Ellen Anne Eddy's Thread Magic Studio: The Grace of Derailment

Monday, September 21, 2009

The Grace of Derailment

8:35 AM |

Posted by Ellen Anne Eddy |

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There are many times I thank everything holy I am not in charge. I know for a certainty, I am not in charge of my art.

This is a derailed day. I have two printers out, and I can't find my favorite embroidery hoop. That means no photos for a book and no mailing out letters. Neither of those are blowup, throw up crises, but I do find myself derailed. My plans for the day are as shot through with arrows as St. Stephen and equally dead.

There was a great poem by e.e. cummings about his Uncle Saul who failed at raising chickens, skunks, weasels and every other thing until he died and started his worm farm. Derailment is like that. There's something else to do. I just haven't settled on the right thing yet.

Sometimes I think that the tasks around me are a river that sweeps through. It carries me bobbing along, under, over, sometimes sideways through what has to be done. Some things get more attention than other. I've always thought a dirty house could always be dirtier rather than a quilt be more undone.

Is it a day for photos and dyed threads? I think so. The printers are clearly new paperweights.