+ Her Barefoot Heart

stitches, strips & softly frayed edges

 

in and out,

up and down,

over and over.

she wove her strands of life together,

patching hole after hole.

eventually she saw it was more than the threads that gave her strength,

it was in the very act of weaving itself

that she became strong.

~ terri st. cloud ~

~~~

marbelizedcloth.JPG

tired of multi-tasking and compartmentalizing,

weary of my worth being defined by how busy i am

and how full my calendar is,

knowing that i learn best when my body,

my entire self is involved,

i sign up for jude hill’s cloth to cloth class,

determined to weave the life i want.

 

i start with a colorful, hand-painted marbelized fabric.

a fabric that while beautiful, is busy and indecipherable.

i weave in calm, muted, solid colors

providing spaces to exhale and explore,

places with room to just nap and ponder and be.

 

it’s mounted on a sturdy, textured base.

the frayed, unfinished edges remain unhidden from public consumption now.

the stitches that hold it all together

are not straight or even,

or dainty or fine.

 

weaving1.JPG

 

22 Comments

  1. Kathyloh

    “Not straight or even or dainty or fine” – nope…just beautiful, like you –

    • whollyjeanne

      thank you, kathy. my grandmother is rolling over in her grave at the size of my stitches. . .

  2. Lindsey

    In the very act of weaving she became strong … oh, sigh. I adore this. How I long to know it is true!

    • whollyjeanne

      isn’t that a beautiful poem? she’s got more. go check her out.

  3. Lorig0704

    providing spaces to exhale and explore,

    places with room to just nap and ponder and be.

    AWESOME!! “Embrace the space!”

    • whollyjeanne

      i seem to need places to nap more than anything else these days . . .

  4. Eliz Amaya-Fernandez

    Love it! The words, the fabric, you.

    • whollyjeanne

      thank you, eliz. we’re both a little frayed and unfinished around the edges, but hey.

  5. Acey

    “busy and undecipherable” … this is my brain. this is my brain on fabric. If you hear a clunking sound below the ground it’s only your grandmother rolling straight into mine as she rolls over pretty much of everything I’ve stitched since this class began. So glad you’re there.

    • whollyjeanne

      acey, acey, acey. my funny friend. i’m so glad you’re there, too.

  6. jude

    that fabric is outrageous.the stitches are as stitches become. glue

    • whollyjeanne

      glue. exactly.

  7. PicsieChick

    Because of the strength of the very act of weaving, the end result, although beautiful and full of joy, is immaterial (so to speak).

    Thank you for the beauty!

    Hugs and butterflies,
    ~T~

    • whollyjeanne

      thank you, my beautiful friend. am so enjoying starting my day with a taste of the world through your eyes and spirit.

  8. Mrsmediocrity

    “the stitches that hold it all together

    are not straight or even,

    or dainty or fine.”

    kind of like life, don’t you think? i love this, i need to take charge of my own crazy busyness like this. for a while, knitting did this for me, still does actually, but i don’t very often sit down and do it. i love the way you weave words as well.

    • whollyjeanne

      thanks, thelma, for the kind words – they really mean a lot coming from such an exquisite word-weaver as your own special self.

      those stitches: yes, i think they are just like life. you know, quilting stitches are supposed to be tiny. the tinier, the finer. the finer, the more accomplished and stitcheress.

      another thing that’s never gonna be on my resume.

    • whollyjeanne

      thanks, thelma, for the kind words – they really mean a lot coming from such an exquisite word-weaver as your own special self.

      those stitches: yes, i think they are just like life. you know, quilting stitches are supposed to be tiny. the tinier, the finer. the finer, the more accomplished and stitcheress.

      another thing that’s never gonna be on my resume.

      xo

  9. Juliedaley

    “the frayed, unfinished edges remain unhidden from public consumption now.” These words grabbed me, for I have the sense now is simply now, and soon these won’t be so hidden…

    loving you,
    Julie

    • whollyjeanne

      nothing gets past you, does it, darlin? xo

  10. Sally G.

    Simple, honest, beautiful and heartspun ~ I love this. Thank you!

    • whollyjeanne

      thank you, my singing buddy.

  11. Anonymous

    Visiting your words always feels a little like coming home.

Pull up a chair why don't you, and let's talk . . .

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