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The introduction and first section of Fray: Art And Textile Politics really dig into the multiplicity of craft and how it can create and challenge identities. A key dynamic I want to highlight is the contrast I noticed between the ability of craft to define true self and the role of craft in upholding structures of power and labor. The role of craft and textiles in queer identity and visiblity is poignant as Bryan-Wilson describes it; it signifies a painstaking construction of the self that combines familiar elements with symbolic significance into entities that are entirely new. The idea of craft as inherently queer, or at least conducive to queer identities, is necessary and complex, as it reconciles with ancient practices that stem from years of tradition. Artists like the Cockettes and Harmony Hammond decidedly subverted textiles practices. The Cockettes cobbled together seemingly disparate clothes, beads, and other textile scraps to create vivid costumes that represented their inner worlds. Harmony Hammond played with the cultural connotation of the rag rug and the normative orientation of textile works in her floor pieces, inviting, as Bryan-Wilson proposes, interpretations of her concentric forms as inherent to her identity as a lesbian. Though they reinterpret traditional practices, neither of these figures shy away from textiles; they embrace the materials with love and openness. Indeed, there is a clear building up for the sake of paring down that takes place within both examples: the Cockettes revealed more of themselves the more they added to their lavish costumes, as they became more visibly queer to the public eye, to each other, and to themselves. The practice of painstakingly building oneself up through ritual practice, whether that practice takes the form of placing sequins on a costume or steadfastly braiding a rag rug, requires care for the self and for the work at hand. I think the repetitive practices required for craft only contribute to this care, as elements of meditative and ritualistic practice come into play. I am very interested in how these self-affirming craft practices served to link the body and spirit, and I would love to expand that thinking to accommodate traditional craft practices as well. I propose that an identity-forming process can also take place within the domestic setting, in creating works for a practical purpose. I wonder if, through engaging in work with the hands, craft practice intrinsically links the self to the work, regardless of its intentionality. I think no matter what someone might create, regardless of their prior knowledge, choice of materials, or any other details, they are always creating from their individual point of view. I look forward to expanding on the idea of craft as a practice intrinsically linked with care.