On Getting Crafty & Carried Away

Growing up in Greece both of my γιαγιαδες (grandmothers) were and are skilled in an array of different crafts. Not only were they taught to sew by hand and by old singer machines but they were skilled in looming beautiful artworks, crocheting fine and long doily tablecloths, knitting winter layers and embroidering any surface. There’s one loom artwork hanging in my γιαγια’s house of a lady beside a lit fireplace that I used to spend ages staring at as a child and that I wish I had the chance to hang on my own wall as an adult. This is the same γιαγια who taught me to loom and knit at the age of 7 which I kept up for 2 weeks and I have never been able to do since

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Not only was I surrounded by my grandmother’s craft as a child but everytime I went round her house we would always make everything from scratch - bread, filo pastry, marmalade, tsoureki and any other Greek delicacy you can think of. Of course, recently with the rise of trad-wife trends across social media I can understand why this kind of cooking has been labelled anti-feminist agenda, but in truth I think a lot of people want to reconnect with this tradition as a form of reclaiming culture and heritage over anything else. Putting in hours of work to prepare traditional dishes is not necessarily a form of misogynistic practice but it is a form of preservation for true forms that tie us to our culture. And the same can be said for the art of craft. 

Textile and craft have always been considered traditionally feminine practice, being disregarded for a long time as a form of high art - something that artists such as Faith Ringold, Cecilia Vicuña, and Ana Maria Hernando have all proven to in fact be high art. Therefore, a lot of times the approach to textile is less about freedom and creativity but is usually seen as a form of oppression to women - giving it a chore like experience. However, what textile female artists have proven is that the practice of making craft is an experience that uplifts a sense of culture and reclamation rather than feeding into a patriarchal structure. 

As an existential train of thought I usually always tend to wonder what will happen to traditions when the only people left preserving them will finally die out? Will hand made lace be held in museums rather than on our clothes? Will traditional costumes cease to be made across small communities around the world? 

There’s understandably such different priorities in the Gen Z dog eat dog world as craft does not support you nor help boost your chances of being hired as another cog in the machine. However, in a time of diminishing hobbyists and a screen absorbed life - perhaps picking up a craft or two is necessary now more than ever. There are a lot of people making craft cool again, such as the iconic Lindsay Vrckovnik, and reminding us that personal hand craft is one of the most ethical and sustainable ways to enjoy collecting clothes. And especially when you come from a culture where there are so many small crafts that define your experience, it’s important to make sure we preserve that experience for the generations to come - anything you make by hand will be far more cherished than anything you do online. It’s time to stop being perfectionists and learn to make things again even if it means it takes a while. 

Perhaps this was a bit of a late night ramble - perhaps this is a wake up call. However this piece reads to you, I hope it reminds you of something from your culture you would like to reconnect with. The world is a very strange place to be in right now but as long as you do the things that make you and the people you love happy then things will always be a little bit better. And if you’re curious to see just how I got on with my garment making then come along to the Fuschia Show at the University of York - tickets on sale on yorksu.org now!

(All images taken in the Folklore Museum -  Limni, Evia)