge for sure. What, sanitary napkins were once knitted? What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteReuseable too OTP. I knitted a few for daughter once and then she moved to a cup. I love knitting socks, the yarns today are so glorious and the socks are so comfortable. My father taught me to knit, he had five older sisters so would watch them.
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I think that many of these "old skills" are undervalued. And even many knitters do not know how to modify a pattern, much less think up one from scratch. Writing and spelling correctly are also artforms that are undervalued, even scorned in my place, sadly.
ReplyDeleteI so agree Charlotte, I find in all the writing I do the proofing and editing are the most undervalued, often tossed aside with "oh you do it all the time, this book will be a breeze for you. When I point out there are four flows to the editing process, they laugh as if I am having them on.
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So many skills are undervalued - particularly in the creative arena. I am loving and admiring your work. Mother(Owl) is right and about writing skills too. Text speech has taken over.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right EC, my painting and pottery friends spend so much time on their pieces and the end product (hours put in, materials, firing, etc.) are not valued to the extent they should be. I know that gorgeous coffee mug is completely undervalued.
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I so much agree with you. Money can NEVER buy art. Too much heart goes into it, along with the time. I am the same age you are. Did one thing for money in my whole life. I'd made a beautiful crocheted (with that small cotton thread and a size 7 hook!) Barbie wedding dress that involved a bead in each stitch. I made it to give to a friend. A work acquaintance saw it and asked me to please make one for her granddaughter; she would pay me. I was about 18. I agreed, I really liked the lady. I think $5.00. Maybe $10.
ReplyDeleteOver the years I have followed your blog, I have been amazed at your talent in designing and executing knitting projects. Me? I've knitted, crocheted, macraméd, quilted, but always with patterns. Wow, to be able to do what you do! And how fortunate are those recipients! Certainly no price could be put on your work.
I started at the age of 7 with knitting and I was 12 when my mother shoved 5 yards of fabric at me and told me to make a dress for myself. I think that started me on being able to design and execute. My mother was way, way ahead of her time. I stopped the sewing a while back but the knitting has sustained me. I just love the process and understanding of it. And very rarely use a pattern but if I do I adapt it.
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I hadn't realised knitting was so complicated, so yes. I will not think of knitting as being a simple clacking of needles.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you are enlightened Andrew!
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Any handwork we do is undervalued. Passing out my mother's and grandmother's exquisite needlework to my children and grandchildren, I could only think such exquisite cut work and embroidery and lace is just not taught, passed on. I became an expert crocheter and knitter, and taught both my daughters. Both are fine knitters. I see quilting continuing to be a rage here, and my sister machine quilts for them; they have the hours to piece exquisite quilt tops, but not the patience to quilt them. My sister charges a fair price, and women who have hundreds of dollars and many hours invested in making a quilt know the value my sister's fine quilting will add and have no problem dropping the same amount or more on quilting.
ReplyDeleteYes hand embroidery is a dying art. My mother also was gifted in this. Each of her six children got a piece of her work. I managed to use my piece (a gorgeous tea cloth - i.e. small tablecloth) in a touring production I wrote and directed and felt her so near me aas she also adored theatre. The hours in hand quilting are uncountable. So many now use machines. I was an excellent sewer in my time (even down to men's suits) but never took paid work in that arena after I was really ripped off by a purchaser of a dress I designed and made which took me uncountable hours.
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I agree with everyone else, all handworks are undervalued, not only the "women's work" but carpentry also, which can be done by women too. I have a small hand made footstool I bought of ebay and was happy to pay the price he asked for it. My mother and mother-in-law were both dressmakers and and charged appropriate fees for their work. I used to make dresses for my girls and myself, also shirts for the boys, pyjamas too, back when buying fabrics and buttons, thread etc was cheaper than buying the ready-made items. but now all that is too expensive and it's cheaper to buy a $4 shirt at K-mart, with kids growing out of things so fast. I remember my mother telling me she had to knit her own sanitary pads and wash them out every day.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about your mother knitting her own pads, they were used as casing around old sheets/clothing which was used as stuffing. I sewed my girls' stuff too, River. And shirts and suits and god know what else - oh yes drapes. As you say, it was far, far cheaper to make then. Now with cheap Chinese (usually) labour items are so much cheaper. And disposable. The effects on our planet are insurmountable. But that's another topic.
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I had no idea there were ever knitted pads! the things you learn.
ReplyDeleteMy mum knitted, always from patterns but sometimes adapting them. I wish I'd learnt.
I have some skills that are probably undervalued but nothing that has the value of knitting.
I've realised that my abilities in the kitchen are rare for this day and age, not that I'm any great cook but I can creatively use left overs, produce a meal from a seemingly bare pantry and orther wise adapt to difficult catering circumstances.
That is a huge skill Kylie, using leftovers with skill and creativity. I am always amazed when at the last minute people haul out a couple of cans from their pantries, beat a few eggs and produce a gorgeous meal in half an hour. A skill I have never mastered. It's so creative and I certainly value it. I have a sister who can barely sew on a button if pushed and I feel so utterly sorry that she has not inherited our mother's crafty ways. But Niece, who is more like a daughter to me, is totally"crafty."
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My wife is a quilter and values this cherished art form which is slowly being lost. Hand quilting is already pretty much a thing of the past. Quite sad, really.
ReplyDeleteThere is a small revival of these nearly lost arts with some of the young, David, which is heartening. I've seen some lovely pieces lately on some sites by those under thirty which cheers me no end.
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I figure housework is undervalued -- cleaning, cooking, laundry -- and so is grocery shopping, handling garbage and recycling, and keeping track of appointments and other calendar dates. You know, the things we womenfolk do because we "want to." Pfft. -Kate
ReplyDeleteOh for sure on those tasks, that would be a separate post and written about for many years on feminist, etc. sites. I was basically thinking of artistic endeavours attributable to mainly women, such as water colour paintings, weaving, rugmaking, and pottery and stuff mentioned above.
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