[Nfb-krafters-korner] Please

Tue Aug 3 13:43:54 UTC 2010

Susan:

You did a really nice job in writing your article.  Congrats on having it 
published in the mag.

Eileen

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 7:08 AM
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Please

> Terrence,
>
> If it was, I'm so glad it brought you to us!
>
> Susan R.
> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Terrence van Ettinger" <terrencevane at gmail.com>
> To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 4:45 AM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Please
>
>
>> Actually, I think this was the article that brought me in; I recognize 
>> some of the text from reading it.  I didn't see it in the Ziegler itself 
>> though; I think it was a reprint somewhere.
>>
>> Terrence
>>
>> Twitter: www.twitter.com/terrencevane
>> Kingdoms Live Code: bgc5a6
>>
>> On Aug 2, 2010, at 3:48 AM, Blindhands at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>> Our friend Susan has been writing for the Matilda Ziegler Magazine and I
>>> wanted to share with you an article she recently wrote.  It appeared in 
>>> the
>>> magazine just a couple of weeks ago.  Thank you Susan.
>>>
>>>
>>> Hands On Living: Blind Crafting for Everyone
>>> By Susan Roe
>>> I have been an avid crafter both before and after I lost my sight over
>>> thirty-two years ago.  There is  nothing I love more than working on a 
>>> project
>>> and actually seeing it through to  completion.  Whether I sell an item,
>>> give it to someone or donate it to a charity, I always have the 
>>> satisfaction
>>> knowing that there will be someone somewhere who will appreciate owning 
>>> what
>>> I  do best.
>>> There have been quite a few people who have either encouraged my 
>>> crafting
>>> or have taught me different skills.  My mother, Katherine, first taught 
>>> me
>>> to crochet when I was eight years  old.  She showed me how to crochet 
>>> granny
>>> squares in matching or contrasting colors.  We would then sew them 
>>> together
>>> to make  warm afghans for our beds.  She  didn’t stop with crocheting 
>>> and
>>> soon taught my sister and I to quilt by hand, as  well as how to use a 
>>> sewing
>>> machine.  When we were small children, she made handmade Hobby Holly 
>>> dolls
>>> and sold  them to make extra money for our Christmas.  Later on, she 
>>> tried
>>> her hand at the  cutest little clothes for Cabbage Patch dolls and they 
>>> were
>>> even more  popular.
>>> Not too long before I lost my sight, I had just discovered a talent for
>>> drawing.  My sister Pattie  encouraged me to start taking art classes in
>>> school like she did.  She was a wonderful artist herself,  starting with 
>>> drawing
>>> and painting.  When Pattie began having vision problems of her own, she
>>> switched to  woodcarving.  No surprise to us, she  excelled in that 
>>> craft as
>>> well.  Pattie had just started showing me some basics of oil painting 
>>> when I
>>> lost my sight at age fifteen.
>>> I have never allowed my blindness to be a hindrance in my day to day
>>> living and that included my current crafts and learning new ones along 
>>> the  way.
>>> Pauline, a family friend, took  the time to teach me how to knit and it 
>>> has
>>> been my favorite ever since.  She also introduced my family to liquid
>>> embroidery, making Christmas ornaments with beads and sequins and latch 
>>> hooking
>>> rugs.  From school I learned to work  with clay, coil and reed basket
>>> weaving and tapestry weaving using colored  burlap.  I even managed to 
>>> take a
>>> class on using the potter’s wheel while attending my local community 
>>> college.
>>> Luckily, I stopped myself  from adding a potter’s wheel to my small one
>>> bedroom apartment before I started  rearranging the furniture.
>>> Believe it or not, my crafting curiosity still was not satisfied. 
>>> Pattie
>>> and I took ceramic classes,  enjoyed working with beads, making hats and
>>> scarves on circular and rectangular  lap looms, and successfully figured 
>>> out how
>>> to crohook.  When I attended our local Rehabilitation  Center for the 
>>> Blind
>>> one summer, they showed me how to set up my sewing machine  to make it
>>> easier to use.  I have  heard that curiosity killed the cat, however, it 
>>> only
>>> expanded my thirst for  crafting to collecting the tools of the trade 
>>> along
>>> with many books and  magazines covering even more crafts.  I could 
>>> definitely
>>> open my own crafting store.
>>> My mother-in-law, Anna Roe, was someone else who loved crafting.  She 
>>> loved
>>> knitting, crocheting and  plastic canvas work.  To her credit,  she also
>>> passed on crafting to her children as well.  Matt likes to draw and 
>>> paint,
>>> wood  working and Native American leather working.  I suppose Anna also 
>>> passed
>>> on to Matt  some of her patience, because he does tolerate my boxes of 
>>> yarn
>>> and shelves of  crafting books.  In fact, he doesn’t  even get ancy 
>>> while we
>>> are in a craft store.  Matt is really good at ferreting out all  kinds 
>>> of
>>> hidden crafting treasures.
>>> On a sad note, when Anna passed away, Matt and his family asked if there
>>> was anything of her’s that I would like to have in remembrance.  I didn’t
>>> hesitate and asked for anything  dealing with her knitting and 
>>> crocheting.
>>> Well, my ever-growing craft stuff was increased by four large  boxes.
>>> With all of my accumulated crafting energy and supplies, I needed an
>>> outlet for my items because I just couldn’t keep it all.  I sell a few 
>>> items here
>>> and there as  well as making items for friends and family.  My biggest 
>>> joy
>>> is knitting and  crocheting for the Webb of Hope, a charity group that 
>>> is
>>> run through the Red  Cross.  A local group of women get  together here 
>>> at
>>> Black Creek Baptist Church and meet once a week.  They share patterns, 
>>> discuss
>>> items being  made and who the organization will be sending them to, both 
>>> in
>>> the United States  and several countries over seas.  The women also 
>>> provide
>>> lessons for those who want to learn and  participate with them as well 
>>> as
>>> providing yarn so it doesn’t have to cost you  anything.
>>> Over the years, I have done searches on the Internet and have found
>>> several on-line crafting groups, and several of them have been for blind
>>> crafters.  I had to narrow my  participation down to only one blind 
>>> crafting group
>>> or I would never tare myself  away from the computer.  This group  works
>>> together from the Krafters Korner.  The group is filled with some of the 
>>> most
>>> talented crafters I have ever  known.  Everyone is either blind, 
>>> low-vision,
>>> or works with the blind.  The Krafters Korner also provides lessons to 
>>> its
>>> members via conference  calls and everyone works at the project 
>>> together.
>>> All classes are recorded for the  students that attend each class and 
>>> are
>>> provided as downloadable MP3 files for  easy reference at a later date. 
>>> Some of
>>> the classes have been beginning and advanced knitting, beginning  and
>>> advanced bead working, soap making, origami, plastic canvas work, small 
>>> loom
>>> weaving and even tips for finding the best tool for the job, to only 
>>> name a
>>> few.  They are even working on  knitted and crocheted helmet liners for 
>>> our
>>> soldiers over seas as a community  charity project.
>>> I have even taught two classes myself, coil basket weaving and paper
>>> basket weaving which seemed to be a success with those who attended.  I 
>>> have only
>>> taken one class, which was a  beading class for making your own Rosary.
>>> The teacher even gave a brief history on the different styles of 
>>> Rosaries
>>> through the years.  All classes are  open to members once you have paid 
>>> your
>>> $10.00 membership dues.  Krafters Korner also has a weekly Monday  Night 
>>> Chat
>>> which runs from 8:00 Eastern Time to about 9:30 via the conference 
>>> line.
>>> This gives everyone an  opportunity to talk to someone about their 
>>> crafts and
>>> exchange information as  well.  Members also have the  opportunity to 
>>> get
>>> help with problems they may be experiencing with a project in  order to 
>>> work
>>> through it instead of getting frustrated enough to set it aside,  never 
>>> to
>>> be picked up again.
>>> I have found that many members take their projects quite seriously and
>>> even attend numerous crafting shows as venders or sell their wares at 
>>> Farmers
>>> Markets.  There are those who have  been blind and crafting for several
>>> years, or they find themselves wanting to  learn to craft.  Also, there 
>>> are
>>> those who have been sighted crafters for years and recently lost their 
>>> sight
>>> and  now want to find ways to continue crafting.  It is really nice when 
>>> a
>>> member seeks  encouragement with continuing a craft after losing their 
>>> sight
>>> and seeing the  eager responses from other members sharing and 
>>> explaining how
>>> they have managed  to continue that very craft.  All of  this and more 
>>> can
>>> be found at the Krafters Korner.  They have even had guest speakers on 
>>> blind
>>> wood working so they can explain how they manage their wood working 
>>> craft
>>> with no sight.
>>> Joyce Kane is the group moderator and President of the National 
>>> Federation
>>> of
>>> the Blind Krafters Division.  She has been an avid blind crafter for 
>>> many
>>> years and is always available  to assist members as well as eager to 
>>> learn
>>> new crafts and techniques from  others in the group.  You can call 
>>> Joyce for
>>> more information at (203) 378-8928 or via e-mail at _Blindhands at AOL.com_
>>> (mailto:Blindhands at AOL.com) .  Please feel free to visit Krafters 
>>> Korner at
>>> www.KraftersKorner.org.  Krafters Korner has also recently gone 
>>> International,
>>> bringing blind  students from around the globe into their classrooms 
>>> with
>>> the use of SKYPE.  Come and join us and see what you can  learn!
>>>
>>> Joyce  Kane
>>> www.KraftersKorner.org  (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
>>> Blindhands at AOL.com
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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>
>
>
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