A language of making

Dairy of making

Day 12

Had a break of two days, so it is always hard to return to the practice.

Cutting things up to remake something else… is it crazy? Or is this the future of textile art if it is to become a sustainable practice?

I am cutting up vintage lace, as I have never seen lace patchwork lace ( I am sure it exists though). I want to patch work the different laces together as they are similar but very different. By patch working them, each piece will stand out more and texture will be created by the different patterns sitting next to each other.

I hesitate when cutting up an Edwardian scarf. it already holds such beauty, value and history. I can assure you, I did not cut it up lightly. I would never wear this scarf and the shape is means it’s uses are limited. So snip snip.. whilst I am cutting lace squares, my partner enters the room with my son in tow, “isn’t your mum funny, doesn’t she do some funny things”. Am I misunderstood or do I do funny things? I lay the squares out in a slight diagonal arrangement on top of a triangular pattern I drafted. Choosing which squares of lace should sit next to which. My 14 year old son comes into the room and asks if I am making a Christmas tree? His question is genuine, I answer a flat no and doubt pops up in front of my face.

I decide to stop for the day.

Day 13 & 14

Hand sewing the lace squares together is time consuming. Whilst sewing my mind is drawn to the woman who painstakingly made some of the lace by hand, many years ago. I felt momentarily connected to these women, like a stitch in time. Our hands have handled and sewn this same piece of lace. When they made it they could never have dreamt of this moment in the future, that I would be sitting contemplating, imagining this person, perhaps she sat alone or perhaps worked in a group with other women. Did they drink tea and chat whilst making? Did she doubt her work? She needn’t have.

Just finished the lace section, so much hand sewing …but I love it.