Here, in this space, this place, I feel free to be myself. I have seriously considered exiting social media. Everything has become so confusing. I had in my mind to revisit my basic methods this year, try to update my approach after so many years of textile experience. And in trying to map that out I caught myself while considering thread. Thread as thread, thread as conversation, thread as connection and so on. I use my creative textile work as metaphor really, for so many things. And when I went back to my considering of thread, Spirit Cloth 101, I heard my self say don't make the thread too long. You know, it snags and gets knotted and it simply becomes more trouble than it needs to.
The internet, useful up to a point yet so addictive, linked to our human need for attention and approval. Has the thread simply become too long? I do not experience hopeless divisiveness when I talk to my neighbors even though we don't agree. It's different. It's smaller. It's cold and we all feel it. I offer to make a blanket. We begin.
“Tenderly, Gently” as Neil Roberts (Australian artist RIP) wrote in neon back in 1989
https://www.neilroberts.com.au/catalogue/pa042
Is your grandson a lefty? Or does the camera mirror?
He uses both hands!
The innocence of little hands…so ready to embrace a new adventure!
I ❤️ their transparency
I am very grateful for the kindness and clarity here and to make connections with other caring people. Keep going.
Thanks for stopping by…
Lets protect the innocence…we, we people eyes and ears wide open.
A magic , invisible but strong cloth stitched to bounce back the bad.
Let’s make it!
Ready!
I was watching my almost 4 year old grandson today. While I was cross stitching he came over by my side. He was intrigued…”what that” he asked. And so began his pulling up the needle and thread and the biggest “wow” and smile. I will treasure that moment and those six stitches forever!
I’m thinking I might circle them…😂
Keep the thread short,
Too long it tangles and knots.
So tactile I feel the rightness of it. Thank you!
And when I get a chance to stitch with my grandson we’ll practice that. ✌️😘
Perfect!
Little stitches from beautiful little hands! It’s really wonderful you are near Bruno & his family now.. A real gift. I am trying to be intentional every day..to be kind. To complete. to not get immobilized by this overwhelming darkness. To not feel hatred towards those who are creating the darkness. It’s hard..
Really hard.
There are so many emotions to process right now. I need to think this through a bit more but what is very much on my mind when I think of children is that right now they need to see adults role modeling the ability to be makers/creators and that we need to provide opportunities for them to do so. That within the creative process we make choices and decisions. We tell stories. That this is a muscle we all need to keep active…
More than ever, I am so grateful I am spending my days with young children. They are keeping me focused on what matters.
Yes, so much yes. I think of my mom, how much time she spent with children, she never grew “old”.
So true and wise!
I love Bruno’s delicately raised pinky in concentration on the careful cutting of thread.
Thank you for sharing this enormously tender moment. Your love shows in the photo.
Those careful movements captured here really grabbed me.
Precious little hands learning self sufficiency.
Children are our hope for the future. I’m just hoping the new educational system doesn’t brainwash them.
I’m being reminded of Germany in the 30s.
Thank you . I too struggle with internet pros and cons. Im pondering convenience lately- I pull a long thread when I’m darning so I can work a large space… then it knots or tangles and what was convenient becomes the problem. Thank you for that metaphor.
There’s so much to consider, isn’t there?
Well there is always an element of that I guess… to remain open is so important.
I love and lean into the companionship here.
👋 hey…
Lovely to see those little hands. We need to keep a light alive for those little hands.
In Canada, we are so sad and disappointed for all that you (and we) are dealing with.
Keep the faith and the light
Carrole🍁❤
I worry a lot about the new generation…
Me too. We have to have faith that these new little people will have a very different awareness.
I think of my parents and grandparents generations, who endured wars and tyrants.
I asked my teacher how we should deal with darkness in the world. She poured a cup of dark coffee, and poured in cream until it overflowed. Pour in the light, it’s all we can do she said.
Nice imagery..
Thank you, Jude, for being here. Thank you for being present. Your posts have been a source of centering for me for many, many years. I appreciate and ‘see’ everyone’s sharing and comments. In these unsettling times, I think it’s the quiet moments of something shared that make my days better. It is my wish that this is so for everyone. ❤️
Yes, we need to share our thoughts without fear or agenda, I don’t think we are encouraged to do that. How do things get so twisted up by a few assholes?
I am still struggling to stay present. A part of me wants to isolate but I did that last time. I am finding value in being present with other people who actually have consciousness.
I have some much to say right now, but I am holding my peace, looking for a way through it … I would like to make some sense of it. I’m still in wtf mode. Thanks for being here.
Hi Jude, my heart has been heavy with disbelief, anger and fear but…that wee boy’s little hands made me laugh and smile! The pendulum will swing, it always does. Thank you so much for as someone else said…bringing us into your world.
Just have to step back and see the bigger picture, but it’s hard …
And all the interlaced threads that make up the fabric of our country are being systematically cut, moment by moment. I read a commentary this morning that was helpful, to a point, about the resistance and pushback of the Dems and courts – it takes much longer to fix something than it does to break it. 😒
yes, I guess we better keep our needle threaded…
I’m with everyone here. The feeling I feel most is sadness. I never wanted to believe he could or would get elected. I even feel guilty that I have children who I know voted for him. That’s an awful feeling. ..How wonderful to see little Bruno learning with Grandma. Those sweet innocent fingers!
Everyone has a story and it’s so hard to know all of it. I am sad because this is not just politics…
Learning, living and learning.
So tender. So needed.
So much so …
such tender dexterity in those small hands. love the way his little finger curls outward while snipping. what joy that u live close by! and thanx for letting your world touch ours… x
Isn’t amazing how it all unfolds?
Me too re the first photo. I think that and much, much worse and I feel shame to have such violent thoughts. Your thread is valued. Thank you for sharing Bruno’s little innocent questing hands. 🫂
Yes, I feel ashamed when stirred toward hate.
Oh those precious little fingers💞so happy you are close enough to spend time with him🥰sending hugs
Yes, very renewing.
Jude~ The pics of Bruno really warmed my heart this morning. That he can learn from you and carry forward this gift. I don’t know, it is just so wonderful. I’d want those photos printed and hanging on my wall 🙂
You’ve reminded me about when I did ‘weaving’ with my under two year old students. So inspiring.
(((hugs))) – to ALL
Nice to feel positive.
We printed tote bags for a youth organization that said
Joy is a
Revolutionary Act.
It’s so hard to keep that joy when things seem impossible. Or when it seems like there isn’t anything we can do to “change things. yes to in person conversations with our neighbors and making blankets and sharing bread. (kinda like what their Jesus would really do)
I like to hold the thought that everything is always changing…
Amen, Jude. And beautiful to see Bruno stitching. He is about my grandson’s age. I look forward to showing him this when I get the chance and there’s a good needle we can safely use. Thank you for pushing the light on through the cracks this morning.
I love the concentration on new things…
Hello, Jude.♥️🍀
👋
A safe place to learn how to learn. <3
I jumped when I saw the middle finger, then I laughed.
It's clearer when we're face to face with people to see the effects of our actions, and it's easier to improve the outcomes, it seems.
Yes, people are very different when they are just going and living…
Those precious knuckle dimples …
😄
Our hands, so expressive & useful! I have no words for what is happening now. I’m concentrating on love & connection with people around me. A neighborly blanket sounds perfect, just like little Bruno’s hands.
I need a world I can touch
What a beautiful boy. May he keep that innocence as long as possible.
Grateful for the things “they” can’t touch…today’s sunshine, the tree outside my window, and my imagination.
The sun is out today!
A friend taught her two daughters to embroider at age 3. She saved all their little pieces of work. She embroidered their name and age at the bottom. When they married and had their own homes, she gave them framed pieces to cherish. I loved seeing them and that they were saved for them. Bruno is doing a great job with little chubby hands.
It’s amazing what they can do, exposure is so important. What a great story!
Your Bruno is 2 yrs old and what joy to see him engaged in his sewing. My twin grandchildren, Spencer and Rowena, are 15. When they were his age, i taught them to forage and gather spent blossoms, twigs, rocks, grasses, etc., all to naturally dye cloth. They made little “bed” coverings for their little bears out of their gatherings and took great joy in doing so. We pass along to our children and our grandchildren ,what we know, our beliefs, our actions, our ways of creating and in doing so, we teach them of what matters to us and they learn who we are. Right now, I sit with what kind of America will they inherit, hoping that they know to always lend a helping hand, hands across the aisle.
My grandchildren are great grandchildren of immigrants ( my parents) who came to America from Spain. They asked many questions about their great grandparents, who died long before they were even a twinkle in their parents eyes.. Always the questions they asked ended with this answer: my parents loved America, were proud to become citizens, my Dad serving in the army in WWII and they never forgot the many helping hands that guided them. America was the place that opened it’s arms to them…Where are the open arms these days?
The story is going to change for a while. I am sad knowing how quickly something can be torn down and how much time it takes to rebuild. Way more than 4 years.
Your grandson’s so sweet concentrating on his work/play.
Grand to witness & attend to a human being growing .
Enjoy!!💝
Yes, joy!
B ´s hands- so vital and so much joy to teach another person! Esp in these anxious times. Stitch keeps us sane.
Such a simple concept…
I am appalled at what is happening and have been since he was elected. What scares me more is Elon Musk!
Advocating where I can.
Such cute baby fingers
Yeah, really, what a creep.
Something about that kind of tenderness and curiosity that makes life feel so much better! Miss the baby days, sure can feel your happiness with big boy B! 👶💞
Gosh the learning curve is so amazing.
Bruno’s little hands….the best news today….such innocence….such fine labor. I cancelked my FB, IG, messenger, soon Amazon goes innocence the ready can too. I am American, living innocence France for nearly 30 years. I’m so broken heartex for my country and her people, ashamed that such a monstre has been allowed to do so much destruction and spew hatred. I’m afraid for my sisters and brothers of all colors and gender. I will Resist however I can. And by the way… The movement in this direction us not only in the USA. Holding on everyone and spread love
Yes, it is worldwide, absolutely…
Bruno’s little hands….the best news today….such innocence….such fine labor. I cancelked my FB, IG, messenger, soon Amazon goes innocence the ready can too. I am American, living innocence France for nearly 30 years. I’m so broken Heather for my country and her people, ashamed that such a monstre has been allowed to make do much destruction and hate. I’m afraid for my sisters and brothers of all colors and
New hands, new minds, new beginnings bring the hope of relief.
Love those little hands, and a lefty! I wish my 2 grandkids lived close by. 😇
💙✌🏼
It’s great being so close.
Great to see young ones making their first “steps” in stitch 🙂 (lefty)
Oh my your problems are just getting started . . . Please keep your head (thinking of you all, and the rest of the world that gets it . . . )
Yes, keep your head is good advice.
Bravo Bruno!
Yes, gives me hope!
Oh Jude!
Seeing Bruno’s hands managing thread gave me SUCH an uplift!!! 😍💓🪡
Adorable!
Thank you for sharing that hopeful wonderfulness!!
(A nice bit of HAPPY in my inbox on a weird morning start for my 62nd birthday– woke up to almost non-existent water pressure 😜 ( a broken large city water main)
All good now.
( But I did think to myself; oh yah, here we go: “banana republic”)
I am so with ya on; 🖕
The children are the future. Imagine harming them…😒
Glad the water is back.
Here we are, just going….
Cannot imagine😓
Just Going!!
And it is a good thing!
yes. YES. a good friend uses no social media. uses the computer as tool. her inbox is stuffed, but that’s it. keeping her sane. a sorta luddite? semi luddite?
and bruno’s hands!!!!!
We need a reset really. But not the kind that is happening.
Yes, look at those little fingers being useful!
It’s good to see a young boy interested in stitching❤
My youngest son loved to be in the kitchen with me. He was very interested in learning about making bread, cakes, cookies. His aunt, my husbands sister, bought him an easy bake oven and a bunch of baking mixes for Christmas when he was 4 years old. My husband had a fit, said we’d make him a sissy.
That son, who is now nearly 60… Still bakes, does all the canning and even can sew. He is not a sissy by any stretch of the imagination and is teaching his grandchildren to cook and bake, as he did with his son and daughter. When asked, he will say its best to know these things. Be self sufficient, because there’s not always a woman that will be in your life. BTW his wife doesn’t know how to sew and she says she hit the jackpot when she married Marty.
Boys are taught to sew in other countries, in school. I remember when I was in school, it was never considered.
My older brother had sewing in hIgh school, he made a vest. I had sewing in seventh grade. Then you couldn’t stop me. Sadly my granddaughter’s middle school, cut out the sewing and cooking part of the curriculum this year. They also made chorus a before school activity. As it is, she catches the bus at 7 am. Very disappointed with the middle school. I find sewing a relaxing soothing activity.
And useful!
Wow. Bruno!! That’s beautiful, Jude.
Right now, I’m scared. My husband and I are retired Texas teachers, over sixty years of teaching between us. Our governor and President are dismantling education as we know it. This could steal our pensions, our only paychecks. We’ve worked so hard to get here. Sorry, Everyone.
no sorries. this is a terrifying time for sure.
What kind of problem solving is this?
Oh Nancy, the “world” is just getting upset by all the crazy plans, but in the meantime YOU are at the start of all his nasty business . . .
There is no kindness, no empathy, no understanding. They just continue to rape the innocent.
I’m done. Bruno’s little dimpled hands are healing to see.
He is still open…
So sorry, Nancy. It’s a terrifying time. 🧡