Week Fourteen: Planning for the Year Ahead

This week has been very much about stopping, spending time with loved ones, and taking stock of where I'm at within my DYCP journey. Whilst the Christmas tree lights are twinkling I am spending some time planning for the year ahead. Whilst in one hand I am trying to break things down into small chunks so that I don't become overwhelmed, in the other hand I am still bursting with ideas of things that I want to explore and I am allowing room for this project to evolve in the way that it needs. I've been finding it hard to think about anything other than clearing the allotment but am putting my trust in the process that every step will bring with it new ideas and challenges to overcome. I'll be starting work on the allotment from the first weekend in January and will be dedicating one day a week to this aspect of the project.

Planning for 2026

I'm also feeling incredibly inspired by craft and shall be joining a textiles group in the New Year to explore drop spindle spinning with plant based fibres, weaving and bobbin lace making. I'm thinking about how craft can connect us to heritage, whether that is our own family histories or the sense of a place. I'm thinking about craft that connects to the land and I am exploring ideas to grow plants for natural fibres that can then be spun into yarn, woven into cloth and dyed with natural colour. I'm thinking about the ways in which my grandparents have inspired me - from growing vegetables in their garden to making their own clothes. From stories of my grandmother growing up on a farm and being out in the fields in the moonlight, to her bobbin lace still pinned to a cushion almost frozen in time. The more steps that I take within this project, the more comfortable and at ease I am feeling within myself. That my interest lies in this intersection between art, design and craft, and the connection that it has to storytelling, education, history, health and the land.