Well, I think I am about a third of the way through my ‘Dawn Cloth’ which is so slow! That doesn’t matter though as I find playing with the effects of hand-stitch fun and rewarding. I even see colour and texture in the sky on my walks that find their way into the cloth. It is almost meditative, and the way you can control the hand stitch so slowly is very important. It almost feels like a little sigh as the needle and thread go through the fabric! Machine stitch gets away from you so quickly! I have some ideas for the rest of it, and have been looking at images of Munch’s skies in his paintings for inspiration. I will share what I do in regard to this in my next post! Keep watching folks!

I just heard yesterday that the workshops I propose to do at a local facility that provides counselling for sexual abuse survivors have had to be postponed again due to the omicron surge. I am so sad about this, but really understand that it has to be this way. The workshops have to be as safe as we can make them. Meanwhile I will keep sewing and responding as I so believe in the way this work can help us come into the present whilst being personally creative. I will keep you posted as to any changes. Luckily the facility sees the real potential of the initiative and want me still, but in the future when it is hopefully safer.

I have been adding to this cloth with a variety of stitch solutions and textures whilst still referring to the colours and light in the dawn that I witnessed a few weeks ago. I now have a much better directional light in the studio which is helping. The feel of the cloth and sound of the thread as it passes though it are especially satisfying. Almost like breathing. Repetitive and comforting but it can change to be whatever it wants and frequently does!