While we were travelling on holiday, I was really surprised to find that I regretted leaving my stitching kit at home. In the end, I rootled through an op shop on the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria), and then another in Melbourne, and managed to lay in a few needles, some ancient cocktail napkins, and some leftover thread. And even a perfect little box.
I had been doing inspiring reading for the year of activism ahead, and had some ideas for embroidery which I began to put into stitches. First, pencilled on.
Some time later, I ended up with this, embellished with some small findings from the beach. These may make it deeply impractical, but I figure the worst case is that I cut them off again.
It’s scruffy, like all my embroidery. But, I like it. I find it a constant struggle to think about the deeply painful challenges that face each of us, and the planet and all who live upon her (human and otherwise). I notice that for many people, facing the trouble we are in is so painful that they would rather look away or that they simply can’t find hope. I keep trying to make another decision: to face the trouble we are in, and to stay hopeful and active. Which is not the same as living without contradictions or mistakes, of which I feel sure, there will be plenty more!
Local & Bespoke 
I struggle to travel without needle and thread. I embroidered words all over a piece of upholstery fabric early December at my sister’s house for a week. If not tgat I can scrape by on a sketchbook.
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It’s interesting what turns out to be necessary, isn’t it? I personally am much less annoying with a sock (in progress) in my hands. People think it’s quirky but they don’t know that they really should be grateful!!
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I know what you mean about the world being SO painful. I get PTSD from the news but I feel I must know what is going on. ARGH. I do limit what I watch or listen to. You can still use and wash the napkins with the little shells on them, just carefully!
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Well, we need to know. But we also need to find places to process that pain, I think. And places to put our minds in order to find calm. Clearly craft is one place lots of us go to achieve this goal. Wishing you peace.
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Thank you.
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I love your scruffy embroidery, too. And I love this:
“I keep trying to make another decision: to face the trouble we are in, and to stay hopeful and active. Which is not the same as living without contradictions or mistakes, of which I feel sure, there will be plenty more!”
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Thanks, Grackle! Time for me to abandon the pretence of consistency even though I long to be capable of it in my heart…
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A powerful wee post. So much sings out to me here, the scavenged sewing box, the creativity arising from severe constraint, the tension of living in the present and remaining present, and the quote from the thinker who brought us ‘hegemony’. Looking forward to more singing.
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Rebecca, you have a stupendously lovely turn of phrase 🙂
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Love the work!
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Thanks so much!
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