Yellow Jackets

I fear stinging, flying insects. For me, they're the worst part of the summer. But I also have a fascination with them.

So when well-meaning students send me links to this blog, I try not to go - but I do. I'm human. I hate wasting time feeling bad over this crap. And the worst part is that on a bad day it can really color my desire to knit or create a design. That sucks, and I have to be strong enough NOT to let it get to me.

This time I stuck a stick in the yellow jacket's nest, and I'm sure I'm going to be stung. Multiple times. Maybe my planets aren't in alignment, maybe I'm sick of being sick, or maybe it's time someone just said, "ENOUGH!" - but this time I decided to try to defend myself a bit. Okay, a lot.

I agree that so many of their posts are funny - but they also seem to have a - dare I say it - vendetta against me. But maybe I'm just being 'Jersey.

At any rate, here's what I wrote. You can see the most recent page about my designs here (this time they had to troll one up from 3 years ago...) [post deleted]

We can also see if they actually let my comment go through. The cruelty and nastiness of folks really amazes me sometimes.

MORE: First of all - thank you to all who are sending so much love. The comments and especially the emails are very appreciated. I wasn't looking for the support (oh, maybe I was...) but I'll gladly accept it.

Most of the links below have been deleted by the YKW blog owners after I published this post Saturday evening. I understand that the blog owners are not responsible for the comments posted to their blog, but they set the tone and have the option to moderate hurtful or inflammatory comments. They bear ultimate responsibility for their blog.

One puzzling aspect is the buddy-buddy tone they take with name designers (read the post on Teva Durham). They seem to want to be associated with the designer - like a school kid who's always insulting you to get attention It's jarring that they claim a first-name-basis with "Teva", but won't tell us their names. Even Mr. Blackwell doesn't hide behind a pseudonym.

It's troubling how they consistently go after their models - especially kids. I think they must not have any of their own.

Anonymous said...
The designer was Annie Modesitt, queen of the fugly colors and combo knitting.

God help us all, she writes books too. And she's plotting dsmore Egyptian designs. Check out her blog.

Nice, Anonymous.

And she reads this. And she is a human being with feelings who tries to keep an open mind and soul so she can design, teach, be a mom, write and pay her mortgage.

Yes it's me.

This was originally a mid-calf white linen dress with a multi colored collar which was changed by the editor so that only the collar was used and many beads were added. It's quite lovely in person, but I agree that the bustier is a really bad styling choice.

There may be some designers who can burn money, but this one needs to pay the mortgage. Three years ago, when this was published, I was happy to be able to keep our heads above water for one more month - in part - with the fee for this. We knit designers do not earn huge money.

Unlike the authors of this blog and most of the posters, I don't hide my identity, I try to be approachable, and I will answer just about any email that anyone sends me.

Why is it such good fun to hurt people, though? In a way it's flattering to know that just about anything I will or have designed will show up here. Some folks will say they like it, most folks will slam it because - well - because I believe they're sycophants.

I know the (nameless) authoresses of this blog will rip me to shreds because I have the nerve to admit that the constant insults about my designs, my mental health, my right to design and especially the insults about my children[post deleted], hurt. Thank god the comments about my "devil children", by one of the blog authors, was deleted. My daughter is old enough to use Google and actually stumbled upon this post when she did a blogger search for my name.

Those of us who try to create are generally pretty sensitive to nasty comments. We try to develop thick skins, but that doesn't always go with a creative spirit.

Like Seinfeld, I'd love to show up at your job and heckle you.

Ironically, it seems the folks who run this blog are also very sensitive to comments toward them - that's a shame. I feel bad that anyone would write nasty things about someone else - it just isn't funny. It may get an immediate chuckle, but it's not the kind of humor that helps us all to grow, to enlarge our souls.

A joke at someone elses' expense is not truly funny, no matter how loud the comedian or their friends laugh.

The folks who write this blog should also know they're infringing on several copyright laws when they consistently publish photos with no credit or link to the original publication attached. I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe in trying to follow copyright laws.