Experience

 

graphic by Dr. Victoria Grinberg

This morning I saw this diagram created by Dr. Victoria Grinberg on Mastodon.  

In the wake of so many people who assume that they can be told how to do a *skill* one time and create 'perfect' results, this resonated with me.

I've been told my ability to diagnose a problem from a poorly worded explanation and bad photo is uncanny.

Um, not really.

It's generally because I can intuit what someone is trying to say, can visualize what is going on, and because I have (ahem) made a whole lot of mistakes so I can recognize many of them from very little information.

Not always, no, because I have not woven on every kind of loom or with every type of yarn.  

Our society (NA) has been fed the line that an adult must be able to obtain perfect results the first time they do something, just *because* they are 'adult'.  As if learning doesn't continue the entirety of one's life.

Or should do.

We have been told that we don't need to 'work' to learn something.  Anyone can go onto Google and find whatever information they need.  Unfortunately the information that comes via Google isn't always very good information.  Especially now with AI and  ChatGPT.  

We have not been taught how to delay gratification until we have done the work of learning a new physical (or mental) skill.  We don't even seem to value the acquisition of skill, which takes repetition (mindful practice) and the making of lots of mistakes until we learn that skill.

That is not to say we have to be perfect, which is another myth we have been fed.  We have to learn to accept 'good' and not tear ourselves into pieces because we are not 'perfect'.

Nearing 5 decades of learning about weaving, I continue to learn new things.  I continue to make mistakes.  'Mastering' a craft is not about being 'perfect' it is about having a broad base of experience in order to make better choices, better decisions, because you have made a whole lot of mistakes.  And knowing how to fix them, or even if they need to *be* fixed.

The other side of the coin is the faction that insists there are 'no rules, anything goes'.  Well, there are principles and there are consequences.

But there is room for everyone to do what they please.  The problem I see (almost daily) is when people give poor information to others who are struggling.  They give definitive answers based on the aforementioned poorly articulated, poorly documented information.  When the only correct short answer in weaving is 'it depends'.

I am old and cranky enough I seldom insert my opinion into group chats.  I don't want an argument.  I DO want to help people.  So I try to address issues I see in general posts to my personal social media, or answer questions directed to me, personally.

I hesitated for a very long time before I wrote The Intentional Weaver, and primarily because my master weaver students were asking where to find the information I was providing.  As I look back on that book now, I see all sorts of 'holes' I could have addressed.  Because the learning never ends.

But I am satisfied with the book, even though it isn't 'perfect'.  I did the best I could and at least compiled information *I* consider essential between the covers of 'a' book.

The rest is up to the individuals who want to learn.

My books are available here

A few signed Matrix available here

Four signed Intentional Weavers here

Three (soon to be four) online classes here

Three video classes here

You Tube channel here

I can be contacted at laura at laurafry dot com for specific questions