Saturday 18 January 2014

Alice's cushion

Our Alice made this beautiful cushion as a gift for Komorebi.  And I was so proud of that.



The more so because the blue and green side




is made from the beautiful yarn Julie Faraway sent us from her daughter Sharon’s wonderful yarn business – and Sharon has moved on to other things now, which means my lovely cushion is partly crocheted memory, a web of beauty, friendship, talent, family and skills – and how cool is that?  When I see the blue and green side, I will pray for Julie and Sharon and all the family.


It’s also special because the orange yarn for this side





is chosen from a HUGE bundle, the generous gift of our dear friend Gail – crocheting in the happy memory of a weekend spent at her home in Devon.  Those days were extra special because we were allowed to be part of her preparations for trying her vocation as a nun, helping with some of the sorting and clearing of possessions and readying her home for tenants as she takes this momentous step.  In giving away the belongings that accumulated over the years, she let us have her bags of yarn.   When I see that orange, I will pray for Gail in her new vocation.

There’s a little edging of the softest yarn – alpaca, I think Alice said.  





When I trace my finger along that softness, I will pray for my cousin Kathryn who keeps alpaca, and for animals everywhere whose lives are given to keep us warm and fed.

And the finishing touch is this row of buttons – covered by Alice with such care in velvet of a soft apricot orange, to match.  




And when I look at those four buttons I will pray for Alice and each of her four sisters – so very dear to me.




Treasure of memory, treasure of making, treasure of love.


12 comments:

GerriHultgren said...

Oh this will go so nicely into Komorebi,a beautiful gift!

Penny said...

Beautiful!

Rapunzel said...

Skill and love working hand in hand.

Julia Bolton Holloway said...

Things don't have monetary value, they have 'synapse' value, the 'hooked atoms' way of evoking memories. Which give back value to all, dead and living.
Perhaps this is why we have gone 'minimalist', shutting out this form of value for the other?

Pen Wilcock said...

Yes indeed, Rapunzel x

Interesting take on minimalism, Julia! x

Rapunzel said...

It occurs to me that since you've moved house from one end of the garden to the other the cushion is two gofts. One side is a going away present and the other is a housewarming gift. Clever girl that Alice.

Nearly Martha said...

Komorebi is very interesting. Do you think you will write there or think or pray? Is there a plan or is it a different place to sort of just be? PS thanks for the link on LGBT in your sidebar. Have been quite challenged with some of this for a while now and these are good resources.

Pen Wilcock said...

Rapunzel - yes! x

Nearly Martha - well, in our household we have shared spaces and we each have our own pod. Komorebi is my pod.
It's also a poustinia - a place to retreat to and come forth from, a place of reflection and restoration. It feels like the shell of the snail that I am.
But besides all that it's an experiment. I wanted to know if it would be possible for a person to comfortably and happily contain all their possessions and all the utensils of daily life into a 10 x 8 space - such that, should it be necessary, that could be their only home with no sense of deprivation. x

Julie B. said...

The pillow is so beautiful, and represents so much! I like all the things you see in it, and so appreciate your prayers for us. I love seeing Sharon's yarn used like this, and have rarely seen it crocheted, but rather knitted. It's lovely crocheted! Alice's work is exquisite. :) Blessings on your dear family... xoxo

Pen Wilcock said...

:0) - We have loved that beautiful yarn you sent us - and the warm wooly socks, which are treasured in this Bigfoot household! xxx

Sandra Ann said...

Home made gifts are such a treasure and even more so, if a prayer and story is woven into the fabric of it's very being.

Beautiful workmanship

San xx

Pen Wilcock said...

:0) xx