Time, purpose and companion pieces
Over Easter I spend two week in Germany with my mother (who will be 85 soon) and friends.
There were moments of dialogue and reflections.
28. March 2013, before the Church Concert
For quite some years now, I tend to have some kind of needlework (knitting, crochet and these days again embroideries) with me most of the time.
Taking work around with me, started when my son was born. Embroidery provided a practice of expressing myself, which allowed me to pick it up in any spare minute, with no need for a special place like a workshop or a studio. I realized then, how much I enjoyed working on my pieces in public. My friend Sue Dove agreed that she found Embroidery suitable for a transient life. She had been a weaver before. (More about her in an extra post)
Knitting in Marazion
I regularly meet with the question:” how long does it take you to finish this?” or if I wear one of my favorite knitted triangular shawls the question is:” How long did it take you?”.
It is rare for me to be in a hurry to finish something.
Like today, in 2 hours I crocheted a gray woolly barrette, because I had forgotten to take a warm hat with me to Germany.
I bought 2 balls of very thick yarn and a matching crochet hook and ca. 2 hours later the problem of cold ears was solved.
It is the legacy of my mother; if we need something we make it (within reason!).
My shawls are my companion pieces; they are with me, until they are finished. It is a special comforting moment, to sit down and work a few stitch, it is quieting the mind, creates a moment of purpose, relaxes, I breathe deeper.
Often I am actually a bit sad when they finally come off the knitting needle.
29. March 2013
My embroidery piece also have become what I call “companion’ piece.
I’m writing this in my mother’s sitting room.
When my mother gave the piece, I am working on, at first glance, her immediate response was, the stitch were untidy.
The upper stitch and the lower stitch have to face the same direction in one row.
////////////////////
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
to create
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
My mother trained in the late 1940 as a tailor/dressmaker and did her Master in the early 1950’s. After she retired in the early 1980’s she took up Danish cross-stitch and Hardanger Embroidery.
It’s intriguing to make a connection now how much this generation was in so many aspects of their life’s trained to follow the rules and things had to have an end to their means and a purpose.
The Middle One (On the train, March 2013)
Later in a Cafe
Her following questions were:
“What will it be?”
“How big will the embroidery be?
” How long will it take you?”
And all I could do is today:
” I don’t know and I don’t need to know now.”
I feel, there will be a moment, where feels right to say: ” Here I will stop working on this piece. “
In her honor I am now incorporating at times the “right” way of cross stitch, first the row of the under stitch and then the top stitch. I can choose between the traditions and honoring them and following my own way of doing it.
The pieces will be part of my graduation show; it feels like inviting friends round.
Because for these pieces of embroidered cloth will tell about all those moments they have been with me, on my travels, on trains, in cafes.
Even if I cannot relate to a particular section a certain event, they still hold the memory of the time spend with them.
The Chinese One (Miss Peapod, March 2013)
One Stitch at Time 