The zeitgeist of the past year has given me pause to reconsider the name of this blog. Supposedly we are now living in a post-truth era, a time when it is apparently up to whomever to decide whether some incredibly important piece of data or news is true or false. Saying something is true invites doubt. The ground has shifted.
It was in 1984 (somewhat tellingly) when I first conceived of calling my various pursuits "True Stitches". I was living in Toronto and supplementing my income as a graphic artist by doing dressmaking for a select few. I made up a business card and called my enterprise True Stitches. Truth actually had nothing to do with it, it was a play on the old pulp fiction magazines like "True Crime" and "True Confessions". I was merely being witty and ironic, hot commodities at the time. (Well, hell, when does being witty and ironic ever go out of style?) I even had a rubber stamp made up that emblazoned TRUE STITCHES on the cards, combining the nostalgic with the handmade. I long ago threw out the cards, but I still have the stamp. The original logo, such as it was, featured these guys,
with my stamp emblazoned on top in red.
Fast forward to the mid-noughts. I was in a program for building one's own business, and I had chosen True Stitches as the name. A few years earlier, I had used truestitches as an email address. I actually had truestitches.com as a domain name until a few years ago when I let it lapse because it was under my ex-husband's account. Now I see the name coming up on Etsy - I am merely a truestitches.net now.
So I return to the beginning. What does the name mean? I feel very sincerely that my stitches, my expression, my actions, must be true, whole-hearted and verifiable. It's kind of the essence of what I do. The subtitle of this blog: "To make, to mend, to decorate." This is the part that is the definition of the word stitch, and also what I strive for in my daily life.
To make: I am a maker, I like to make things. This connects me to the divine. It is what I do, my life's purpose.
To mend: As humans, we fail, we cause trouble. But we have the potential to mend, to once again make whole something that is torn apart. This gives me hope.
To decorate: And why not? We have the capacity for joy, for play, for frivolity. Beauty is possible.
I was fooling around the other day with a new logo.
I used my old stamp with the line "Since 1984".
I think I am getting too old to be ironic. I still think truth is something important. Even if it isn't fashionable these days.
It was in 1984 (somewhat tellingly) when I first conceived of calling my various pursuits "True Stitches". I was living in Toronto and supplementing my income as a graphic artist by doing dressmaking for a select few. I made up a business card and called my enterprise True Stitches. Truth actually had nothing to do with it, it was a play on the old pulp fiction magazines like "True Crime" and "True Confessions". I was merely being witty and ironic, hot commodities at the time. (Well, hell, when does being witty and ironic ever go out of style?) I even had a rubber stamp made up that emblazoned TRUE STITCHES on the cards, combining the nostalgic with the handmade. I long ago threw out the cards, but I still have the stamp. The original logo, such as it was, featured these guys,
Fast forward to the mid-noughts. I was in a program for building one's own business, and I had chosen True Stitches as the name. A few years earlier, I had used truestitches as an email address. I actually had truestitches.com as a domain name until a few years ago when I let it lapse because it was under my ex-husband's account. Now I see the name coming up on Etsy - I am merely a truestitches.net now.
So I return to the beginning. What does the name mean? I feel very sincerely that my stitches, my expression, my actions, must be true, whole-hearted and verifiable. It's kind of the essence of what I do. The subtitle of this blog: "To make, to mend, to decorate." This is the part that is the definition of the word stitch, and also what I strive for in my daily life.
To make: I am a maker, I like to make things. This connects me to the divine. It is what I do, my life's purpose.
To mend: As humans, we fail, we cause trouble. But we have the potential to mend, to once again make whole something that is torn apart. This gives me hope.
To decorate: And why not? We have the capacity for joy, for play, for frivolity. Beauty is possible.
I was fooling around the other day with a new logo.
I used my old stamp with the line "Since 1984".
I think I am getting too old to be ironic. I still think truth is something important. Even if it isn't fashionable these days.
wonderful post Heather, you always make me think and let me look at myself anew.....revealing and not always enjoyably so!
ReplyDeleteI love the subtitle, it rings true (ha) on many levels
keep on stitching, making, mending etc and please continue to post about it all, it makes for an uplifting & inspiring read
I like the tailor and his client but I can’t help thinking they should be female. There just seems to be too much male energy in the world right now and we somehow need more female representation. Just shows your posts make ME think too, huh? Hugs!
ReplyDeleteYes, if I had been able to find an image with women I probably would have used it. Back in the '80's there was no Google, just giant books of clip art.
DeleteHugs to you too!
your stitches hold such deep love for truth
ReplyDelete