Giving Season

It’s a time of the year that can really inspire the generous heart of a maker. A tin of cookies for a neighbor. A hand knit hat for my youngest child. A handmade card for a friend. The list goes on and on.

A hand stitched holiday card…a perfect way to let someone you know that they are loved.

I was listening to the Spilled Milk Podcast recently. It’s a lovely podcast to keep you entertained when your hands are stitching, especially if you enjoy food and funny. Molly Wizenberg (who hosts the show along with Mathew Amster-Burton) was talking about working on a new quilt. She mentioned that she would keep the quilt because she couldn’t imagine giving away that much of her hard work. That sentence rattled around in my brain for a week.

An embroidered floral hoop for a friend’s special day.

In high school, I drew one thing that was really good: a portrait of Sinead O’Conner. I worked on it for weeks, and the result was astonishing. On a whim I gave it to a friend. Now I don’t even have a clear photo of it to share. And I haven’t seen that friend in more than 20 years.

A cross stitch butterfly pattern that has been framed to make the gift extra special.

My making and giving history are made up of a lot of these stories. Of course, I have made things that hang in the homes of my family members and friends – I haven’t only made bad choices about giving. But I can see a pattern of not valuing my work enough. I think it is easy to do as a person who engages in craftwork. While many may admire the end product, the hours of labor are in a way, expected and taken for granted. I include myself in this for my own making.

This embroidery was based on a silly conversation with my sister. It might not mean much to anyone else, but it always makes us smile.

Time to turn over a new leaf. The handmade gifts I don’t regret giving have been to loving and supportive family and friends who have shown up for me time and again (and I hope I have shown up for them, too). The days of holiday giving for this year are drawing to a close – I’ll be spending them stitching and longing for the day I can give the finished piece and a *hug* to those I love.

Embroidered reindeer to add to someone’s holiday decor.