handstories

a week and a day

    As a bundle, I love how it blends into the plants, an odd pinecone of sorts.  

    Patience wore out, but I did make it a day longer than I thought I would (only because I was gone all day yesterday).  I am very happy with that left edge, the clear fern print, and those blue spots.  

    I'm going to try this with the second graders, who are studying plants right now.

    It is a dark gray day (thus the dim photo).  A hummingbird flew up to the window and looked at me.   The boys have gone to a baseball game.  I am alone with my needle and couch.

     I love Fall.

embracing

     There are all kinds of changes in the air here.   Just the move into school routines is throwing some of us.  For the last three days, Moon has decided that some time between the hour of 5:00 to 6:00 pm, that the only way to cope with his tired-out-no-coping-skills-left self is yelling about all the wrongs in the world (most of which I have somehow caused).  This morning I asked him if we should just plan on ten minutes of screaming at 5:00?  He giggled, but I'm serious.  If it's part of a schedule, a routine, maybe it will become manageable?

  
 

    When I got to my square today, for the first time, my eyebrows were relaxed and my mouth was smiling.  The pattern that came to mind did not use the usual tiny stitches, and I found myself changing directions over and over, so that it was easier to stitch, breaking my own inner rules.  I was still smiling at the end, not caring about broken or unfinished patterns.

    Grace sent a great quote by Anais Nin, something like "everything was different. and nothing had changed but my mind".  

    Things may not look the same after change, but they can be stronger and more interesting.  It may not be to everyone's liking, but nothing ever is.     

    Other changes are happening as well.  It's an awkward hug, but I'm relaxing into acceptance and welcoming.  I don't recognize myself these days.    

    Remember to plug your ears at 5:00...

potato love

                        This is all I've got today.  It made me laugh.  Which I needed.

mending memories

    Happily working on repairing this obviously well-loved baby quilt.  It is thin enough to see through in spots, and yes, that is packing tape holding it together at the corners.  

    After removing the tape, I separated the top and backing and took out the wadded crumpled batting.  Now I'm using jude's invisible baste to put the top with another layer of fabric, and will do the same to the backing, hoping to give them new strength before bringing them back together.  

    The owner of this treasure is in his twenties now.   I have never met him, but his mother has been such a help, sharing her gifts with us.  I am so happy to be able to share some of mine with her family.  Also, these hours of invisible basting are a lovely thing right now, time to let my mind wander.   I like to think that this will be passed on to another child someday, sharing all of the sweet dreams that these folds hold.

a shift of light

Each day, a thread, a square, a search for light. 
One month of "Lead me to the light".

Yesterday, the thought didn't focus, wouldn't stick.

I need to quit searching for neon signs in the shape of arrows,

and notice all the candles that are already around me,

and pick one up.

"See the light."

 

introducing...patience

    See that woman?  She is being patient.  She didn't just look at the pretty pictures of India's book, she read the words.  She soaked the muslin in iron water.  She then bundled it with plants around a stick and steamed it with a rusty hinge found on the beach.  She is now waiting.  She will keep waiting.  She will not open it too soon and be thrilled with what she sees only to wash it all away because she was not patient.  SHE will wait.  I do not know this woman well, but I think she could be a useful friend.

    And can I tell you about that pot?  Thirteen years ago I was in the middle of labor with Blue, waiting for the birthing tub to be filled, hoping it would alleviate the back pain.  The house ran out of hot water.  Midwives called out, "Boil some water!" (just like in the movies!)  K, my guy, was on the job...as he approached the tub with the heated water, I asked, between contractions, "Wasn't there a label on that pot?"  "Yes, I pulled it off."  "Didn't you READ it?!"  "No."  The label said, "For dyeing only, NEVER use for food".  (I guess it didn't say "NEVER use for birth".  There was more scrambling to start a different pot of water as I yelled out, "Do I have to do EVERYTHING in this birth?!"  I laugh every time I use this pot.

things are fading

    I think the indigo bucket is at the end.  These were dipped and soaked and dipped again.  Probably they will fade to the palest blue once washed.   The memory of the laze-about summer is also dwindling away, as we all returned to classrooms yesterday.  I am out of teaching shape!

    And this is my hundredth post.  I should probably have something significant to say or reflect on.  Oh, well, maybe when there has been more rest, but for now...

    I am glad for this place.  

cobweb and nest

    I couldn't wait any longer,  I spun the "nest" batt from Drucilla.  It's the spin in the middle.  Lovely, fun fibers-wool, llama, fabric and more, in beautiful blues and browns.  My spin is not quite as thin or consistent as the outer circle, her beautiful chocolate cobweb spin, that I also purchased from her shop, but I think they will be very happy knitted together. 

    Maybe I'll knit a nest?

mending inside and out

    Continued to work on "core".  

    The original words were stitched, what next?  How to amend/mend/change/heal that message?  There were sketches and scribbles that, in the end, were discarded.  (A thank you to my sister who reminded me that that's not how I work.)  I awoke this morning and stopped thinking, picked up the needle, and ideas came into my fingers.

    It's changing, letters and words have been subtracted, added, altered, covered with bits of cloth and stitch.  The beautiful dark silk is from Gerdiary, and the bit of so soft linen was gifted from jude (reminding me of acceptance, believing and continuing).  

    Shifting, pushing and pulling, thread and thoughts, into a new belief.  

through gritted teeth

 

"Sunshine & Light".  I started this yesterday, but I think I'm heading back to "core" for the rest of the day.  Hoping to find balance somewhere between the two.