Hello crafter people. . . I sat down to share some ideas about craft and protest: how they might be connected and relevant to one another. And, at your request, a look at some diverse Speculative Fiction and Science Fiction reading that you might find hopeful at this historic moment. Then, on to the small amount of distracted knitting I’ve been able to do: work on my blanket and some advice about gradient yarn and pinhole cast ons. If you’d like something actionable, and need some yarn, from June 7th to June 14th I’ll be donating 50% of the “Shop My Stash” sale (on Ravely) to organizations fighting for social justice and racial equity.** I am thinking of all of you during the protests and pandemic–please take good care of each other. ~Melissa
**Please note that I cannot ship internationally at the moment, due to the pandemic
SHOW NOTES:
Here is a list of the books and short stories I mentioned in the cast (there are so many more to explore that I haven’t named here . . .):
- Parable of the Sower & Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler
- Mothership: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond
- Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture
- Iraq+100
- Shades Within Us: Tales of Migration and Fractured Borders
- Resist: Tales from a Future Worth Fighting Against
- A People’s Future of the United States
- W.E.B. Dubois, “The Comet”
- George Saunders, “Semplica Girl Diaries”
Free, online course from UIUC on Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History (select the non-certificate option)
- Pinhole Cast-on from Staci of VeryPink Knits
- M1A Tutorial
- M1T Tutorial
I liked the way current events informed this episode. You are an interesting person. It would have been easy to reiterate the same old dialog and catch phrases, but you took a ‘chapter’ out of your profession to share some writings on our history and took us on a journey to a thought-provoking future. I really appreciated learning about your approach to science fiction! Thank you, Melissa. xoxo Regina
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Thanks so much for such a thoughtful and kind comment, Regina. Always lovely to hear from you. I do hope you’re safe and well!
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I wish I were well, but I have been down with a ‘virus’ which has not been identified yet. I am waiting for a call from my physician. I am a puddle of all manner of emotion because I have done everything right and to the ultimate degree. Please send good vibes for an uneventful resolution. I am grateful for your well wishes. Watching podcasts and sharing my bed rest with knitting friends is a tremendous comfort (and distraction)! Never dull for the cosmic knitter, eh? 🙂 xoxo
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Oh. dear! well, in that. case, rest!! And I’ll send all good, healing vibes your way. Hoping for a good resolution for this virus, whatever it is!!
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