Memento

Some of my fondest memories are from when my Oma was still alive. She grew up not having much, and so she learned how to crochet, sew, knit, and more just because it helped with making clothes for her siblings and, eventually, her own children. When I was younger, especially around Christmas, I would visit her house just a couple streets from mine, and I would help her with her crafts. She taught me to crochet, sew, and for a while tried to teach me how to knit (unsuccessfully, I'm afraid). But my favourite activity of all actually involved plastic canvas -- a plastic sheet with holes, in which you weave yarn with a yarn needle to create designs. We made all sorts of things with it: tissue boxes, little mailboxes for candies, potpourri boxes, reindeer, sleighs.. I still have several that she made with me.

I was seven, nearly eight when my Oma died. These little trinkets make up the majority of my mementos for her.

For this project, I chose to recreate one of the very first ones she taught me to create. It involved simple 4"x4" squares of plastic canvas, in which I wove the yarn. I then connected each of the three to make a triangle of sorts.

The canvas involves Christmas colours, for it was mostly around Christmas we made ornaments and gifts in this manner. It's not perfect for a couple reasons. I was young when I did this with my Oma, and so my work was never perfect. Mixed stitches, missed stitches, odd finishings... But at the same time, this was my first time working with the plastic canvas since the Christmas before she died.