I should crochet an utterly sincere, non-ironic tea cozy in protest

Edit: I don’t want to be an asshole. I want to be clear that I am not criticizing the article or the author or the artists profiled. I’m bitching about scenesters.

More of the c-word today.

So I haven’t been picking up the City Paper lately, but today something told me to look at the newstand this morning. “They’re Crafty” was the headline to change my mind today (as I was walking to work with a ball of yarn and a crochet hook in my bag, my neck wrapped in a handmade scarf).

Briefly: the article would like to remind us that the “Baltimore Craft Community” is thriving. Sweet! But I get the feeling they don’t mean at church bazaars, they mean the kind of indie craft that is Okay For Young People: you know, people with nose rings. Cool people. “Indie” people. Punk Rock Crafters, that sort of crowd.

Was anybody really concerned? Who could think that the indie-punk-DIY fad was fading already? I mean, I suppose there’s a chance that the hipsters and yippies have run out of yarn, or something, or moved on to woodworking, but I really don’t think so.

Though I was interested to see that there’s now a Charm City Craft Mafia (I remember thinking of starting one ages ago), my first reaction to the article was a big roll of the eyes. I think it’s because of my brief experience with some of Baltimore’s larger (not just craft) “indie scene.”

When I first moved here from Corn Town I just loved how crazy and artsy and liberal this city was. I thought it was quite refreshing to see a new aesthetic that actually had some weight and support behind it. But after a while, I found a sour taste in my mouth (and it wasn’t the homebrewed beer talking, either): aesthetic was the only thing. Not talent or passion or love of the arts, just whether or not you were “indie” enough.

It’s possible that I just happened to meet the wrong people, the nasty, puckered, nervous gatekeepers instead of the truly passionate. But that’s who I met. And boy, they did a nice job of changing my mind. I thought college was the time for posing hipper-than-thou (goddamn art majors), silly me, but apparently that’s just the training.

Anyway. My take, at first glance this morning was this: As far as I’m concerned the craft community is thriving, yes. But the WHOLE craft community. Even the ones who make things like pastel granny-square afghans or angels out of styrofoam and yarn. Even the ones who wear, say, generic maternity apparel and have shaggy, growing-out haircuts and no visible piercings (who, me?). People who don’t have the street cred and have outgrown caring about it.

To me, there’s value in anything handmade; it doesn’t have to be featured in a “knitty-gritty” sort of collection to suddenly become worthwhile.

February 28, 2007 | Filed Under baltimore, check it out, create, geek, journalism

Comments

16 Responses to “I should crochet an utterly sincere, non-ironic tea cozy in protest”

juliloquy on February 28th, 2007 11:09 am

Yay Supa for keeping it real!
Melissa on February 28th, 2007 12:29 pm

Found you via the Baltimore blog roll…

My husband and I are about to move to Baltimore. We’re in DC now; here you get a lot of the smarter-than vibe while Baltimore (thinking of some of Hampden) definitely project a hipper-than-thou attitude.
debbie on February 28th, 2007 2:43 pm

well, what i get from that piece is that the CP is trying to call attention to those in the community who are making interesting stuff. the fact is that a lot of these little businesses are relatively unknown outside of their own “indie” community, so i think it’s a wonderful thing that someone wants to cover them and their work. and *of course* these are the crafts that are “okay for young people”. is there really something wrong with that? these crafters are attracted to a certain aesthetic, as are a lot of young people, so why shouldn’t they incorporate that into the goods they make and try to sell? to say that those people think they are cool or punk rock or better than someone who isn’t pierced is pretty dismissive, dontcha think? plus, look at the CP’s readership demographic! why would they write about the kinds of crafts sold at church bazaars?? you may have been burned by your experience with the “indie scene,” but i can assure you that there are a ton of NICE folks out there who really are talented and passionate about their art and craft.

and i don’t think the article was implying that handmade things like pastel granny-square afghans weren’t “worthwhile”. BUT as someone who also values anything handmade, i have to say that they sure are ugly and i’ll be damned if i ever own or make one! that’s just the punk rock crafter in me talking.

ps: i believe i know the person who got the ball rolling on the charm city craft mafia. she’s really nice.

pps: you know i love you even though you wear generic maternity clothes, right? heh.
supa on February 28th, 2007 3:02 pm

[quote comment=”15537”] you may have been burned by your experience with the “indie scene,” but i can assure you that there are a ton of NICE folks out there who really are talented and passionate about their art and craft.[/quote]

As I said, I don’t doubt it. Some of my favorite friends are Baltimore crafters. And some people I don’t talk to any more are punk assholes. You win some, you lose some.

I don’t disparage (at least not intentionally) the “indie craft community” as a whole. It serves a great purpose, in fact. But the greater indie scene — more than just crafting, is what I was talking about — well, there’s a pervasive, cynical aesthetic snobbishness that I just find wearying. At first blush, the article was just rehashing the same. And as I pointed out, my first reaction was an emotional one based on experience.
supa on February 28th, 2007 3:04 pm

Also, I like to stand up for the ugly crafts. Nobody loves the ugly crafts, and I like to fight for the underdog.
debbie on February 28th, 2007 4:06 pm

it seemed like you *were* dissing the indie craft community as a whole, and i was offended! heh. but i should’ve known that wasn’t what you meant. there really ARE a lot of indie hipster punk assholes out there, i’ll give you that. i draw the line at ugly grandma crafts, though! and you know what? i totally forgot that dave’s grandma made us this pastel acrylic granny-square afghan! it’s HORRIBLE, but i do love that she took the time to make it. it will always have a special place in the top back corner of our linen closet. heh.
supa on February 28th, 2007 5:31 pm

Oh, for sure, debbie. It’s not the indie craft scene, it’s the assholes who give it a bad name.

When I wrote this I was using the article as a starting point into what should really be an entirely different post (aesthetics, craftsmanship, misplaced value judgments). That’s my bad. I still hate the hipper-than-thou attitude I’ve encountered in person, but to be fair it comes down to individuals, not the group as a whole.
Rachael on February 28th, 2007 6:48 pm

Well, I’ll have you know that my collages of the Ramones made with tar and dried snot are selling much better on etsy than my green and brown floral tote bags!

Ha. Kidding. I haven’t listed anything yet, and I’m not all that into the “punk rawk” scene.
Kristalyn on February 28th, 2007 9:11 pm

Side note:

Did you know that macrame (spelled wrong I’m sure) is making a comeback?

Learned that today at the bead store.
Tina C. on March 1st, 2007 8:52 am

haven’t read the article yet, but, last time i checked you, can disparage whomever you like on your own g-d blog. isn’t that why you set up it up anyway? i say diss away if you like.
katie on March 2nd, 2007 3:41 pm

holy crap i hate pretentious scene kids that do crafts now. it’s hip now to sew your own clothes are to DIY everything, and while normally I A+ that sort of iniative, it’s gotten so repetitive and boring that I’d rather see a great find from Plato’s than some ironic tee shirt with pokemon on it becuase the whole eighties/nineties pop culture look is hip.

ugh i could go on for hours.
HVM on March 2nd, 2007 8:32 pm

OH, NOW i get the email. look what you miss when your stolen connection vanishes!

Ok, all i have to say is, as the insider on the mafia, you know i make things like the infamous Die Hipsters pillow.

I rest my case.
amandamonkey on March 3rd, 2007 11:22 am

I am absolutely with you!

(BTW, I came here via Flickr this morning and am completely in love with Owen already…)
Carol on March 16th, 2007 5:41 pm

Puckered gatekeepers? That’s brilliant…and snicker-worthy. I love you, I love Owen, and I love your blog. Please come by and have tea with me (or a double espresso…whatever…) and you can bring your granny squares and styro crafts.

Um where can I get a Die Hipsters pillow? Preferably one that’s embroidered in pink and green…for extra snark?

And can someone please teach me how to knit without getting my fingers stuck in the stitches?

That’s all. Carry on.
anonymous on April 12th, 2007 2:25 pm

Thank you OH SO MUCH for all the negativity!! WOW!!!
supa on April 12th, 2007 5:09 pm

I aim to please, Anonymous.

Now, if you could please re-read this post and its comments — as I did to the CP piece once I got my head out of my ass — you will see all the giant disclaimers as to the negativity.

But thank you for the totally alsome sarcasm. WOW!!