I had no preconceived notion as I began this project. I only thought of the design using the three (which were actually four when I first began) panels one beneath the other. My thoughts were more on process than anything else.
But as the days went by and I worked slowly (sometimes too slowly to suit myself) I found that this piece was becoming a reflection of this month in my life. I seemed to spend the whole month of January balancing my stitching with the rest of my life. Each day seemed to speed by and I would look back wondering what I had accomplished. Guilt would creep in, almost like the cold from outside the door -- why wasn't I working faster? Then I would give myself a stern talk - "why are you in such a hurry?"
And so I balanced, sometimes precariously, other times easily and I continued to work each piece. Pulling it all together at the end was the very most satisfying thing I've done in months. Perhaps giving more time to a piece lends it a weight that it might not otherwise have. These are things I'll ponder as I begin my next design.
Note: This is the largest punchneedle piece I have ever done. The three sections are 12" long -- add the loops and fringe the total is 24" long.
"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony." - Thomas Merton
