Vogue Knitting Magazine Fall 2020 edition has an article written by me! Read that again please. THE Knitting industry’s favorite magazine has an article written by a Black Woman. She is me, I am that Black Woman. An article where I talk about how being black is not always easy in this community. I can’t even make you understand how this feels. My attempt to write this blog post has failed, time and time again. The emotional roller coaster is real people. I have experienced every one of them.
The Emotions
The first emotion, naturally, is pride. I had dreams and goals but I never imagined this! The first time I was in a magazine, I was featured and never could I imagine me as the author. I mean I have written all of my life. As an only child, my diary was my best friend. As I got older I kept journals, but never did I see myself as a writer. But GG you have a blog. Is that what you are thinking? LOL I know but I absolutely did NOT think that made me worthy of an article in Vogue Knitting Magazine. That ole nagging self esteem.
The next emotion is sadness. Why sad GG? Guys my mom has been gone 8 years and my grandmother 17 years, when things like this happen. I still reach for the phone to share my good news. I know they would be proud. The desire to share takes over and I just get sad. For me, success reactivates my grief. It reminds me that they are gone. ALL OF THEM 🙁
I want to pick up the phone and say Moma look I am in a magazine AND that yarn is named after me. You see as a Black woman in a predominately White industry this is huge. I mean it’s an whole page and THAT is huge period!
The last emotion was envy. LOL because everyone had a copy but me! hahahahahaha. When I saw that Felicia Eve, the owner of String Thing Studio, received her shipment. I screamded “SHELBEY! We gotta go to Brooklyn, Aunty Fee has the magazine!!” I didn’t/still don’t feel good guys, but my daughter got up early and took me before the shop opened to get my copy.
Finally, I can’t end this post without sharing the secret emotion: nervous. I truly hope you enjoy the article. If you have read it already, let me know your thoughts below.
Congrats on the article! About time.
Thank you for the article. I am still on my learning journey and really appreciate reading your words.
Thanks for reading 👩🏾💻😊🧡
You have a good daughter.
Thank you 🤗 I’ll keep her
GG, CONGRATULATIONS!! I am so happy for you! I understand your sorrow 😢😢in the midst of it all. Through it all, I am so glad that you have Shelbey. She is such a blessing and is always lock step with you (even if it means attending unusual funeral services)😂 Give her a big hug and do your happy dance ❤️🎉🎊🍾😄
Sincerely,
Marilyn
Shhhh don’t mention that funeral out loud. She finally stopped talking about it
Congrats! Proud of you! Will go looking for me a copy tomorrow!! Keep doing you!!
Good for you GG!! maybe i should write this in all caps? Proud of you!
will find a copy of VK (& I’ll order some of that yarn just in a bit cause need to do some more stash hiding…)
Lol hiding huh? 🤣😂
Thanks you for sharing the gush. You are right, I will never fully “grok” the experience, but I do feel the glow from your gush so thanks for that. A reflection/philosophy professor really helped me grasp this reality in all my relationships. The recognition that every marriage, friendship, blogship (?!) is actually two distinct relationships, and so I experience your side of it all “from the outside looking in” and yet I also have my own “inside looking out” experience! Thank you for sharing this moment – which hints at momentum. I am teary eyed. You have that effect on me. And I am grateful. I feel the fear, the joy, and cherish your accomplishment. Thank you Vogue for tuning in. It’s working for me, too. Golly, I’m even gonna have to go out and buy this sucker just to acknowledge the whole reality of it all!
What a lovely comment! I love your professors way of thinking. Thanks for sharing
Congratulations! We are slower getting the magazine here in Canada but I will watch for it and buy it just to read what your wrote. So happy for you!!!
Congratulations! We are slower getting the magazine here in Canada but I will watch for it and buy it just to read what your wrote. So happy for you!!!
Thank you very much
Good, you were able to exploit your innate potentials as a result of your parental disconnect. Whao good effort in spite of being among many non blacks who assume nothing good come from blacks. Keep it up.
Thank you!!
Congratulations, Gaye! Enjoy your success! I look forward to more articles, blog posts, IG posts…anything that gets your wonderful voice out there!
Thank you for your kind words
I read this article and I have to say I almost cried when I saw what you wrote about being disrespected in yarn shops. At my LYS I have always seen Black people welcomed with respect, warmth and friendliness, same as everybody else. I hate to think that this is unusual.
Your mom and grandmother live on in you, and your accomplishments do honor to their memory. Keep going, GG, you are bringing closer that day when we can all sit down together and “just knit.”
Oh I long for that day! Thank you for responding
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing all your feelings about this accomplishment. I get imposter syndrome, too, but you’re a great writer, and you earned this! Way to go!
thank you so much! What are you telling yourself you can’t do?
Thanks so much
Congrats, you are inspiration to all.
Thanks for reading
So proud of you! I really relate to how you feel about your mother and grandmother! My mom is gone 11 years and I still ache when I realize I can’t pick up the phone and call her for the good things and to get help when things are rough. Where is that Vogue pattern available?
Thank you for reading and responding. The digital copy is available now. I think it will be in stores the end of the month. Try your local yarn shops. I grabbed mine from a shop in Brooklyn. String Thing Studio
Hi thank you! What pattern?
Hi GG,
Tuesdag this magazine fell on my doormat, and I was delighted to read this magazine. What made me even more happy was to see you in this magazine.
To be honest I didn’t expected this because of the previous and other magazines.And it made me as well sad and happy to read your story and coming to the conclusion it happens everywhere.
Thanks for this beautifull and 100 percent relatable article and that you spoke openly about this. I hope the craft world will open their eyes and heart more, for everyone who loves this beautifull skills.
thank you for reading and for leaving such a lovely response.