Today we covered the history and tradition of knitting and looked at one or two aspects in particular, we all knitted samples of patterns traditionally used in sweaters used by fishermen - Guernsey's or Ganseys and it was interesting to note that originally fine knitting was undertaken by MEN (the women did the spinning) and that young boys were selected to become apprentices by The Knitters' Guild of Paris and undertook SIX years of training with THREE working with a "master knitter", and THREE in a foreign country learning new techniques! The test at the end was quite comprehensive and included the knitting of an elaborate carpet 8'x12' with intricate designs, a felted and blocked beret, woollen shirt and a pair of SOCKS! (with Spanish clocks? but the teacher wasn't able to explain this bit!!).
Interestingly we all were given a ball of Rowan DK yarn and a set of patterns to knit up - great fun for me as a knitter! less so for the ladies unable to knit! Much laughter and hilarity for 20mins before we were given permission to break for coffee and biscuits!!
Frustratingly, one of the more keen students was pulled to one side midway through the morning to be told she was not permitted to complete the course! She was very disappointed to learn that as she'd already done a course the previous year from the same *body* of course focusing on glasswork to the same *level* she wasn't allowed to do it again on the module *creative textiles*!!
She could, if she chose, pay another £50 and continue on a *leisure* basis, but as she is working toward a career she needs/wants all the paperwork and quals she can get! We suggested, could she not do the course FULLY herself and pay in addition, an extra fee for the examination? No. Apparently this is against the rules.
This is the trouble. This is why ordinary people like us find it difficult and annoying to work out WHY we can't sign up and DO a course that is apparently OFFERED that the colleges are apparently PROMOTING and wish to fill the places without there being some sort of BLOCK!
We had similar issues with the dressmaking course years ago, all of a sudden *we* were kicked OFF it and advised *we* couldn't continue to sign and attend. (the fact that the *we* I refer to were the ONLY ONES WHO ACTUALLY DID WANT TO DO THE COURSE AND DID SIGN AND STAY FOR YEAR IN YEAR OUT seems apparently to not count! now. what do YOU think happened? after *we* were refused admittance? to the course? yes. thats RIGHT! it CLOSED! why? you need to ask? why do you think? BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO THE COURSE WERE THE *WE*! US! but *WE* couldn't. because *WE* had been going for too long! *WE* were taking up other people's places! preventing *others* from getting a chance.
Well. I'm only going to get a headache labouring the point. You do get my point?
The only good thing to come, was that this particular lady had chosen today as the day to do a show'n'tell on some wonderful glasswork she'd done and some wet felting techniques which represented some of her work recently accepted at a gallery and from which she'd secured some sales and commissions! (how unfair that the system is not encouraging of talented artists who wish to expand their learning at local colleges?).
4 comments:
See, that's why you need to come across the Pond .. we don't have silly rules like that. And now that you've discovered knitting is your passion, can I have your Bernina and Brother sew/emb machines??
Ow. Stop throwing cushions.. throw all those fancy spools of thread you have in that drawer there..... you know you want to, ggg..
This was the reason I decided to go it alone! I can see that all creative courses will end up banned and 'paper worked' out of existence. Who is it that makes all these stupid decisions and rules? Can't be anyone who has an ounce of creativity!
I'll throw YOU in the pond in a minute! no you CAN'T have my machines!
I wonder how your rules differ in sew far as attending courses on a leisure basis go to ours and those that are accredited and subsidied? You will not BELIEVE the booklet we had to fill in this week on our aims for the SESSION! all to prove we had a good time and learned something!!!
I can understand wanting to be sure that the courses are run correctly and that each students' expectations are met, but there has to be a difference between learning something structured and exploring something creative? WHY WHY WHY do we have PAPERWORK!? the booklet (yes I do mean BOOKlet) to fill in just to attend took me so long, I had to have help unbending my back from its bent position!)
I think you did the right thing going totally independant and freelance and of course you already have your reputation established and can do this, hopefully, with a chance of making it work!
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