I learned how to sew from my maternal Grandmother when I was very young. I was a quiet, bookish kid and didn't like to play outside with my cousins too much. My grandmother was a doll doctor - she "adopted" dolls from the local Goodwill (where she worked part-time in her retirement), took them home, and fixed them up for resale. She educated herself on what was potentially valuable, and had a great eye for a bargain. Through her I learned to be a shrewd bargain shopper, to "make do and mend", and the value of a good book. She has been gone 14 years as of this writing, I miss her very much.
My paternal grandmother lives on the opposite side of the continent from me - I miss her too, but we still get to email occasionally. She is an avid crocheter and crafter in her own right. She was also a "Rosie the Riveter" during WWII, and lived a very colorful life (including a stint dressing herself and her little dog up as clowns to entertain the elderly - some of whom were younger than she was!) Through her I learned to be strong, independent, and fearless.
Through both of these amazing women I learned to appreciate the handmade and the manipulation of fibers as not just a way to make practical things - but also as my birthright. Through my work I hope to honor not only these two influential women, but all women who live and have ever lived. So-called "women's work" is not just an interest of mine, but a passion. I live with it every day, and I always strive to learn new things.
My CV will tell you I have a Master's degree in fibers, teach college art classes, and am a costume director at a renaissance faire. I can weave, spin (a little), sew, dye, print, and otherwise manipulate fiber/fabric in multiplicative ways.
The reality is that, most of the time - even thought I am over 40 - I am still that little girl eagerly digging through the scraps my grandma gave me, snuggled under a handmade afghan, trying to tease out the secrets of my chosen medium.
As if I had a choice.
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