Day: December 15, 2008

Reconsidering Craft

The old and boring art vs. craft debate takes on a new view in this To the Best of Our Knowledge episode. As with many topics, looking back into the past and reconsidering past attitudes provides insight into the future.

clipped from www.wpr.org
To the Best of Our Knowledge

RECONSIDERING CRAFTS

America’s gone craft crazy. Everyone’s knitting, or keeping
scrapbooks; throwing pots or wood-working. And naturally, there are new
chains of stores that carry all the supplies these crafters need, or think
they do. In this hour, To the Best of Our Knowledge considers what
we mean by the word craft.” Does it mean a hand-made object that’s
almost art? Or could it be anything that’s thoughtfully done to the very
best of the doer’s ability? Reconsidering crafts, next time, on To the
Best of Our Knowledge.

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Friendship Block

Last week I mentioned that Camilla, of CamillaKnits, called for blocks for a family who had recently lost their father and husband in a tragic accident. I thought that it wouldn’t be very difficult to whip out something and send it off.

My block is above. I wanted to make it cheerful and I think it does come across as cheerful. Camilla’s rules were 12×12″ finished blocks. Mine isn’t 12×12″, so it will probably end up on the back, but that is no problem for me. I am finding that it is almost impossible for me to follow new directions lately, though I did try.

I have to say I would have done well to just get out Around the Block and make a normal block. This one took me about 2 hours rather than the few minutes I thought it would. I don’t regret the time, because it gave me the opportunity to think about the changes to the lives of family involved. I was also able to contemplate the projects in which I used these cheerful fabrics.

I hope Camilla can use my block and that the family takes some comfort from the quilt.