For some reason I am finding it difficult to write this\npost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The last couple of weeks has reminded me of something quite\nfundamental within the fiber arts. When you find those that share your hobby,\nyou find your tribe. I have witnessed several examples of how this tribe is a force\nof good in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first example was while I was at the DFW Fiber Fest.\nJust as the vendor market was about to open the rumor had spread that one\nvendor had not been able to set up. Apparently, the trailer that carried all of\ntheir yarns, their samples, their entire booth set up was stolen from a hotel\nparking lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most vendors are small businesses, the entire family participates\nin the entire experience. This is the livelihood, and obviously a loss like this\nis huge set back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what happened next was a true feeling of the tribe. All\nthe other vendors donated items for a raffle drawing, while attendees began\ntaking up donations. After 24 hours all organization came together for one\ncentral raffle drawing fundraising event. In just two and a half short days\nover $12,000 was raised to help offset the losses to this family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To add to the story, apparently the thieves took approximately\na third of the yarn they had stolen and donated it to a Habitat for Humanity store.\nA crochet loving volunteer thought that this donation looked odd, did a bit of\nresearch and was able to return some of the vendors stock to them. The vendor\nwas able to have a small booth to sell these found yarns, in which they had a\nsteady show of support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was occurring as a fellow crochet was losing her battle\nwith cancer. By now in life I have been down this path before, it does not become\nany easier. However there was a bit of a difference with this passing. I know\nthis crocheter from the Crochet Guild of America, I have spent time with her at\nthe annual conference, and followed her life on-line via Facebook. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After her passing, her only living relative, her brother,\nreached out to her crochet community to inform them of just how much we all meant\nto her. This tribe was her family, and the simple act of sharing our love for\ncrochet had created an environment in her life that was the world to her. Her\ntribe was important to her enough that they become a part of her everyday life.\nThere is a void in the crochet community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are other instances that have come together this week\nto remind me that there is so much more we have in common than we have\ndifferent. Crochet just happens to be one of those tribes that we can easily\nrecognize, we know that if someone plays with yarn we can find a common ground.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I still do not understand why I have had such difficulty\nputting any of this to words, maybe it is because my tribe is too close to my\nheart. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For some reason I am finding it difficult to write this post. The last couple of weeks has reminded me of something quite fundamental within the fiber arts. When you find those that share your hobby, you find your tribe. … Continue reading