I had a revelation the other day. I now know why I love hand-work, as opposed to sewing crafts. Because, quite simply, they are not so messy! They fit on my lap, and can be put away in seconds. On the other hand, sewing projects take over an entire room, and clean-up is such a chore. Not to mention, the monotony of hand-work allows my brain to be free for other things. Sewing requires a lot of concentration for me.
I also discovered why I am passionate about what I do, and why I do not consider it a waste of my time. First, I simply love to create beauty. Second, I believe in the art of sitting still, and being relationally available to my family, especially my children, during those quiet afternoon hours. I have memories of my own mom and grandma sitting quietly while doing hand-work. They were AVAILABLE at those times. I could talk all I needed to, and feel heard, which gave me a sense of validation. A large part of my emotional development is directly attributed to those hours they gave to quiet hand-work. Having my hand-work as a passion and a hobby allows me to create an atmosphere of peace and quiet in my home and be available to my children for "chit-chat," while still being somewhat productive. These are both dying arts - the art of relationships, especially within one's own family, and the art of handwork.
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