Hari-kuyo

My fellow friends in blogger land have turned their thoughts to a Japanese custom for honoring broken needles used in their embroidery and various stitching. I really hadn't given much thought to honoring my supplies, but really we should think about it. Here we are blessed to have these supplies and use them to create incredible works for others to enjoy or even just to pass the time away. So much of ourselves go into each project that we should be so thankful for the tools we use. Here is a link to one such artist who has considered this to be a worthy cause,  Susan Elliot's Blog.  I love to watch her process of creating, it is nothing shy of genius.

A friend of mine suggested that we name our favorite appliances, and I thought about my favorite appliance, my sewing machine. I have had it for many years and it didn't have a name. Well because it has been abused all these years, I called it Quasimodo. My little way of honoring for all the years of service that went by with out a single thank you.

I really should take time to give thanks for all the wonderful supplies that I have been blessed with over the years. There are some ladies that do not even have their own needles to stitch with and must share with a community of stitchers.

Even though I have never thought to honor my supplies,  I often pray over them, especially as I work. I think it adds to the feel of the finished item.

Like this quilt- all the love that went into making it and all the love that was shared under it until it came to me in this state.

Prayers went up for the family while I took it apart and saved what I could of the deteriorated fabric. Then Quasimodo faithfully stitched it all back together. Below is the quilt without the binding and backing-  Each strip of remnant fabric had to be stitched to a 10X10 square of the original back (to stabilize the fabric it was stitched in many rows over each square).

The finished quilt was delivered on Christmas day to the lady who had kept it for 50 years. The love that was already embedded in the fabric with the new prayers and stitching will not soon be forgotten and they will always be felt by anyone who touches it.

I think I will plan to take part in Hari-kuyo next year. How about you?

Be Blessed!