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Honouring gifts

These largely linen scraps arrived via little sister, under a little sister's obligation during a recent trip to Korea. Some 15 kilos of fabric were sourced, carried then gifted. A woman in a Seoul market,  a big sister seeking Korean textiles and little sister who connected both. The fabric pieces are as exquisite as the act of gifting.

The bag was sorted, by size and type of fabric. Smaller pieces stitched together, hopefully in a spontaneous yet thoughtful way. Checking for length, width, colour, compatibility of shape. Being present in the process yet lost in the activity. The  fabrics speak for themselves.










Reconstruction in linen
Strips and larger pieces of fabric emerged. Eventually a quilt top. Complex. Intricate. Calm. Peace-filled.  Finding ways to honour the gift, the Korean practice of not wasting, and mine of making art. Thinking about the linens and cottons the woman uses, their superior and understated quality, feel and weight. Being mindful of her making aprons and curtains from a small shop, facing crowded market traffic, day in and day out. Thinking about the process of reconstructing the gifted fabrics, facing the mountains, grabbing precious hours over weekends. Feeling privileged to have received and honoured to be entrusted with this gift.

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