YORKTON - As I entered my golden years, I realized that they were more tarnished than golden. I am not alone. Many of us have health conditions that will not allow for long trips or even short excursions. If, like me,
you have to change your expectations caused by declining health and mobility, depression can set into your life.
When I finally decided that I would fight to overcome and that I would find activities that I still could accomplish, it was a new beginning. In the past, I
had crocheted and when I picked up that crochet hook again, it was the best thing I ever did for myself. Creating an item that is functional, or a piece of art, lifted me up. Gifting these items and also selling some was rewarding.
Just this morning I was listening along with my husband to his sports talk show where the host explained how dopamine (a chemical in our bodies that is a natural antidepressant) is released when one plays sports. The exact same thing happens when we do a craft (or any activity) that brings us joy. Creating and engaging releases the dopamine into our system and we feel better about ourselves.
Unfortunately, for many, our abilities change. Because of the arthritis in my wrist, I eventually could no longer tolerate the movement necessary for crocheting. How I loved doing amigurumi which is creating stuffies like characters from tv or movies. I had boxes of scarves and toques. These too are now a part of my past.
It happened in January, the hardest time of the year for many, and I was devastated and depressed. What was I contributing to life, to society? In April of that year my sister-in-law stayed with us for 2 months while she took a course on different forms of art and creativity. The course explored the therapy in creating, and how she, as a pastor, could facilitate conversation with the seniors at her church while they explored activities. One day she showed me a 'painting' that was done with wool. It was a calm beach scene that had been tacked down with a needle!
Let me tell you, my interest was piqued. I had never heard of Needle Felting before and by the time I had finished googling, I knew I needed a new challenge. I ordered inexpensive wool with the intention of experimenting with wool. I had already watched videos on Youtube and had a good idea of what had to be done. My first piece was a small mouse and I had a hoot frightening my sister-in-law.
Wool fibre is like magic! Unspun wool fibre is the staple of felting.
Each strand has little barbs on it that cannot be seen by the naked eye, yet when you mix them together, they entangle with each other.
But, when you use a very sharp needle with barbs, they really intertwine, and using this needle, you 'sculpt' the wool into your chosen subject. I, for example, love to make snowmen.
I was so prolific in what I generated that I had to figure out what to do with them all since I wasn't comfortable selling them. Many went for gifts to my friends. After all, what's better than a little soft bundle of wool shaped like a bunny or a fox? I was further challenged by one of the online teachers who suggested we make small objects and leave them randomly, in a park perhaps, with a note explaining that they had found a piece of random kindness. I began to think about other ways I could share my work.
Consistently I was seeing fundraisers for a helping agency called Walkabout Farm Therapeutic Riding Association. I set out to learn more and I became convinced that my little sculptures should go there as a means to raise a little money.
Progressively I made changes to what I designed, and today I make horses with the same colouring as those on the farm. The children and visitors love the little recreations of their favourite horse!
Items that are felted are not limited to 3d. After one of Walkabout's horses died at the farm - one of the most beloved - I did a painting.
With this method I created an image of the horse on a piece of wool fabric and then coloured in all around finding just the right tint by blending colours, just as an oil painter would.
This method is equally rewarding and fun!
I have also experimented with wet felting whereby you start with a piece of wool fabric and layer pieces of wool on top to make a design.
Throughout this process you wet the wool (and you know that wool shrinks if you wash it) down carefully with a little soap and you massage it with your hands until the little barbs in the fibre start to clutch together. Then you roll it up with some plastic between and rock it back and forth with your hands.
In the end you have a lovely piece of fibre. This method captivates me because it has so much potential. But it is stressful physically.
I urge you to take some time for yourself and consider what it is that you really enjoy doing. If it's not within your physical ability, how could you do it in a different way to make it work? If, like me, your golden years appear tarnished, remember that gold does not tarnish.
Pure gold rests within all of us and we just have to dust it off, appreciate its beauty (our beauty) and make it a priority to display it.
If you are intrigued with needle felting, check out youtube and look for "Wooly Wednesdays" by Marie Spaulding. Let the dopamine experiment begin!
