Monday 11 August 2014

I Can't Believe It!

My name is Frankie and I'm a stay at home mum,
 
But I do kind of like to think that there's something else that I 'do'. My name is Frankie and I knit adorable kitsch, kooky original and sickeningly sweet things and when I show people what I make the responses usually fall into one of three categories:
 
  1. Oh it's adorable I want one! Please make me one!
  2. Oh its lovely, hang on its how much!?
  3. You don't sell those? Who buys them? Their awful! Surely they don't sell? 
  4. The people who don't get it, but they respect it (Mr Knitwit falls quite solidly into this group)       
Now obviously response 1 is my favourite, usually I respond by blushing uncontrollably, to the point where I look like your nan after one to many sherry's at the family wedding.
 
Response 2 irks me a little. On the one hand, they like what I make, but on the other hand they don't think I'm worth the price. Which to be honest upsets me a little bit, if they don't think I'm worth the price, what about when I've given them as gifts? Are they worth less then as well? Well I've come to realise that these people are just ignorant of the amount of time and effort that goes into making something that's handmade. Sadly I don't knit like one of the shreddies Nannas, it does not take me an hour to whip up an owl, it takes a darn sight longer and that's on a good day. I sincerely hope that these people learn the joy of handing over something well made, original and handmade, or that at least their own family members don't spend hours knitting and sewing should the group 3's ever have a child of their own.
 
Now if group 2 irks me, group 3 sends me into a mild/less than mild rage! For starters please don't comment on my things like your some sort of fashionista and assume that everyone hates them and secondly pleas don't talk about them like that and especially in front of me, trust me I am under no delusions that what I make is everyone's cup of tea. But everything I make has a part of me in it. I give every make 100% and nothing leaves my house till I'm happy with it!
 
 
Which got me thinking (and yes that is burning you can smell) How many people are sat out there able to make things but suppressed by the group 3s of this world? How many Knitting Nanas and young people who can just 'use' a sewing machine people who draw and sketch but won't put themselves out there for fear of rejection?
 
A very wise teacher once told me, "you can call yourself an artist when you've sold your first painting"
 
Well World/internet/blog land/small group of people who return to my little space of the internet that's full of ramblings
 
My name is Frankie and I am an artist and crafter. I paint things and I sew and I knit the most sickeningly kitsch, sweet, adorable and darn right kooky things you can imagine! And they sell, sometimes they sell well, and sometimes I have lulls. But each of my customers is pleased and I always do my best so please don't rain on my parade!
 
And if you are a closet Knitter/sewer/painter BREAK FREE! Put yourself out there! As someone once said , "If you don't reach the moon you might just land on a star!"
 
In other news I made a scarf today (which I was going to blog about but this verbal stream came out instead!)
 
Much Love
 
And embrace your passions!
 
Frankie
 
xxx
 




 

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