New Year Care: December 19, 2024-January 2, 2025
In past New Year assignments, we’ve focused on intention setting and your mantra for the next year. This year I think we all know on some level things will be rough, given the state of the world at the moment. So for this assignment, make art of your choice that depicts how you plan to take care of yourself and others in the coming year. Happy holidays, and happy - or at least peaceful - new year to you all.
The Submissions:
by The Kilsigliere
Happy New Year!
I think the connective tissue of caring for self, community, the world, is the ability to be a present as possible, as often as possible.
My guiding words for the year ahead from the poet Muriel Rukeyser.
And for good measure-a guiding light for my whole life-The Purple One, whose advice really cuts to the chase- “ Let's go crazy, let's get nuts. Let's look for the purple banana until they put us in the truck, let's go”
-the Kilsigliere
by Anonymous Frau Redux
How do I plan to care for myself and others in this new year?
Being knotty.
https://poets.org/poem/how-do-i-love-thee-sonnet-43
How do I love thee?
One stitch at a time by way of knit or crochet, cross stitch or embroidery. Functional pieces of art made by hand providing dual purpose comfort.
Having a yarn “hobby” may have health benefits to the maker. If you check the internet, some say the heart rate and blood pressure decrease due to the repetitive nature of some projects. Completing a pattern and presenting it to someone as a gift utilizes manual dexterity, a ton of math, goal setting, time management skills and provides feelings of accomplishment. The options to learn more- new technique, countless patterns and expand into various fibers- can keep one inspired for years!
Knitters and crocheters may ask: are they yarn worthy?
Some crafters seriously consider the amount of time, the actual cost of project yarn and if the eventual recipient truly understands the investment made on their behalf. Some get it. Some don’t.
Think of the old throw blankets on the back of the sofa: made of acrylic fiber for easy care and wallet friendly.
Cotton wash cloths may seem luxurious in the bath, quite thirsty for wiping counters or scrubbing dish ware. You learn how pattern and yarn quality matter.
Warm woolen mittens- ‘nuff said.
Have you experienced alpaca fiber? Proof that you get what you pay for in fiber. Super soft specially harvested fibers requiring a commitment to care for the garment over time.
Are you yarn worthy?
Flexed my yarn muscles today at the request of a friend. Watched a tutorial for crochet towel toppers, had most of what I needed on hand. Will have to check out buttons. Perhaps some gumdrop buttons as well. Hmm.
by Heart of Darkness
A haiku of resolutions for this one…
Eat cake for breakfast,
skip chores and take more naps now,
just doing my thing.
by Captain Quillard
Next Week’s Assignment:
Where I live, we’re forecasted to maybe see a bunch of snow this week. But, some of you live other places and, let’s face it: weather predictions for this kind of thing are wrong more often than they’re right, so this will be a “media of your choice” assignment, rather than a “make something out of snow” assignment.
Create snow art - art made from snow, art about snow, art about how much you hate snow - whatever. Use any medium you like, from prose to photos to paint to whatever you can imagine, but bonus points if you use actual snow.