IRL

Concepts around textiles are very effective metaphors: Fabric of society, threads of thought, falling apart at the seams, coming unraveled ... This is a corner of fabric I recently received as a gift from Chris (Chris gave me such beautiful fabrics: But I'm going to wait until they have found their projects before I show you). Chris sews and we "know" (via email) many of the same people. Chris is attending a language school not a block from my house. I think she is fledging a little bit: This is her first big trip away from home, her first time away from the family for an extended period, and she's improving a skill she plans to have open her world. It is very touching and amazing to me, that I have met people and developed friendships and even started a little business around this hobby. I think, once upon a time, women were making all kinds of things from textiles as a way to connect to other people. There probably wasn't a lot of convenience and times were tough. And yet, an embroidered mieder, a dowry of tatted linens, cable knit sweaters ... great effort was made for all kinds of everyday objects to make them beautiful. This Internet is modern, but I don't think we are any different today. The seamstresses on the Internet marvel at each other's work, enjoy the anecdotes, lend a hand, watch each other's children grow and we certainly aren't above a bit of ladies' gossip. It's in IRL, too.

Thank you, Chris, for your beautiful gift. Thank you for letting me get to know you better.