Making things, whether it’s knitting a sweater, crocheting a blanket, or weaving a scarf is generally a solitary activity. It’s you and your hands, working away creating each stitch of that sweater or laying in each pick of weft into that scarf. Sometimes taking those moments of solitude for creativity can be salve for the soul, but I think we are all social animals and we need and crave connection. It’s no wonder that Ravelry, an online community serving knitters and crocheters, is growing steadily with a user base of more than 6 million people to date. And it’s probably why Facebook groups about such specific topics like 4-shaft weaving or rigid heddle weaving easily have 12,000 or more members. We want to make things, but we don’t want to do it alone.
It’s not necessarily that we all want our hands to be knitting away on the same project, although, if you read through these essays you’ll discover the joy of that kind of group project. Instead, I think it’s entirely about being together with people who share your interests and passions, encourage you through your struggles, and celebrate with you when you finish something you made. It’s about being surrounded, whether it’s physically in the same room or virtually through spaces online, by people who share your crafty obsessions and who understand and live the same values — like treasuring all things handmade. Basically, we want to be around people who “get” us.
In today’s episode, I talk about finding your crafty community and sharing your passions with others.
