Blog Post #7 - Macrame, Identity Formation, and Occupational Biography

New Occupation Progress

This week I have had "Pinterest versus reality" moments when it comes to my macrame projects. I was still struggling to find small wooden dowels at the local craft stores, so I asked my husband if he could 3D print a 3-inch dowel for my project. He was able to print this for me so I could attempt my project of a mini macrame Christmas ornament. I finished the project within an hour, but I didn't like the overall look with the 3D printed dowel, and I didn't line up the macrame knots quite right. After this attempt, I again enlisted the help of my husband to 3D print a circular ring so I could begin my next option of a snowflake-inspired macrame Christmas ornament. This started off going well (see image below), but after I finished the project, I decided I don't really like the final product of this project either. So, I think I have officially decided against my idea of gifting macrame ornaments for Christmas this year. My task for this upcoming week will be to decide on a new project to begin.

Macrame and Identity Formation

In lecture this week, we discussed how our identity formation is crafted by our self-concept and our self-identity. Self-concept refers to how we see ourselves, while self-identity is shaped by how others in our community view us. In terms of my ongoing identity formation, I decided to choose macrame because it matched with my self-concept and my self-identity of being a creative person as I mentioned in my blog post last week. Factors surrounding my occupational identity which played a role in the process of choosing macrame as an occupation are considering how I have enjoyed artistic occupations in the past (i.e. self-concept), and the beauty I find in many macrame art pieces when I attend craft fairs or view art that comes up on my social media feed (i.e., self-identity). Additionally, factors surrounding my occupational identity which have contributed to how I have gone about participating in creating macrame include reflecting on how I am able to move through artistic projects in a timely manner, and perhaps the overall increase in confidence I've experienced as I have been working through macrame projects. Although I didn't love how my projects turned out this week, it is still neat for me to look back and see that I have created something that I would have had no idea how to do at the beginning of the semester.

Occupational Biography

Raanaas et al. (2019) have discussed how our occupational biography refers to the occupations we engage in through the course of our lives, and ultimately how this is subject to change due to cultural and social influences. As I have started graduate school, I feel as though my occupational biography has changed as compared to when I was completing my undergraduate degree in the sense that I am spending much more time in class and doing homework than I have in the past. In that sense, I wanted to be sure I chose a new occupation for this course which would be meaningful while also not taking up a large amount of time throughout the week. My identity as a creative and self-motivated person also were factors in choosing to create macrame, as I enjoy creative endeavors and I felt I could teach myself through written macrame instructions and by watching YouTube videos.

 

Snowflake Christmas ornament on the left, and mini macrame ornament on the right

Beginning of the snowflake ornament with the 3D printed ring

References

Raanaas, R. K., Lund, A., Sveen, U., & Asbornslett, M. (2019). Re-creating self-identity and meaning through occupations during expected and unexpected transitions in life. Journal of Occupational Science, 26(2), 211-218. http://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2019.1592011

Comments

  1. Katelynn SwearnginOctober 19, 2022 at 8:10 AM

    Hi Alyssa,
    I love how your ornaments looks. But I do understand the comment of not wanting to gift them anymore. It hard making something and not feeling confident in it. I have experienced that many times before. Do you think there are other parts of your biography that have also changes? I think for me I have changed with some of my priorities. Do you think you also picked marcame because you know it was something that you felt more confident in? I know that playing a part for me to it helps my self esteem.

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    1. Alyssa ShirleyOctober 21, 2022 at 1:11 PM

      Hi Katelynn! Thank you so much for your encouragement! That is a really great question. I do think my occupational biography has changed through the years, especially with starting graduate school. I also have felt a change in my priorities. I was able to work during all four years of my undergraduate degree, but since starting our program I haven't been working in a formal job so that has been a big change in occupational biography. Another way my occupational biography has changed is that I used to participate in dance classes and I ran cross country in high school which became a large part of my identity at the time. However, since I graduated high school, I haven't participated in either of those occupations. I do think I picked macrame because I felt confident that I could make progress with it since it speaks to my creative nature and the enjoyment I find in craft projects. Thank you for your comment!

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  2. AnonymousOctober 19, 2022 at 8:37 AM

    Alyssa,
    I love your snowflake! I think it is so stinkin cute!!! I completely understand how you feel when, when your new occupation project doesn't turn out the way you want it to, it has happened to me and my cooking more times then I can count at this point. I may have more bad meals or ehh meals on my blog then I have ones I truly enjoyed. I picked my new occupation because I know myself and if it wasn't a challenge for me, I would find it hard to continue to do it, do you think that you also were drawn to macrame because of the challenges it would bring? Do you think that you are they type of person who has to get something down and be able to preform it to move on to something else? I know I am, I have to be successful at something in order for it to be "complete" in my mind.
    Erin

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    1. Alyssa ShirleyOctober 21, 2022 at 1:20 PM

      Hey Erin! Thank you for your encouragement with my occupation, after yours and Katelynn's comments I am starting to feel better about how it turned out! :-) I can definitely relate with how you feel about cooking and making new recipes, that is how I feel about my own cooking as well. That is a great question you brought up. I do think I picked my new occupation of making macrame because of the challenge it would present in some ways, as I have never made macrame before trying it for this course. I think it is still within my comfort zone of creative projects though, and perhaps because of that it has been less challenging. For the most part, I do think I am the type of person who has to get something down before moving on to something else. This can be seen in my occupation because even though I wasn't loving the ornaments while I was making them, I still felt like I needed to see the project though and to see if I liked the end result. Thank you for your comment!

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