Wednesday, May 09, 2007

News Flash: Late Night Knitting

Darlings, are any of you in the Chicagoland area going to this?
Knitting at Looptopia: A Knit-Night On the Town
May 11, 2007
10pm – 12am, 1st Floor Garland Room
Chicago Cultural Center
Hang with knitters, crocheters, and spinners at the Windy City Knitting Guild’s first late night craft circle. Knit a boa, crochet a flower pin, or craft a bracelet or two. New to crafting? No worries, the Guild members will teach you the basics and get you started on your first project.
It's part of this. (Special thanks to homegirl Katerina for alerting me.)

I'm tempted, in spite of the copy, which can't have been written or approved by anybody who actually knits or crochets. I mean–crafting?

I refuse to get into an argument about whether knitting is an art or a craft; the distinction is artificial and arbitrary and silly. However, will you non-knitters kindly remember that knitting is not synonymous with "crafting"? Using ancient techniques to fashion warm socks, handsome sweaters, or ethereal lace from spun fiber is not akin to making trivets out of Popsicle sticks and Elmer's glue.

Now, who's going? I might be tempted to forego a twirl in the arms of a studly cowboy at Charlie's if I can be assured of not sitting alone in a corner talking to my shawl.

43 comments:

  1. OMG, Charlie's is still there? I miss my old 'hood...

    Anyhoo, if pain meds permit as sufficient level of wakefulness, I'd love to hook up at Looptopia!

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  2. Anonymous6:02 PM

    Hey, "crafting" is much broader and deeper than popsicle sticks and glue! Check out craftzine.com if you don't believe me.

    Just think how you feel when people equate "knitting" with beige acrylic yarn made into uncomfotable slippers.

    (The event sounds grand, wish I could be there. I hope you find plenty of play partners for it).

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  3. I will be enjoying rubber chicken and tedious speeches at the local Chamber of Commerce's 10th Annual Small Business of the Year Awards dinner - but I hope to send the Fool to represent.

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  4. Anonymous6:36 PM

    Hey, no disparaging the popsicle sticks & white glue!
    My daughter took a course this past year (2nd yr university) called "The Historian's Craft" and I bugged her ALL YEAR about when she got to break out the popsicle sticks and papier mache. Just never stopped being funny (for me, anyway).

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  5. Sigh -- I wish! But if you're ever in NY and don't want to knit alone -- I'm in!!!!

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  6. Anonymous7:31 PM

    I wish, sigh, and it's not because I'm supposed to get this User Guide out the door...before midnight. Then there's the issue that if I started driving now, I'd get there in time to see them lock the door. Most of all, I'm sure I'd enjoy myself but I couldn't stand the pressure of thinking about that cowboy you missed. It's the Windy City guild, so would you really have to talk to your shawl? Members of that guild have talked to me at other events even tho I'm only an ex-pat Chicagoan.

    Those popsicle sticks were kind-of fun and Mother's day is upon us...

    Gerrie in MN

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  7. I'll be there, after the yarn tasting at Loopy and dinner with friends. Of course, you don't know me, but I also cringed at the wording of the press release. Come on out for the knitting!

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  8. Hmmm, perhaps I'm dense. When is this? Is it tonight? If so, alas, motherhood requires that I not leave my child alone at home with my dog, even if she is sleeping and my dog is very responsible.

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  9. Anonymous8:19 PM

    I'll be there! Knitting socks and spinning, no doubt.

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  10. Oh, Franklin, I would so be there. Were I not thousands of miles away.

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  11. I'm definetly coming, probably with one of my less exciting projects (a shawl I can do with my eyes shut). Have to hit Loopy's first of course for that spring yarn tasting...who knows what in between...

    See you there!

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  12. Um..what day is it? Today? (The link doesn't work for me.)

    It is very tempting but I could not do it on a weeknight.

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  13. Anonymous9:59 PM

    I'm so jealous of my parents. They flew out to Chicago today. Ok, So they took Air India and my mother mentioned "We always see this really old Air India plane when we fly in from Austria. But it has red paint all around the windows..." And my dad had this wicked "I'm going to get some adventure on my trip and if the only way to get it is to fly in a 50 year old plane held together with Gaffa Tape, I will." grin.
    My mum's not a knitter though, so I won't even get any yarn gifts from the states.

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  14. I prefer to think of "craft" as the Arts & Crafts movement thought of it. Therefore, knitting is a craft and that's fine by me! (Someday I need to figure out if I can do whiplash curves in intarsia.)

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  15. This Friday, May 11th - oh, I wish, I truly need a knitting get-away? I can't imagine a knitting party where you, THE Franklin Habit are relegated to the corner unless you were back there by those of us jealous of your considerable wit and talent although cute cowboy on one hand (hopefully) and knitting event on the other...tough call.

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  16. If only Houston wasn't so far away on a Friday night.....

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  17. Thinking about it. Depends how the rest of the workweek treats me. Some pople I knit with at KIP gatherings mentioned going, too.

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  18. Anonymous12:39 AM

    Can't make the party peaches, but wanted you to know that I'm laying the groundwork on that thing I keep promising you.
    Currently pointing out your bloggie genius.
    Continue to keep quality high, will ya?

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  19. This is a complete non sequitor, but I nominated/ tagged you for a Thinking Blog Award.

    And you should definitely bring the shawl, if only to debunk the crafting = Popsicle sticks myth.

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  20. If only it were two weeks later! I'll be in town making yet another attempt to become a Chicagoan.

    Linda
    (the one who e-mailed you last November for yarn shop recommendations)

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  21. Anonymous9:47 AM

    I am hoping to make it. I am in the middle of a project and really have no business knitting right now but it is tempting!

    Please bring the shawl. I would love to see it in person as I am sure other of your readers would also.

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  22. Anonymous9:54 AM

    I'll be there, and the loopy tasting, not sure what in between. the Ponys? I like the Ponys.

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  23. Anonymous9:59 AM

    I'm telling myself that I cannot possibly go because I have to be up and alert early Saturday morning, and I do not do well without sleep.

    I will be at Loopy earlier in the evening.

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  24. Damn. All vacation time is going to summer courses for my stupid BA. Wish I could go, it would rock hard to be in the Loop and knitting!

    Enjoy yourselves!

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  25. It sounds like fun, if I could spend the entire time just sitting by you, but, really, I'm too much of a homebody to want to leave my house that late. Lame, I know.

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  26. Anonymous11:59 AM

    Franklin, twirl with the cowboy, then bring him with you. Tell him you're just going to stop by. Hey, you'd be surprised how fascinated he may become. A man who knits, is a plus!

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  27. Anonymous12:13 PM

    Damn. I miss all the good parties.

    If you do end up talking to your shawl, say YO for me, sweetiepie.

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  28. If I lived even remotely close I'd go just to see your shawl, but alas I'm on the wrong coast for that!

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  29. I knew a potter equally tired of the art/craft debate who shrugged and said "If it leaks, it's art."

    But my sorrow that I can't make it is tempered by Stephanie's tease. If you two are going to whisper and tell secrets you can just come up here and share it with everyone.

    (But sweet weeping... can you imagine Stephanie and Dolores and a bar in the same room? For that I'd make reservations -- or abandon them.)

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  30. Anonymous1:36 PM

    I have the pleasure of working with Emily Carr Institute and they call knitting an art and students have graduated from the Institute with a final project in knitting art.

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  31. hmmm...i don't think i can make it, unfortunately. however, i'm going to be at the yarn tasting at loopy, so at least i'll get some communal knitting it.

    have fun!

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  32. Anonymous3:00 PM

    Franklin, dear, of all the worries I'm sure you have, sitting alone in a corner talking to your shawl should be the least of them.

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  33. Wish I could make it...

    But I don't know how you could avoid an argument about craft vs. art. Drives me nuts that knitting things are under Crafts on eBay.

    OTOH, maybe I should just give that up.

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  34. Anonymous5:55 PM

    To me "crafting" used as a noun as in this press release is the worst of acrylic afghans, plastic canvas needlepoint, Herrschner's kits etc. and snarkily implies "stupid busy work for folks who don't have anything better to do." "Craft", on the other hand, is a badge to wear with pride. It means fine workmanship, care and utility. The line between art and craft is a fuzzy one. The best attempt at the distinction between the two I've seen focuses on the product being a utilitarian object however beautiful. I would be proud to be known as a craftswoman, a "crafter" would be an insult. Just my opinion.

    P.S. "The Historian's Craft" by Marc Bloch is a classic work on the philosophy, writing, teaching and interpretation of history. Think of the historian as a knitter/designer and the names, places, dates as the yarn.

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  35. Franklin, my dahlink mantwin, you have mistaken "crafting" for "grannycrafting", which has nothing to do with actual grannies (yes, everyone's grandmother is cool and it IS your grandmother's knitting) and is actually about marketing souped-up children's activities to adults who aren't actually creative but like to pretend they are.

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  36. Franklin, I'll be there. I want to catch Redmoon first, though, and that's over at 11. Maybe I'll bugger out a bit early.

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  37. Ah, I wish I were in Chicago...I would dance with you, or sit in the corner and talk while knitting my sweater I can never seem to finish.

    I will be in Chicago in June...where is this Charlie's? haha

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  38. Anonymous1:04 PM

    i arrived wayyyy too late and missed you. it was a good time. i'll have to see you at the next knitting event since there are so many. ;)

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  39. I am very excited by the number of people in your comments loving on Loopy. That's one of my favorite yarn stores EVER.

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  40. I don't have a problem with the word craft but I loathe and detest people who describe their particular hobby as crafting or themselves as crafters. I even wrote a letter to a craft/ decorating mag here in OZ once asking them to persuade a particular sub editor not to describe the reader base as crafters. ERK

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  41. Anonymous1:28 PM

    However, Franklin, I would say that knitting poodle-shaped toilet paper roll covers is pretty close to crafting.

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  42. Anonymous12:04 AM

    f-word. waaaay too late. as appealing as the 'silent dance party' sounded, i decided i was too damn old for looptopia, and failed to check out the actual *schedule*. maybe next year. i'll probably be younger by then.

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  43. It can't work in actual fact, that's what I think.

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