lovely

The Man Who Knit: The World’s Most Awesome Indonesian Male Knitters?

| Betsy

This Monday, when I mentioned I was having a not-so-awesome day, The Man Who Knit sent me a link to their new video. I think this very act should happen every time I have a bad day… A wonderful and lovely video made by wonderful and lovely people should show up in front of me. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be a bad day, good days work, too. The first one they sent me, the second I discovered online. As always, thanks The Man Who Knit!







Like these videos? (And clearly, why wouldn’t you?) You can see some of their other videos here, here and here. You can learn more about The Man Who Knit over on their website or on Twitter.


Lest you think that these boys are alone out there being men who craft, you can find examples and links of many others here and here, which includes the story of Jim Simpson (pictured below), who knit this rug while a POW in WWII.* He’s pretty much like WWII MacGyver, if MacGyver had more free time and was even tougher. He straightened soup pot handles to use as needles and took apart sweaters and socks for the yarn to make this rug. Jim Simpson is truly inspirational and amazing.




“Maybe I’m just not smart enough…”

| Betsy

Said the parents of Harm Van Der Dorpel while their son tried to explain his work to them.

If you make anything even the slightest bit conceptual, chances are you’ve heard this exact phrase, or something eerily close. The dividing line it places between maker (smart) and viewer (less so) completely starts things off wrong as it instantly constructs a barrier between the two. And unlike some barriers, this one is not particularly porous. By placing each other in different camps, we’re prematurely marking the other as well, the other. How can we even begin to think we’re going to break this barrier done? But are artists, crafters, makers, we do think it’s possible. Again and again and again.

Every so often you come across a project so magic, so perfect, so just, well, gorgeous that you want to savor it and take it in all on your own, letting your thoughts guide you through the piece before you discuss it with anyone else. (Or sometimes even have time to ruminate it over yourself, as you just want to take in what is first, before you try and dissect what was.)


How To Explain It To My Parents from Lernert & Sander on Vimeo.