Taking on a project as big as Stitched Glass has many demands – researching, designing, mocking up and then knitting, by hand, solo, three 5-foot by 9-foot tapestries. Lord only knows what I was thinking.
But what I also find challenging is the things that are classified as ‘not knitting.’ Promoting the project, getting the word out there about what I am doing and why, all to start a conversation. Because that was the primary reason for taking on Stitched Glass – other than spending thousands of hours knitting, that is (one of the greatest pleasures of my life). I wanted to start a conversation amongst people of the Abrahamic faiths, and people not of the Abrahamic faiths – to see if, in these times of strife, we could find anew our common ground. There is much work being done in this department of course. There are many people doing wonderful work cementing the bonds between people of all faiths, reaffirming our joint desires for a safe, healthy, empathetic planet – one planet for all. And I can use knitting to contribute to that work.
But back to the rub: promoting the project. I find this really hard to get to. To organize, brainstorm, create and then get the various promotion projects to the communication channels they need to get to. But these things are made far easier by the help of others – help for which I am so grateful.
Back when I had finally pulled together my design for the last Stitched Glass tapestry – the Islamic one – and I had done my research, and I had spoken to Islamic consultants and an Imam about the design, and I was finally, finally drawing the cartoon (the stained glass term for the drawing on which the stained glass window design is based), my wife Claire suggested I take photos of its progress. That, I could do – to the tune of hundreds of photos, actually. But they sat on my computer for almost 2 years as I diligently finished the cartoon, inputted the design into my computer knitting design software, Cochenille’s Stitchpainter, and got to knitting (amongst all the other commitments of life – working, driving kids to soccer, laundry…).
This past summer came around, and our son Emmett didn’t have time for a summer job, what with his athletics schedule. But what he did make time for was creating a video of the photos, editing them all together, and composing an amazing piece of music to go along with the video. Why are these things so much easier for a 15 year-old than a 52 year-old?
The result is a wonderful one-minute video that captures the creation of the Islamic tapestry cartoon. Thank you, Emmett, for your editing skills, your composing skills, and your ability to get to the things your father finds it really challenging to get to.
Now, back to knitting…
Kirk