Gabby's crocheted dress - front
Since my output has been a bit slow lately, I would like to respond to a recently overheard comment by showing off someone else’s work.
I actually heard someone say that “it’s so sad that the hand arts are dying out and the younger generation isn’t interested in learning them”.
Gabby's Dress - back
What?!?!? Did I miss something or has this person been in a closet for the last 3 or 4 years?
Gabby's Dress, detail of skirt
How can anyone not notice that the DIY and HandMade movements that are fueled by (but not, I think, totally a result of) the current economy is mostly the younger generations? How can you miss that Etsy and Artfire and all the other wonderful artist’s outlets are mostly fueled by the teens, twenty and thirty-something artists and makers? These people are taking the hand arts to a whole new level. They may have a new twist but they are not dying out.
Case in point;
Gabby's Dress, detail of neckline
Meet Gabby Sottis, an 18 years old that works at Heritage Spinning & Weaving with me. Gabby is a new crocheter and wanted to crochet a dress. She could not find a pattern that she liked. She made one up. This is her first real crochet project. This is the dress she made.
Wow!
To see this IRL (in real life) stop in the shop, it’s on a mannequin in the sock room – and it’s stunning. Gabby also wove skirt fabric as her first weaving project.
Gabby!.
Gabby weaving
Here she is weaving on her second project, dish towels (in a complex weave) for her future apartment.
Camera shy Sophia
I also know Sophia, a talented young lady about my daughter’s age that spins, knits, weaves, and now tats. She never starts with beginner stuff, like Gabby, she just jumps in with both feet. I think the younger generation is far less afraid of failing or making mistakes. I seemed to remember being braver when I was younger. But that’s for another post…
Sophia's tatted necklace
Meanwhile, here is Sophia’s tatted necklace – very cool!
Sophia's tatted necklace detail
Becca
I haven’t even mentioned Becca, she is Gabby’s age and has been weaving since she was nine years old. As a result, she is a phenomenal weaver who can weave rings around most of us old-time weavers and we always go to her for questions or to solve our problems. I don’t have any photos of Becca’s work right now but I hope to soon, I heard a rumor she is weaving her wedding dress.
Hanging around these girls gives me great hope for the future of “making” and the world in general. Thanks girls 
Deb H
Becca's coverlet
Updated – Joan (owner of HS&W) sent me a photo of Becca and the traditional overshot coverlet she wove. Taken before it was cut, you only see two of the three panels she wove. This was taken in the fall of 2007, that means she wove it when she was 14 or 15 (?) – quite an accomplishment at any age! Great work, Becca
[Edited on 2-16-12 to fix a spelling error - oops!]
She is a good listener and thinks all my ideas are brilliant! She does not freak out when I use the ban saw or the shop vac.
