Opening Eyes to New Experiences

When the Knit Together shop in Stamford closed it's doors this past February they gave me the store displays I had created, one of which was a freeform pencil holder I created for use near the registers.  Back in my possession, I gave some thought of what I wanted to do with it and decided to use it in my children's school library in hopes it would get the children wondering about what is art, what is crochet, and how much fun yarn can be.

So from March until June there were a total of two comments on it -- from two different adults. Both had commented that it lent the library a "homey" feel.  The children did not seem to notice it.

Fast forward to this school year and the comments have dramatically changed -- the children have taken notice, and in such a way I can see it will be an interesting year!  Now, as the children await their turn to check out books, I often times see them tracing the crocheted stitches with their fingers, and turning the pencil holder around and around and around to, as they say, "find the beginning and the end" of the work.  Then the questions and comments start: "Mrs. Stanziano? Did you make this?" "Wow, Mrs. Stanziano, I didn't know you can draw with crochet! That's art!" "Mrs. Stanziano, is this something you can teach us this winter?"

Ha!  Mission accomplished! It may have a "homey" feel to some adults, but I have the children wondering about "drawing with yarn," and about "art" all with a little piece of freeform crochet that was inspired by Bonnie Pierces' "One Yarn Challenge."  It's a good feeling to open eyes to new experiences, both with books and with yarn.  :)