For those of you in my general vicinity, you may be interested in knowing about Tricotando, a handknitting charity fundraiser staged annually by the Raleigh Stitch N Bitch. Luscious information can be found here. The place to be is Helios Coffeeshop on Glenwood Avenue, the time to be there is December 16 from 7-9 pm.
The #1 best reason to pay attention: the organization to whom the proceeds will go. From the above-linked site:
"NC Center for Women in Public Service: The North Carolina Center for Women in Public Service is a non-partisan organization that prepares women to seek and serve in public office. The Center, founded in June 2003 and housed at Peace College, is the first organization in the state to address the urgent need for women-specific recruitment, training, and mentoring to increase the number of women in appointed and elected office. www.nccwps.org"
YO! (and I don't mean "yarn-over") How cool is that? Many of us are already aware of the dismal representation of women in public office from local to national levels. This is a great idea, and I am pleased that this "woman-centered" craft (as it currently manifests) is being used to benefit a woman-centered organization. But just as knitting isn't strictly for girls and women, a government that accurately reflects its citizenry benefits the entire population. (Or so we hope.)
The only fly in my ointment is my memory of a previous fundraiser where there were goods for sale that were made from published patterns (as a knitting-book hound I can spot patterns pretty easily) which made me freak the fuck out, as if I don't already have enough to hold against the SnBs of the world. (long story) Even if it's for charity, doesn't that still violate the "don't make and sell this" disclaimer that comes with almost every pattern one sees nowadays? And if the knitter was thoughtful and ethical enough to get permission from the pattern's author, don't you think she would then go to the trouble of explicitly stating so on the price tag (or at least somewhere)? It would make my blood boil if I found out my pattern was being used without my permission to make goods for sale, even if for charity, but I guess mostly for "the principle of the thing." I'm not naming names or pointing fingers, but some knitters really get under my skin! (That statement is really very general and is probably based more on my experiences at yarn stores and at Stitches. So Raleigh SnB can breathe easy.)
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5 comments:
if you weren't working, you could be my date. we could wear our devil hats :) devil knitters
My mother (who crafts alot) had that same debate so she emailed a few designers and companies. The general consensus is that charitable,church,and kids events are generally acceptable. The disclaimer is for those that sell for major profit.
I'm actually collecting all of the items for the show and I can honestly say that maybe only one or two items out of the many are distinctively from a purchased pattern. Most are hats,scarves,etc that are designed by the knitters themselves. Those types of patterns are so general anyway.
saun, thanks for the update. I knew *someone* would have the scoop for me. And it is a problem with a lot of knitted goods: I mean a scarf is pretty much a scarf, as is a hat, so even if you use a very basic pattern (like from Ann Budd's Handy Book of Patterns) is it really that different from any other basic item?
and what if you sew horns on it?!
I think everything should have horns sewn on it.
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