A Glimpse of History

I know that there are people who like to decorate with primitive rag balls. In fact, since I have been in the market for them, I know that there are aLOT of people who like primitive rag balls! I can't imagine ever letting one of these sit around in my house untouched, though. Looking at it in ball form every day would be sheer torture for me.

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As soon as I receive one, I do the obligatory hefting and turning and appreciating of the ball itself. Then, I nestle down in my favorite crochet chair, breathlessly ready to peel back the layers of time. I'm always nervous about this at first...Will the fabric be a relatively uniform width? Will the material be sturdy after all these decades? Will the maker have stitched the pieces securely?

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I have had my share of disappointments, but I've also had the glorious pleasure of loving every single fabric contained in a ball. Of picturing the apron or feedsack or workshirt - the life - that the strips came from. Of seeing the hard work and love that went into making every single bit count for something.

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Often what is on the inside of these rag balls is far more beautiful than the outer layers. While some of these lend themselves well to star-making, there are the precious stand-outs that just need to be something else entirely. This bowl is a good example; the colors and patterns that emerged as I crocheted remind me of a well-loved patchwork quilt.

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This one-of-a-kind wonder will be available in sosorosey soon!