Weaving Dreams

Weaving and cutting, threads not matching up correctly as a knot is tied, though I will not start over. A metal frame, colored string crisscrossing across empty space, pull tight, tie a knot, cut, keep going. Gifts are best when they are made by hand, no matter what they are. Something from the heart and sprinkled with a little soul. Another loose thread cut and removed from the rest of the others, and I admire my work. There are a few crooked knots, though that’s alright. Imperfections make art, and humans themselves are art because of their imperfections, and as art often is a gift, so is human life.

A web stares back at me from within a golden metal frame, a crude imitation of a spiders web made of blue embroidery floss and a curved needle. The scissors glint int the sunlight, and I resist the urge to cut each carefully tied thread. I am a perfectionist, but this is not meant for me. I make dream catchers as gifts for those who are closest to me, and for those closest to me that need more restful sleep. Each one is different, in pattern, size, color, material, or frame, and each has a different bead either in the center or somewhere else for decoration.

Much as spiders weave their webs, I weave my current creation. I need a centerpiece, and I have to wait a few days for the specifc beads to arrive in the mail. In the mean time, I will resist the urge to once more cut each thread and start over again. This is a gift, not an opportunity to strive for nonexistent perfection, though the glinting blades keep taunting me. I know that my friend will use this, that he will appreciate the time and effort that went into each knot and fiddle tight string. Dreams pass through the gaps, the nightmares get caught and eaten by the proverbial spider. A wonderful thing to hang above one’s bed.

The smile on his face will be worth it when he sees the completed product, and I feel as though he will finally get he restful sleep he needs and deserves. Seeing a smile after handing over one of my gifts sparks warmth in my chest, and I too am happy. Doing what one loves to do, and being able to turn that love for a craft into a gift for someone, is true happiness that increases tenfold when the gift is given away. I am proud to be an artist, and I am honored to bring such joy to those around me with my gifts and talent.

Many mediums have passed through my hands, but working with threads is one of my favorites. Either sewing, weaving, crocheting, or making friendship bracelets, there’s something about thread that ties everything together. Long disc trance relationships or summer camp friends know that the other person is thinking of them every time they look at the friendship bracelet around their wrist. Who doesn’t love the scarves or socks that are knit by a relative around Christmas time? Embroidery is a relaxing past time and an exercise in patience, much like sewing. Lastly, weaving is another test of patience and perfectionism, but it is worth it in the end when the project is completed, as it is with every project finished. When there is no satisfaction, a re-do can be arranged, and that is okay. Though sometimes, when we make things as gifts, the imperfections make them even more special. Imperfections make them more human, something that isn’t a bad thing, though as humans, we all strive to be perfect. Truly, the most perfect gift to give, is one from the heart, which is even better when it’s made from the heart and loving hands.