Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Crafty Thoughts

Do you consider yourself to be a "crafter"?  I don't really, and I'll tell you why.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.


To me, a crafter is someone who looks at chaos and sees order.  She loves to get her hands dirty - whether it's with glue, paint, or clay.  She's all about the finished product, but she enjoys the process.  "Technique" is a technicality - if she can make it fit/work/match, then she will.  She doesn't necessarily worry about the "correct" way to do things, or go looking for tutorials on ways to finish her projects.  She's always looking for the next new thing to learn, is quick to buy/make new tools for her new craft, and has almost anything you will ever need for anything you could ever think of.


I don't like to get messy.  I hate finishes for my stitching that involve glue, and I'm dreading the day when I'll have to Google instructions for paper mache volcanoes.  I like to learn more about my chosen fiber arts - more techniques, more finishes, color theory, etc.  I like to follow instructions.  I like the process of watching something emerge from nothing, whether it's in yarn or on blank fabric.  But I don't have an insatiable need to learn how to do everything possible with my hands.  Does that make sense?  I was talking to a dear friend about this and she said, "I'm the opposite of you - I don't have the patience for what you do."  She's the "fun mom" with all the great ideas - who's actually willing to get her hands dirty to realize said great idea.


The other part of my "I'm not a crafter" argument is simple: Painters don't consider themselves crafters.  I've never met a quilter who called herself a crafter.  Clothing-sewing-people don't consider themselves crafters.  Even scrapbookers are "scrapbookers".  So why do cross-stitchers/embroiderers get lumped into the craft category?  What do you think?


The other thing on my mind today - it's my birthday. :) I'm 32 - birthdays always make me introspective.  I'm not looking for a ton of "happy birthdays" - I've had my fill on Facebook today. :)  Just sharing!

5 comments:

Jules said...

I have wondered that on occasion myself. You put it out there quite nicely. I agree that we are needleworkers or embroiderers or cross-stitchers and not merely crafters. I do find it interesting that when you look at Michael's or Joann's websites, they lump needlework in with crafts or other and yet sewing and knitting seem to have their own categories.

Things that make you go hmmm...

And I won't wish you a Happy Birthday, but I will wish you a blessed year ahead!

Unknown said...

happy birthday! hope you having a nice day, and go on doing such lovely stitching, although u don't consider yourself a crafter :)

Angela said...

Hope you had a fun birthday.

I consider myself a mum, daughter, wife, sister, lover,walker, cook occassional gardener and cross-stitcher. Never ever though of myself as being a crafter.

Rebekah said...

I was a crafter long before I was a cross stitcher. My Mom is a crafter therefor she taught me pretty much everything she knew.

I do alot of things that I don't classify as crafting like cross stitch, quilting, most machine sewing, and certian kinds of painting. If it's pictures and canvases, then you're an artist. If it's painting a birdhouse or toll painting, you're a crafter. I have done both.

It's funny because when I was younger, I never wanted to be classified as an artist and that's when I did most of my paintings. I have always like being called a crafter. I figure we can call ourselves anything we want. ;)

Anonymous said...

A Happy Belated Birthday. I found your craft thoughts very interesting. I am intrigued by many fine hand crafts. I do a bunch of different things but not everything appeals to me. I don't own lots of gadgets or enjoy doing the messy things. I have to confess that if my finances allowed it & I had the space I would love to own a bunch of different machines like a long arm quilting machine, a serger, a deluxe sewing / embroidery machine, plus a bunch of others. I do not need to try every new "in" craft. I love the needle arts best so the term needle worker probably fits me best but I am crafty. A craft artisan to me is a creator of great skill in the manual arts.

You do lovely work no matter what you chose to call yourself. As long as you enjoy it and share your love of the needle arts it is all good to me.