[Nfb-krafters-korner] Article
Susan Roe
dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
Wed Aug 4 05:51:48 UTC 2010
That is fine with me and the Ziegler knows that it will be posted here on
the list. If you'd like, I'll send you an attachment of the article so you
will have the proper spacing for the article.
Susan r.
dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Laurie Porter" <freespirit1 at tds.net>
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 7:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Please
>I think this should go up on the website That is, if it's okay with susan
>and the Ziegler.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Blindhands at aol.com>
> To: <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 6:48 AM
> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Please
>
>
>> 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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