3 books about art crafting to weave into your life

Despite a busy schedule as a frequent contributor on CBC Radio’s Because News and the executive director of nonfiction festival LitFest Alberta, Edmonton’s Jana O’Connor somehow manages to sustain a life-long love of crafting.

“There was always a lot of materials around our house. I was always inspired by that,” she told Ali Hassan. “But it wasn’t until I was in my early 20s and I just caught a fire in me to decide to learn to knit.”

On this week’s episode of The Next Chapter, O’Connor shares three nonfiction titles that have greatly influenced her relationship with crafting and her appreciation of the art.

This nonfiction essay anthology brings together crafters from all walks of life. From crochet and knitting to embroidery, beading and quilting, these artists explore their relationship with fibre arts as it intersects with identity, trauma, politics, technology, climate change, disability and chronic illness.

Marita Dachsel is the author of the poetry collections There Are Not Enough Sad Songs, Glossolalia and All Things Said & Done, and the play Initiation Trilogy. Her essays have appeared in multiple anthologies. She is an assistant teaching professor in the Writing Department at the University of Victoria.

Nancy Lee is the author of two works of fiction, Dead Girls and The Age and a poetry collection, What Hurts Going Down. She is an associate professor at the UBC School of Creative Writing and co-creator of the internationally acclaimed EdX education series, How to Write a Novel. She lives in Vancouver.

Jana O’Connor says: “It’s an absolutely beautiful book and has a myriad of different perspectives on people’s lives and their relationship to needlework. It brings all kinds of insight and thoughtful reflections on the role of craft in people’s lives.”

Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti by Leanne Prain and Mandy Moore

Yarn bombing, the international guerilla movement using textile art as an act of political resistance, first picked up steam in the early 2000s. The 10th anniversary edition of Yarn Bombing was published in 2019 and includes patterns, tips and infamous examples of the movement over the previous decade.

Leanne Prain is a writer, speaker and certified design professional from Vancouver who helps communities connect through creative ideas. Her previous books include Strange Material: Storytelling through Textiles and The Creative Instigator’s Handbook: A DIY Guide to Making Social Change through Art.

Mandy Moore has worked in the yarn industry for over two decades as a teacher, designer and technical editor. She lives and works in Vancouver.

Jana O’Connor says: “Yarn graffiti and craftivism are very exciting ways of inserting yourself gently into the both political and municipal landscape and just making your mark.”

Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World’s Ugliest Sweater by Peggy Orenstein

In order to cope with immense family upheaval amidst the COVID pandemic, Unraveling details author Peggy Orenstein’s journey to create a sweater entirely from scratch. From shearing a sheep to dyeing and knitting the yarn, Orenstein undertook every element of the year-long process herself in this hilarious, poignant memoir.

Peggy Orenstein is New York Times bestselling author, whose other books include Boys & Sex, Don’t Call Me Princess, Girls & Sex, Cinderella Ate My Daughter and Waiting for Daisy. She is a frequent contributor to publications such as The Atlantic, The New Yorker, the New York Times and the Washington Post. She lives in North Carolina.

Jana O’Connor says: “This memoir is really beautiful, intimate and funny.”

Comments have been edited for length and clarity.

 

Source link