Owls and Orchids

image courtesy of http://www.srichinmoypoetry.com

I recently said I was going to undertake to complete my mother’s tapestry – the one I inherited when she passed away. I haven;t touched any craft work since my accident in 2000, so it was a big challenge. The bigger challenge has proved to be finding all the materials I was going to need. The canvas was easy. The wool even easier. However, I have moved several times since 2000 and my tapestry frames have been handled a total of ten times!

I foolishly presumed that since I had them carefully wrapped up and taped tightly that they would be safe.  Since I wasn’t able to do anything I didn’t check on them until now.  There are several important pieces missing. Ironically the same piece from each of the three frames so I cannot even make one frame up.  We are in the process of finding either a new piece or I have to order a new frame from my favourite craft place….. a dangerous relationship with a zero ability to pass up on all those delightful goodies. Almost as difficult as passing up on another book once I’m inside a bookstore.

3 Tapestry frames, just waiting to be fixed up.

They look just like a giant jigsaw lying there like that, don’t you think?  When they are all made up I’ll be able to go into business myself selling frames. Now that would be funny too!

So, rather than be beaten by missing timber sections, I decided to make a start on the crochet mat I found amongst Mum’s things.  She had completed the centre but had gone no further. This may sound an easy problem to solve, but I had to find the pattern first. Mum had made it so many times she knew the pattern by heart – I hadn’t been able to do any for a long time.  I had been given many pattern books when a dear friend passed away which I had shared with Mum. Since I had put all of them together when I moved I had to search through over a hundred pattern books before finding the right pattern! Afterwards I found a copy of it carefully folded up in once of her notebooks…. there was obviously something about searching for the right one I was meant to do.  Definitely – I found so many more I’d love to make now 🙂

So here is the Pineapple mat, from when I began to its completion.

This is what the pineapple looks like as you work through it.

So there you have it from start to finish. Even though I’ve been literally laid up all week I’ve been working away on my  mat. I’m really pleased with the way it’s turned out and now I can finish a larger one I found and know it’s going to look beautiful too.

One final time, Mum’s Pineapple mat, all complete. My “Creative Mojo” has been rekindled, many thanks to Nicole for the encouragement in her “2013 Creative Project Challenge.”

One Pineapple mat – for Mum.

As soon as I’m able to get back out I’m finding a lap frame and will start the task of finishing the two tapestries…. until then, more of my “moving meditation, crochet. It is, without a doubt, the most relaxing thing I’ve found.  My hands are moving gently and they form a small dance as they move along each line of the mat. It is soothing, for my mind at least, as I don’t need to concentrate to do it.  When I have finished, as I have now, there is a wonderful feeling of peace and contentment.

I have most definitely missed this. I knew I had lost something when the accident stopped me from doing it, but until I finished this challenge, I hadn’t realised quite how much I had lost. All the pain from the nerve ablations last year have at least allowed me to do this, so it has been worth every moment of the pain and inconvenience. I have gained so much more than “a simple crochet mat”. I have learned something about myself, about life, love, BEing present and mindful and acceptance of the gifts we are given. It has reminded me how easy it can be to live and love from the heart and it has helped my soul to grow.

I am truly grateful to Nicole for this challenge which has encouraged me to try my craft work again. Not only have I rekindled my love of craft work, crochet, cross stitch and tapestry, but I have also made that wonderful connection with my mother again.  It was, is and always will be “our thing”, and for this I am truly thankful.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”     ― William Arthur Ward