I can’t believe I’ve spent the afternoon stitching text onto cloth after vowing I’d not do it again. The last time was such a mammoth task I abandoned it. But I read on India Flint’s blog an invitation to make a pennon from pre-loved natural fabric then ‘stitch on it a word or a phrase or a sentence that might act as a wish for peace or an acknowledgement of beauty, imply a sense of stillness or simply something that gives you solace.’
I found an old pillow case I’d been saving for such use – too worn to use but I didn’t want to throw it out. I used some cotton thread I’d dyed with beetroot several years ago and chose the phrase ‘and I’ll never have to read between the lines again.’ It’s a slightly altered line from Van Morrison’s song Sweet Thing.
The pennons will then be tied together in the order they arrive during June 2015 so making up a circular poem then on the winter solstice placed into a vat of indigo to be over-dyed. The circle of pennons will be hung up in the tradition of Tibetan prayer flags and their dispersal documented over time. India has requested that no plastic is used for packaging the flags and that the papers used will be integrated into another art work she’ll be doing later in the year.
This will be happening at the Observatory, Andamooka, South Australia.
Dorcas Pennyfather 