Priorities

Last week, Salley Mavor had a post about the “Needle Arts” magazine cover featuring one of her pieces: http://weefolkstudio.com/2014/03/22/needle-arts-magazine-cover/. In the post, she included a link to Mary Corbet’s post about the issue, so I had to take a look. After looking at Mary Corbet’s website http://www.needlenthread.com/, where I found a lot of well written articles on tips and techniques in addition to the other things she offers there, I was inspired to inventory some of the additional supplies I have in my studio, starting with patterns and embroidery threads. I also began looking through my stash of “Quilting Arts” magazines for ideas for experimental projects. That led me to begin looking at the other items in my inventory: specialty threads and yarns, fixatives, buttons, and more. I have been able to consolidate some supplies and organize others better.
 

What I have been thinking about, however, is ways to use more of the supplies that I have to create. At the same time, since one of my sons challenged me about how many projects I already have in process, I have also been thinking about how to make sure I put in time to work on those. I want to apologize here for the somber tone of the information I am about to impart. I hope you will bear with me.

The last few months have been difficult, both because of the weather and how the grieving process affects me. It has meant that I have only completed one piece since last November. Years ago I did some research on the grieving process. What I found was that, while each person ultimately addresses it in their own way, it generally takes five years to go through all of the stages of grief. Since I have lost eleven family members in the last eleven years (seven in the last 4-1/2 years alone), it is a significant issue for me. In addition to the grief, I have also been facing my own mortality in new ways, as two of the last three family members who died were quite close to me in age. In terms of my work, it means that I am considering how that affects my priorities. Since I recognize that none of us ever know when it will be “our time” to go, I could have decades ahead of me or no time at all.

Also within the last week, I came across this story about transforming wedding gowns into something for premature babies who don’t make it home from the hospital: http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/26/angel-gowns-babies/6924117/. It is a subject close to my heart because, 28 years ago, we had a son who lived for only a day. When we went to get him a burial outfit, even the smallest clothing available was huge on him, since he was only about two pounds. While the news story is about an organization in Texas that is doing this work, neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) throughout the country are often in need of something similar. If you sew, I encourage you to consider whether this is something you could do. Additional ways to help are listed at such places as:  Newborns in Need, Grahams Foundation,  Bev's Country Cottage - Peds page.

I am off to work on that priority list and decide what to do next.

Until next time, I wish you peace and all good.