Our communities are vast. Our options are wide. Why oh why do we feel the need to hide?
I dream of one BIG OLE "coming out" party that turns into one BIG OLE intertwined ball made up of yarns of authentic human beings rather than human doings. This will require courage, forgiveness, giving, receiving and acceptance. We'd take this BIG OLE ball of yarn and knit some beautiful, interesting, weird, funny and questionable things. We will be in AWE, wanting more, exploring how and saying, "What if......"
As I read "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs it beckoned me back to the old days when women gathered, Quilting, Sewing, Knitting, Baking, Creating, but the setting of the novel is modern day NYC. A place that never sleeps and offers options, vast & wide. Single mother, widowed bride, business woman, snotty socialite, lost 9 to5er, not married-wants children, 13 to 75. They all yearned for a safe place, void of an agenda.
With all the options we have today we still yearn for the simple. We yearn to create. We yearn to connect, even when we are secretly hiding. Hesitant to share a glimpse of ourselves, hoping to be met with a smile, but afraid it will be met with judgement.
This book reminded me to be patient. It didn't knock my knitted socks off at the beginning, but it was worth the wait and my patience.
Jacob writes, " Every knitter has a sweater left unfinished; the bags of bits and pieces stashed away and never picked up again......there 's a secret hope that makes you hold on, to dream that you'll get it right someday.....The mistake is waiting until you feel renewed enough to give it another try. You simply have to pick up the needles and keep at it anyway"
My mom goes to quilting club. I wonder what it's like. She goes all the time. It must be good. What will I choose given all my options.
5 comments:
My local yarn shop hosts lots of weekly clubs and classes, and if I weren't such a hermit I'd probably head over there and socialize a bit. I am looking forward to getting this book- thanks for suggesting it!
I have seen this book on the stands and have wondered about it. Now I'll grab a coy to read. My Mom was part of a crafting group that got together every Wednesday (which now seems like an excessive impossibility) and they would bring their projects and 'craft' for a couple of hours, take turns hosting the weekly 'Craft Night' and sit together and revel in their conversations and projects. My Mom found it incredibly therapeutic and as a young child, I was obsessed with their 'cool club'.
There is something magical to me about women coming together. The energy is exciting, yet calming.
Putting this on my TO READ list! I'm a knitter with a bunch of unfinished pieces floating around!
I love that there is a book about this. I have had a weekly craft group for about four years, it's is a terrific way to get things done, help one another and learn new things. Just today we made one members invites for her one year old's party. Thanks for the great post!
Sounds like a good book to read. Problem for me is time. I have so many books piled up in my living room just waiting to be read. Fortunately I just finished one last night and ready to start the next!
Post a Comment