#craft is art and art is labor

[scribblesandknots]

I have a book rec, if you'd like to read an entire book on this topic and also how it relates to American history - "Craft: An American History" by Glenn Adamson.

(ID: the cover of Craft: An American History by Glenn Adamson. The top shows the lower half of John Singleton Copley's 1768 painting titled Paul Revere, the middle shows the title and author on an orange background, and the bottom shows a portion of Jessie B. Telfair's Freedom Quilt from 1978.)

The book's dust cover description is a good summary:

At the center of the United States' economic and social development, according to conventional wisdom, are industry and technology -- while craftspeople and handmade objects are relegated to a bygone past. Renowned historian Glenn Adamson turns that narrative on its head in this innovative account, revealing makers' central role in shaping America's identity. Examine any phase of the nation's struggle to define itself, and artisans are there -- from the silversmith Paul Revere and the revolutionary carpenters and blacksmiths who hurled tea intoBoston Harbor, to today's "maker movement." From MotherJones to Rosiethe Riveter. From Betsy Ross to Rosa Parks. From suffrage banners to the AIDS Quilt.

Adamson shows that craft has long been implicated in debates around equality, education, and class. Artisanshiphas has often been a site of resistance for oppresed people,such as enslaved African Americans whose skilled labor might confer hard-won agency under bondage, or the Native American makers who adapted traditional arts into statements of modernity. Theirs are among the array of memorable portraits of Americans both celebrated and unfamiliar in this richly peopled book. As Adamson argues, these artisans' stories speak to our collective striving toward a more perfect union. From the beginning, America had to be -- and still remains to be -- crafted.

“We don’t value craftsmanship anymore! All we value is ruthless efficiency, and I say we deny our own humanity that way!”

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson, 1995

[africanmorning]

*Knee of my pants tears*

Me: Clearly the only logical course of action is to create an embroidery pattern of Master Chief by hand on graph paper, cut up an old curtain, and use modified cross-stitch through two layers of fabric to put John Halo Himself on my otherwise crappy pair of jeans.

Bad photo of the pattern I made in case anyone else wants it (I might try to digitize it later, Idk):

[the-first-man-is-a-cat]

Lithuanian doll makers with some of their work, 1931

[serpentface]

Palo and Tigran standing casually in place to provide an outfit reference.

They are wearing the most typical day to day clothing for Galenii monks. This consists of three main parts:

-A simple, ankle-length sleeveless robe (white in initiate monks and black in the fully initiated). -A dark woolen cloak, which doubles as a blanket. This cloak is the foundational item of clothing throughout much of Imperial Wardin as a whole, and worn by all social classes. They tend to be cut shorter and highly decorative in the upper classes, serving only the practical purpose of shielding the arms from the sun. Poor laborers may wear only the cloak and a loincloth and nothing else. In the case of Galenii monks, it is standardized, simple, and dark blue-gray. -The sash. This is a very long scarf that is the primary visual signifier of a Galenii monk. Its open ends drape down the front side of the body and are tied at the chest. It is slung over the shoulders and hangs in a loop around the back. These sashes are dyed an expensive royal blue, indicating the significance and relative esteemed status of this religious order.

Additional elements:

-The sign of the horns: a small iron pin used to fasten the cloak. This is the symbol of the Lunar Face Of God (the specific aspect to which the Galenii are devoted, which is primarily associated with fertility and the cycles of sacrifice and rebirth). This is very common among monks but not standardized wear. Galenii priests wear the sign of the triple horns (though more commonly as an amulet).

-Ear piercings: Galenii monks and priests wear thick earrings of dark meteoric iron and stretch their earlobes. One is added to each ear for each year of the initiatory process. Palo is a year in, and Tigran is fully initiated and has five bands per ear. Body modification is exceptionally rare in Imperial Wardi culture, largely in relation to taboos surrounding body integrity. The exception here is done with great significance and care- these earrings can be made only with true meteoric iron, considered to be the blood of God Itself. Permanently marking their bodies with this metal signifies this priesthood's integral connection to maintaining the continual cycle of sacrifice/rebirth that is believed to keep God's domain stable, and binds them to this role.

-Sandals: usually very simple in construction. Monks are often expected to go barefoot, but the cities are quite dirty so most prefer to avoid this if possible.

-Ceremonial dagger: a sign of a fully initiated monk. It is curved and its sheath is decorated with a tuft of lion's mane (a signal of the Galenii order's close connection to the Odonii order). Most of its uses are ceremonial, but it will be periodically used to perform animal sacrifices. A smaller razor blade is kept in the home for personal bloodletting.

-Hair: Fully initiated monks shave their heads, while those in the process of initiation have relative freedom with hair dressing. Palo is wearing his hair in a single braid tucked around the front. Broadly speaking, braiding the hair is associated with female beauty standards throughout much of Imperial Wardin (though generally in two braids). There is no cultural convention Against men doing so, but it is regarded as mildly effeminate (particularly in the south and southeast).

-Lore Friendly Sunglasses: Palo has photosensitive epilepsy. No effective treatments for epilepsy exist in the setting (most 'treatments' in Imperial Wardin are alchemical in nature, ie: ambiguously helpful at best or literal poison at worst), but understanding of the Nature of epilepsy as a neurological disorder is relatively accurate, and the concept of photosensitivity is loosely understood (though not with great accuracy, it's assumed to be caused by light in General). Palo had this pair of (VERY expensive) sunglasses commissioned as a youth, which Do slightly reduce the frequency of his seizures. Devastatingly stylish as they may be, his glasses do not offer much visual clarity so he only wears them in bright conditions.

[yo-yo-yoshiko]

Oh, for a skeleton key…

Plus a digital mockup to simulate a red ink pass that i discovered could not be achieved well enough with the materials available to me, and the original pencils.

[motherwench]

do i look good?

denim & cotton eye soft sculptures hand painted with watercolor and acrylics

[a-sassy-bench]

it is stuffed. it is sewn closed. it is uneven. i am filled with rage at it. i have to make at least 4 more.

on the upside it's really difficult for your brain to plague you with intrusive thoughts when you're crafting with the rage of a thousand burning suns.

[knitflixandchill]

long live rock and roll 🤘👩‍🎤

def leppard quilt for my dad, who considers them his #1 band of all time. i have his hand-me-down pyromania cassette decorating my bookshelf lol

chandelier 3-yard quilt with joann clearance fabric

[didderd]

Just my semi-anual tourettes boys simping. Hope you're all well. :) I have more questions!!! I saw your post about snaps with cats. Needless to say I am absolutely in love with him. That reminds me though, what are tic tac and tous hobbies? How do they feel about cats? Hope you're having a wonderful day Alex <3

(Que me making googly eyes at tac specifically)

:'> ty. am having a good day. hope u r too <333

am glad u like Snaps sm :3

i did talk a lil about this one time, but that was a while ago, so i will again. with more detail, and Tou this time ofc.

Tic loves music. He got into the hobby of mixing stuff with his buddy Napstablook, and eventually started doing it on his own as well. Him and Blooks would be a killer DJing duo on stage, but he's not interested in that. Most he might do is live streams. maybe. He's also great with a keyboard piano.

Tac got into welding, and the like, when he watched his Grillby weld together his necklace for him. He might get into glassblowing, maybe as a job, once on the surface. He also likes to cook (and bake, but you didn't hear that from me). He def has a "kiss the cook" apron.

Tou ironically went to a wine tasting one time, but he actually enjoyed himself. The people were pretty nice, and the wine was good, so he kept going. He loves physical activities. He'll get into pretty much any sport, but he actively runs and works out, and he loves volleyball. Him and his brother play basketball sometimes too. He also carves little figures sometimes, as a more relaxing at home hobby. His first was of his brother. It's not very good, at least in his eyes, but his bro holds it very dear, and keeps it, along with his other figures (most from his brother) on a shelf in his room. (He'll carve with his left hand at times when his right is sore from tics. He is actually pretty good with his left at this point, but still better with his right.)

[bevanne46]

Many people take this day off to rest or tootle around the house. I will be at my sewing machine as much as possible on labor day, too much work to get done before Christmas! What does everyone else have planned for Labor Day?

[darkjusticiar]

I guess in one of my mom's classes a speaker said AI could never replace the spirit and individuality of writing (paraphrasing) but did say they might be able to design costumes. I got so mad and I'm STILL mad about it. Clothes and costumes are so misunderstood, especially on the technical level, that any argument made on the basis of artistic and manual skill apparently flies out the window... idc about the "soul" of art but I do care that apparently people think the people in charge of dressing everybody are more disposible than other disciplines

[melonpond]

I think having 2,000$ to spend at a fiber festival could cure me

[deadgiants]

All craft is art. Just because you can place things on a table, or pour from a caraf does not mean it is not beautiful or intentionally designed. Utility does not negate artistry. Even a plain chair is made with an intention, form, and skill. It is itself a piece of art.

[rustchild]

.

[a-god-in-ruins-rises]

some “writers” should starve actually

[shrunk-skrimblo]

I’m about to spend 20+ dollars on fabric cause my mom forgot to pay me back so the shop in buying from would be on sale when I get the money :[