alskuefhaih
asoiefh

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

A story

This is a shawl Lesley wove, and gave to me. Oh bliss.

There is a story to be told, and I'm going to tell it. It might take the rest of my life!

It's the story of four women. My grandmother, who was born to Swedish immigrants in Chicago and became a successful New York artist and designer. My mother, a brainiac New York musician who submitted everything to her minister husband, to Christ and the church. Me . . . hmm, a woman with too many creative outlets. My daughter, a child of punk rock who is becoming a New York designer. Four generations of women with creativity in their genes who face struggles within and of their generations. I started researching Swedish emigration yesterday. It has begun.

15 comments:

Mei Shile said...

Nice piece of cloth she offered you! Bravo Lesley!
I tried handweaving for some times when I was her age and was discouraged by the amount of time to prepare threads and loom :-o. Now I do bobbin lace.
My mother also was very creative. We have so many things in common :-)!

Anonymous said...

I expect poems from this shawl. Maybe a punk rock/Lesley poem. :)

Ruth said...

Mei, you are right, we have a lot in common. Both Leos, almost the same age (ha, you're a bit older :). Lesley said it took 10 hours just to set up the loom. The shawl is very large. I am looking forward to a special occasion to wear it. It's delicate, and I don't want to snag it. What did your mother create? I have a pretty photo of a historic home near here that has bobbin lace set up on a chair. I've always been fascinated by that craft. Wish I could watch you.

Heather, ha! But I just said I'm going to write a story . . . a book maybe. And you expect a poem too!!??

:D

Miss Kim said...

and now I sit and wait for 'the rest of the story'!

Ruth said...

Traveller One, I'll keep you posted. :)

Unknown said...

i am ecstatic!
this will prove to be a phenomenal piece of work, i would love to help along the way!

Mei Shile said...

My mother was doing macramé and teaching it, oil painting, pastel and tapestry. She was also doing needle painting. This is embroidery where you must be very skillfull. She won many prizes.
I have some pictures of bobbin lace I made in my blog archives. In one case, it is still on the pad with the bobbins.

Anonymous said...

ruth-this is a test comment since Ginnie is having a problem leaving a comment from her account.

Anonymous said...

Omigod, Ruth. FULL CIRCLE. I never once thought of this till I read this post. What a heritage for Lesley!

BTW, if this takes, it's from Donica's pc. It won't take from IE or FF on mine. Nor did it work last night from Amy's. :(

Ruth said...

Lesley, I will need your insight into the punk perspective! :) Thank you!

Mei, I recall seeing some of your bobbins on your blog. What your mother did sounds very difficult and tedious, but gorgeous!

Ginnie (and Donica), every day I am thinking of new connections for these women, and what drove/drives them. I'm glad you could finally comment, even though not on your own PC. Weird!

Anonymous said...

From Olive to Barbara to Susan, Virginia, Nancy, Ruth to Shari, Amy, Jennifer, Lesley...all artists in our own fields of expertise. Four generations, four daughters, four granddaughters, four stories to tell.

You are the obvious storyteller...

Ginnie Hart said...

Just when I found out how to comment on the beta blogs from my pc, it looks like maybe Blogger has fixed it! I didn't have to do anything today. But if it happens again, I have to open my G-mail account and then it works. I found this out after reading the frustration from several other people. As Donica says, that's what Beta means! A work in progress! :)

Ruth said...

Ginnie, that comment from Mrs. M. yesterday was one she sent me via email and asked me to post for her, because she couldn't leave a comment either. I'm glad you figured it out today. I wonder if Mrs. M. will need to have a g-mail account?

I didn't know that's what beta means!

rauf said...

What a lovely design Ruth ! Lesley
is very creative.

Reminds me of a movie 'How to make an American quilt' Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Bernstein, Kate Nelligan, all ladies movie. it was so beautiful.

Ruth said...

Rauf, thank you for that movie recommendation, I've never seen it.

It's so nice to have you back. I hope all is going well. I SO look forward to your next post.