The Stitch

Adding stitch. Happenstance dictated the red thread as that was on the machine, until it ran out and then to white. Stitching words of hope to counteract the futility. Loose tension, free motion, relinquish control. Utilise cut out pieces to stitch words on. Each piece of tracing paper seems to partner up with another. So go with. Decide on 4 x A2 pieces. Stitch them to hold them together. Then stitch them together in series like a totem. 

Words chosen as a counteracting action to the dystopian theme. Hope; cause there is always. Love; is all you need. Compassion; for embracing difference, empathy and care of others. Celebrate; each other.

Considering a live encounter on the day. Take the risk. Hang them outside by the studio.... allow the camera to study the detail of the work, explore the hand of human endeavour. Give that time. Then set light to them. Film the burn. Watch as it disappears without a trace. All that work. That feels hard. Cause I feel precious about these pieces. Time invested. A relationship has been struck.

Stitch with thread, without thread. Puncture holes, traces of stitch. Red thread. Brings to mind the red shoes story, temptation, redemption. What is it about red thread. The history behind the use of red thread in peaceful activism by early stitchers. The exquisite use of a broad red stitch along a jean selvedge giving the tailoring provenance. It was totally right that the machine was already threaded with red. 

The fire will be lit on self entitlement.

And will end on celebrate.

Craftivism; time spent on slow stitch embuing the object with intention and meaning. The words become laced with power. The art of gentle protest. Through the manipulation and mutation of the text I have processed my responses, dissolved my frustrations at humanity mildly... and through the red stitch I have added a more upbeat manifesto. The stitch has been elevated by its red colour, the words given extra potency.

www.craftivism.com