My Word of the Year

I don't generally declare resolutions at the start of a new year - that's just not something that resonates with me. But in the past few weeks, there's a word that keeps surfacing in my consciousness - resilience. Between the natural disasters, climate change and the general political climate here in the U.S., it just seems like the word I need to channel on a personal level and a cosmic level (if you believe in that).

It's about striking that balance of protecting yourself but not isolating from the world at large. Discovering how to bear witness to injustice or destruction and to recover, not just fall into despair.  No matter what your personal beliefs are, we will all benefit from each others' civic engagement.

As a crafter, my hands are always busy. But the last few months, my visible mending practice has taken center stage. It really covers all of my favorite traits: utilizing color, line and pattern, form following function, saving fiber from ending up in landfills or flooding other countries's markets, creates bespoke pieces for your wardrobe just to name a few.

I now realize, that it is also a way to practice resilience. By repairing a hole in a garment or stabilizing a worn area you are extending the life to a garment that would otherwise be thrown away. And by the way, anyone can do this! If you are interested in learning how to repair your clothes, I will be teaching a few visible mending workshops starting with Feb 26 at Folklore Flowers in Madison, CT.