Category Archives: Art and Craft

Call it Miniature-itis, Fi-FI-Fo-Fum Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Tiny Hysteria….  It is a pathological weakness for all things tiny.

It is age-old.  No one is safe.

Lots of my friends and loved ones are similarly afflicted.  I like that.

It’s a gift, I think.

The girls and I got our miniature-freak on with Althea Chrome of Bugknits.  The National Museum for Women in the Arts had her there for a lecture and workshop, and we were lucky to be able to spend some time with her.

What a crazy-lovely woman.

The workshop that followed the talk was part of the museum’s Role Model Workshops, which “brings area teens together with women who have achieved success in the visual, literary, and performing arts and other areas of creativity. Visiting artists serve as role models and mentors, offering career information and guidance and leading hands-on activities that encourage creative self-expression.”  She taught this group of girls how to knit, and was so patient.  We’ll be keeping an eye out for more of these programs there at the museum.  Really great!

She is so sweet and captivating and full of life.  It was a joy to hear her speak in her lecture about the process and history behind each of her teeny tiny works, and I can’t tell you what it was like to look at them in person.  AHmazing.  To see such craftsmanship and concept applied at such a minuscule scale.  It makes my brain hurt.  Rosie was even hypnotized…. She asked some pretty great questions too.

The scuba sweater, the City-Country sweater and socks, and the Truth and Wisdom Kimono were three that were particularly fascinating to hear about.  They have such great design work in them– which is so SMALL, and then they also tell little stories, with symbols and illustrations from times or events of her life.  It was also fascinating to hear the stories about her work for Coraline.  The long process she went through arriving at what was finally the sweater.  You might imagine that something so small would be easier in concept– but the design and material challenges are wonderful.  I imagine that it is part of the fun for her… making it work and then making something that goes beyond that to beauty and amazement.

Marigold and I could not resist some of her needles and patterns which you can get on her site.  We have a mini cardigan and pair of socks to make.  If I make it through without scratching out both my eyes, I want to make her Queen Elizabeth sweater too.  I have some other BIG ideas of other big that I might like  to try TINY as well.  It’s a little addictive.

It was so funny– ( paraphrasing) ” People make 3 assumptions about me– that I am crazy, that I have really small hands, and that I have excellent eyesight.  None are true.”

She mentioned an interesting looking new book coming up called the Culture of Knitting which she’ll be appearing in.  I am hoping on big things for she and her tiny masterpieces.  See if you can catch her teaching or speaking sometime.  She is a fascinating artist, woman and parent–you’ll fall in love with her too! She’ll be at the Guild School in Maine this Summer teaching a miniature knitting class.  They have classes there like “MIni wheelthrown raku pottery. Just kill me.  Better yet, just TAKE ME if you go!!