A Fiber Art Appreciation Post

Fiber art requires both love and skill

Knitters.
Crocheters.
Weavers.
Yarn Dyers.
Quilters.
Embroiderers.
The list of fiber artists is never ending.

...And despite the long list, I don't know a single person who has jumped into this world without a healthy mixture of love and skill.

Today being Valentine's Day, I originally meant to write up a cute post about my love of the art form. The fact that doing this work is like magic - I mean, you can literally take one string and turn it into a hat using only two sticks - what a concept! I could use this space to list a million reasons that people love their art. (connection to ancestral traditions, the excitement of being able to create something special for a loved one, it can ease someone's anxiety and help someone else focus on a conversation....) Everyone has their own reason for why they love what they do. But the truth is, we all had to put in an incredible amount of work to reap these rewards.

Though knitting a hat may feel magical to me now, it certainly did not in the beginning. It took hours of YouTube and Google searches, frustration and mistakes, and consistent practice. I had to build the skills to enjoy the magic. 

And while we all can enjoy the magic and appreciate the love, we don't all want to put in the time, effort, and money to build the skill. And that's okay. 

Crochet makes me feel closer to my family's history.
Knitting is how I zone out and practice something for myself.
Yarn dying is my creative outlet. 

Everything I do and make is infused with me - all the hours I've spent imagining, practicing, and cultivating the skill and ideas to help me make the magic I love.
So the next time you pick up a handmade item to use, wear, or look at, I urge you to take a purposeful moment of mindfulness to imagine all of the time, effort, skill, money, patience, pride, fear, and care that went into that thing you are looking at. The least we can do is show these products and their artists some love and appreciation in return.

I hope all my fellow makers and supporters feel the love today!
I surely appreciate all that you do 💕
Happy Valentine's Day.

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