Every now and then, I need to touch cloth. I will use this space to show my play with cloth and tell my thoughts while stitching.

I will only use unwanted clothing, cast offs, remnants, unfinished WIPs, cloth napkins, table cloths, curtains, and my stash which is pretty extensive.

I also intend to ramble randomly about anything that might come to mind. My rambles may be long or short or with photos only.

Friday, October 16, 2015

A Prologue and Another Epilogue


After all was said and done, I had my own washing ceremony. It is simple. I ran Tim's Cloth through the washer and dryer on all normal settings. I've been anxious to wash it from the beginning. Not because it was dirty but because I wanted to see the "bloom" on the edges of the raw edge applique. It did not disappoint.

Another trip to the Garden Palace for a photo was the final stage of my washing ceremony.

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I do hope you, dear readers, were not bothered by all of the editing I did during this last week on each and every post of this blog. Actually, I edited each post numerous times. It was a nightmarish headache.

You may remember that my intention upon completion of Tim's Cloth was to make a blog book to accompany the gift. In short, I was not happy with the way some things were coming out and my only recourse was to edit on my end. I did and the book is on the way.

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This is the final chapter, another epilogue of sorts, of this project. But first, I wanted to share the Prologue that I wrote. I wanted Dear Timothy, the book, to have a preface to give my explanation about the how and why. To get the prologue at the beginning of the book, I had to trick blogger by back dating the Prologue blog post. It is the very first post of this blog; therefore you may not have seen it.

I'm sharing it again here.
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Prologue
written October 2015


"Do not go where the path may lead,
Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
                                  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


Dear Timothy,
I found this quote on my Mother's fridge after she passed away. For many reasons, I hold it close to my heart. Tim's Cloth is where I veered off where there was no path and am now leaving a trail for you. 

When I first started down my own path, May 2010, I considered my audience to be all those known and unknown to me on the world wide web who might happen upon my trail.

On Monday, September 26, 2011, I understood my audience was you. Therefore, I began to address my post directly to you, Dear Timothy. 

Frequently, when I shared my thoughts, photos, discoveries, inspiration and explanations of construction, I found myself giving you bits of my learned experience in the form of advise to you. For example, one day I said, "...keep your eyes and heart open. And give your imagination a place to go." And on another day, "...sometimes we have to let go and just keep the beauty an inside memory." 

I hope you will discover these bits of me that I have left on this trail and know that my personal spirit, heart and soul is also left on the trail. 

I found the song birds and jungle birds; the shooting stars and wishing stars; the green moons and circles; the forest and jungle; the beast and dueling dragons; the flowers and garden path; the seasons and moon trees all there on the path that no one else had gone down. They are the spirit from my heart and soul....... 

And the love I have for you, Dear Timothy.


15 comments:

  1. What a sweet story Sharon! I really enjoy reading your offerings of fabric and verse. They are like sunshine in the morning to me peeking over a darkened sky lightened by first light; the silhouette of a distant mountain illuminated therein.

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    1. Good Morning Sharon, Thank you for being there to catch my offerings. It is nice knowing that.

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  2. The washing ceremony seemed to be just the thing for the quilt. Tim's Cloth is oh-so-beautiful!!! I know he will follow that trail well.. And, a book...how very, very wonderful!

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    1. Yes the ceremony. I do love the way washed hand stitched quilts look. They have a depth that is so inviting to the touch. I just stroke it like a kitty.

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  3. How wonderful to finish ... how poignant to be at the end of this journey

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    1. Thanks, yes it is. And now I thinking about what's next here on the cloth side of me.

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  4. Hello from the Pacific Northwest ~ I don't know if I have ever visited here before, but what a joy to stop by this morning & view this extraordinary piece of craftsmanship. Have scrolled down through many posts to glean an understanding of its making .... utterly jaw-dropping. A most beautiful, beauteous thing chock full of soul. A blessing are your hands for the construction but tis your heart that led the way...... Thank you for posting this most amazing story.

    Kind regards,
    Christi

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    1. Thank you Christi for stopping by and thank you for leaving such a sweet message.

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  5. just beautiful. the cloth weave does wash up lovely.

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    1. Thank you Jude, Can you believe it took me so long? This was the ultimate slow cloth for sure. I do enjoy the cloth weaving so much, I'm sure I will be doing more of it.

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  6. Sharon, I have been following this quilt for years, it was what brought me here time and time again. I am sad that it is done but it looks better than ever whole and washed. I hope the boy treasures it, because I sure do.

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    1. Thank you Julie for following. I'm taking a little cloth side of me break and then I will be starting another. Or rather picking up where I left off on another. Though it won't take 5 years.

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  7. Following Jude's link and I spent some time going back through your quilt story. Such a poignant and beautiful thing! Love can be felt in every stitch.

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    1. Yes Beth in every stitch. I'm thinking that is why just sitting and stitching for hours and hours is so fullfilling for me.

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  8. Sharon, you have created a trail of beauty and love, a heart-full gift for Timothy. It's been lovely to come here and watch your and process.

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