Awhile back (it was the last post in September. I don't know how to make a link here yet), I was wondering about people's tendency to buy more yarn than they need. And I kind of felt that, even in the case of hand-dyed yarn, where you'll probably never see another one just like it, we should all just take a deep breath and step back. That, even though we won't see one just like it, we could maybe learn to have faith that the next one that comes along will also be beautiful. Equally beautiful, probably, in its own way.
I'm not exactly retracting those comments. But, in talking with my new colleague Jennifer about Anne (and people's tendency to hoard it), I had another thought. For most of us, most of what we see/use/buy every day is mass-produced. This may be the last pair of size 8 sneakers on the shelf, but somewhere, there are plenty more just like it. But hand-dyed yarn isn't like that (especially since most hand-dyers got into this business because they like playing with color, not looking at the same thing day after day). And I wonder if maybe people's fascination (not to say obsession) with certain hand-dyed yarns isn't so much a sign of anxiety about scarcity, but rather a deep, even visceral attraction to something that's the opposite of mass-produced. We're knitters, after all; we like things that are unique, even if just because we made them. Maybe we want to attach ourselves to one-of-a-kind yarns because they're emblematic of everything we love about knitting -- and everything we don't love about shopping at the mall.
Just a thought. Here's another:
Diana likes to feel that she's helping out around here. Yesterday she made this sign, and taped it to the outer doorframe (at about knee-height, but still). She was fascinated by the idea that Lucy's hair could be sometimes pink, and sometimes purple, and sometimes both. I hope she gets to meet her.
(Lucy's flight gets in a couple hours from now. When she called yesterday to confirm travel details, I asked her, since I didn't yet know who'd be meeting her at the airport and how they'd recognize her, what color her hair is. She responded, "Well, I haven't decided yet.")
4 comments:
So kind of Lisa to not mention that Anne can reduce some of her staff to pathetic pleading : please please can I have that Anne that you just took, i thought that if I saw it first that it should be mine. I've been waiting for my whole life for two that matched with those colors, can't you see my desperation? I considered a cat fight but thank goodness I was able to maintain at least that much control... Perhaps it is because it's not mass produced, I can't help but feel its simply because it is soooo beautiful. And a lack of confidence that we would ever find one that could approach the lovely item we are holding in our hand. Thank you to Cheryl Schaffer.
So what color was her hair?
Purple. Diana is completely smitten.
Lisa, you have hit on what I feel about certain hand-dyed yarns.
It's only partly the idea of the color that may never show its face again.
It is most definitely, wow, look at that, it is so lustrous and fine and makes this beautiful life a tiny bit more beautiful.
I hate malls.
I love Anne. And Koigu PPPM.
But you knew that.
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