Occupying the Hands

Before I started to do theater in a big way, I did this.

Macramé is a very forgiving craft. You are working with rigid fibers--the cord does not stretch, and pieces like this are designed to be knotted as tightly as possible.

You can burn off a lot of anger into one of these suckers. I was making the clay pieces, too. Actually, Chandra made this pendant, sparking a life-long interest in jewelry design. She was pretty small at the time.

Jill Tremontano, are you still around? Thanks for the pottery lessons!

In the early 80s, my marriage was on the rocks. My husband was out arranging assignations with my closest friend while I babysat all the kids--hers as well as mine. There was enough hidden anger there to have tied a lot of knots. I taught macramé, and made custom window shades for people. Every plant in a three block radius had a hanger, and all my friends had necklaces like this one.

My mother, who had a proverb for every occasion, used to say, "The devil finds work for idle hands." Her hands were never idle. She sewed, knit, crocheted and embroidered. She made rag rugs, tile mosaics, tin-can wrought-iron trivets, painted pillowcases, and enough knitted lace doilies for a formal dinner at the UN.

Once, she knit herself and evening gown.

The devil never stood a chance with her!

I think I took up macramé because she didn't. I didn't have to compete with her.

On the whole, theater is easier...