Those of you, if any, who read this posting are about to encounter a rare treat that happens probably several thousand times a day ... a first blog posting!
Not really being sure about the politics, protocol and etiquette of such endeavors, I am going to start out with a little background about me, why I'm writing this blog and just let my fingers decide whatever direction this vehicle takes.
First About Me
My name is Larry Hart. Currently, I am General Manager of Artisán Knitworks ... a incredibly cool fiber shop located in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan. We sell what I think is certainly the best selection of hand-painted yarns and artist-made buttons in the Midwest ... it is certainly in the top handful of shops like it in the country. My wife, Sandra Van Burkleo, is the creative force behind the store, although I have contributed much more than I could have ever imagined when we started it a little over three years ago. We also offer a few trillion (a modest exaggeration) vintage buttons along with contemporary and vintage costume jewelry. Speaking of jewelry, the hidden gem of Artisán Knitworks are handcrafted sweaters of our own design. They are gorgeous and made only by professional knitters and crocheters in the US and Canada. The other thing that, from the start, has set us apart is our emphasis on developing the fiber crafts. That's the reason we have guest teachers such as Sally Melville, Jean Frost, Laura Bryant and many other name guest teachers several times a year. (More about this later, I'm sure.)
Before starting this venture, I was a professional writer in one form or another. Started out as a reporter ... steady work, but lousy pay. Then I went over to the ad agency side ... great pay, but occasionally trying work. Along the way, I've added in photography (I'm actually better than most), customer service/customer satisfaction consultant, trainer/training developer and few other things along the way of making a living as a writer.
.
This Brings Me To...
... why I'm embarking on the world of being a blogger. The most basic of reasons is that I miss writing for little more than the sake of writing. I write ads, press release and such as part of Artisán Knitworks, but these are always business focused. While, I am certain, there will be business mentioned from time to time, if not frequently, in this blog, the main objective is to just write and see where things go.
I suppose that if this blog is to be freewheeling and only semi-directed, I shouldn't over analyze how I am going to approach it. So, here comes the first "meat" of the blog.
As I wrote a few lines back, one Artisán Knitworks main business objectives is to bring quality fiber education to this area. (Here's an example: our upcoming weekend with Laura Bryant:http://02d4439.netsolhost.com/links.html). As an admittedly "knit-one curse-two" knitter and someone who spent years loving to learn and to train, I am somewhat taken surprised by the reluctance of some Detroit-area fiber folk to embrace this sort of high-level learning experience with the same zeal as do people in other areas of the country ... including small towns and big cities.
Don't get me wrong, the classes are generally quiet successful, yet they don't seem to generate the level of enthusiasm that similar classes do in other parts of the country. I've put on my "marketing hat" and did some basic research. Content and hours are comparable and the "tuitions" are often less than other areas. (Based on conversations with some "name" fiber teachers, this isn't simply limited to one shop or a group of shops ... it seems to be endemic to the southeast Michigan area.)
Now, all this isn't really a complaint. More of a puzzlement. And puzzles like this puzzle me. What I'd like is to have the input of fellow fiber folk. Why doesn't the greater Detroit area respond with the same glee to such events as other areas of the country? And how can we glee people up?
After all: fiber is fun!
Larry
Comments
Post a Comment