Socktober Struggles

Ooofff. That, in case it isn't coming across so well in written form, is a big sigh. Ooofff again. This sock is a struggle.
Here we have a provisional cast on that won't unzip. I'm sure it's not the first, I'm sure it won't be the last but I just wish it wasn't on my blessed needles! I plucked up the courage to try and unzip it last week - ha think again - I seem to have done what I expressly tried to avoid doing and knitted into the crochet loop rather than the bump at the back. Whatever I did I can't release the monster so need to painstakingly unpick the wretched thing. Can you tell I don't have the energy for that at the moment?

For consolation I cast on for the sock equivalent of a big, comfy hug: simple pattern (top down), luscious (DK) yarn and big needles. These, in contrast to the sock sulking in the corner, have flown along and I shall soon have Jess' Christmas gift of guilt all done.I've been having a struggle with some blog reading too lately, for a moment I feared that my love of gentle arts and writing inane posts about them had turned me into some kind of anti-feminism, capitalism crazed construct with no moral or social responsibility.

This is clearly because I spend too little time knitting and too much time surfing the internet. I've been reading lots of interesting reactions to the publication of The Gentle Art of Domesticity. A lot of it is well thought out and real food for thought; a lot of it sadly not.

Personally, as is clear, I'm a fan of the book and the blog. I was therefore pleased to see the lazy and predictable accusations of anti-feminism die down relatively quickly. More interesting to me (as they have mainly come from within the online crafting community) have been the discussions on Jane Brocket's presentation of a highly privileged lifestyle as being too out of touch with reality to be palatable.

I've thought about this a lot as I've always read a deep appreciation for her privileges in Jane's writing - for me it is about a joyous celebration of the best of her domestic life, the opportunities she has been given and making time to hold small things up to the light and get the sense of pleasure and achievement from them that they merit.

In the end my disquiet with many of the comments boils down to the assumptions made, the criticisms built on these shaky foundations and the fact that anyone who has the time and resource to be a crafting blogger is by my definition privileged. I can't help but think of pots and kettles. We all make choices to allow us these luxuries in our life; for some it is easier than others but is there any lessening in the value of Jane's work because we may perceive the materials have been too easily won?

Hurrah at the end of the day for the freedom of speech, for the diversity of crafty bloggers and for the intelligence with which I have seen weighty issues considered; I'm glad to have got my opinions on this down here but, when all is said and done this is what crafting and blogging is about for me and I believe that is enough.