I struggled with this post at first, which seems funny now because it all became so clear in the end.
I knew I wanted to include this verse from The Writer's Almanac (recently added to the Kindred Spirits) ...
And I knew I wanted to do something that represented solstice.
Oddly enough, it took me a while to think of looking back at my summer solstice patch, with the Strawberry Moon rising into a darkening sky ...
So of course it turned out that the solstice patches would align ...
and it was a short mental leap to seeing my way clear to a similar patch ...
Meanwhile, Don was busy hanging pictures of our grandkids, taken (you guessed it) on the eve of the summer solstice and finally printed this week. From oldest to youngest, Logan and Jackson ...
Griffin and Jace ...
with just enough room at the end of the wall to fit in one more, someday soon.
They are the light of our lives ...
and as I took a picture of the (almost) complete picture wall ...
I saw my grandmother's desk in the background, Don's grandfather's desk in the foreground, and our very first couch (remember crate furniture?) in between.
That's when my doubts about next year's cloth resolved. I do want to continue patchplay and storytelling, although perhaps not every single day. And I want to keep trying new things, to continue playing with new ideas, even while honoring the old things that live with us in our home.
I know I'm being vague ... the ideas are still coalescing. But I do know for sure that next year's cloth will be about love and learning and light ...
and how their increase will surely bring us joy.
Aloha. What a wonderful post. I loved the photos and the respect you show your family treasures.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the glimpse of your patches. Isn't it amazing that you think and think and then just the right idea steps up.
My thread doodles are going to become embroidery stitch samples. I've never done embroidery and I'm so excited to learn a new art form.
Thank you for your great blog and for sharing your lovely projects. I appreciate the inspiration.
Happy holidays to you.
Hunter
Thank you Hunter ... I'm so happy to count you among my Kindred Spirits and look forward to your journey into stitch.
ReplyDeleteLiz...I have been trying to figure out how to incorporate the Winter Solstice into my patches. Great ideas. When I look at the picture frames, I get that "southwest" definition with their shapes.
ReplyDeleteHey Hunter...so glad you are in as well
what a perfect KEEPING wall
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue and Grace - The wall was Don's doing, from making the cedar backings to painting the raw wood frames. My contribution was trying to find the 4 best pictures of the kids out of 275! Then editing and printing them, after which Don got them matted and hung. My kind of teamwork ...
ReplyDeleteYou and Don seem to be a wonderful team...the picture wall and the patchwork are both so heartening. The solstice patch makes me think of that time just before dark called the blue hour....always a magical time. I'm glad you will continue patchmaking in the new year and I look forward to seeing this year all together.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement Dana. I don't think I've heard the expression "blue hour" before, but it brought to mind an expression from "The Mother's Almanac" that was my bible in the 1980s: the "arsenic hour" at the end of a long day, when your kids (and/or you) would lose it around the time you were trying to fix dinner.
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