Sunday 9 November 2008

Hi. My name is Kelly and I’m a stitchaholic

One of my favourite literary lines is from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, when Atticus Finch says to his daughter Scout: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

The line struck me when reading the book in high school and again when I came across my husband’s battered copy a few years ago and reread it. In a way, this is exactly what I’ve been doing for the past week or so.

Devoid of inspiration and feeling a bit flat after finishing my Jacobean leaves embroidery and my mom-in-law’s birthday present, I thought that if I put my craft out of sight, out of mind for a while my passion and enthusiasm and ideas would come rushing back. If I lived like the majority who, on an average day, go to work, cook dinner, chat to their spouses, watch some TV or read a book and go to bed. If I climbed into their skins for a while…

It didn’t work. I thoroughly enjoyed last Sunday – I baked a spinach pie, strolled through the park with my husband and lay on the couch reading a magazine. It was a lovely, lazy day. But by Wednesday/Thursday I was feeling a little low. By yesterday I was outright depressed and pulling threads and fabric out just to look at them.

So while I’m still not my usual stitching self, I have discovered that I can’t live without it. There will be days when I’m not inspired to pick up a needle, but that’s just how it goes. Inspiration will strike again.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I used to have several embroidery projects on the go at once, so when one finished i would have somthing else to work on - then i got carried away with one project a few months ago - finished it and nothing. i have stitched and dabbled in a few things but have lost my inspiration - i cant seem to focus and settle into a new 'major' project. i am hoping it will happen soon.... in the mean time i am bumbling along waiting.

Cele said...

I think we all have experienceda little lull at sometime or another. I usually think its to gather energy for the next really amazing project that is just around the corner.
I've discover that I also need to have a little somethingto stitch most of the time or the blues set in. Its so lovely to have stitching to give us such a lift on grey days isn't it.

Jennyff said...

I hate it when you don't have the enthusiasm for the things you usually really want to do. I can't say I understand how it happens but its not worth beating yourself up that you should be cracking on with your crafts. Hope the magic comes back soon, I'm sure it will and be even stronger

UK lass in US said...

I always find that making things relaxes me. I sometimes get frustrated during a project, that's for sure. But I think it is because there is a forced slow pace to making things, that calms me down.

If I am doing 'nothing' I feel restless, like I should be making better use of my time.