Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Taking Time to Stitch a Tapestry (Word Prompt Fiction)

Embroidery hoops, thread and a needle resting on a tapestry in front of a window showing a snowy scene.

This piece of flash fiction was written using word prompts. See below for more details.


Taking Time to Stitch a Tapestry

The world outside was silent, blanketed by a thick layer of snow. Martha sat by the window, taking advantage of the last of the evening light. Her needle darted in and out, weaving the embroidery thread into the stiff fabric, while the peppermint aroma of her tea faded as it grew cold. She had been stitching longer than she realized. Her thoughts had wandered pleasantly while embroidering this summer scene, which centered on a sweet brown hare darting behind a flowering hedge.

Earlier, along the side of the house, she had seen a similarly sized rabbit, wearing his winter coat of white. Perhaps, she mused, when she finished this one she should embroider the same picture again, but change it to show a winter season instead of summer. Maybe she could even create a set of four tapestries with this same view and rabbit, showing all the seasons. It wouldn’t be hard to do and would add one more dimension to her catalogue of items for the sale.

"If professional artists can present some of their work as a series, why shouldn't I?" she thought. 

The hard scrunch of her husband’s footsteps through the newly fallen snow on the path beyond the window interrupted her thoughts. When the men clear-cut that swatch right up to the house she had disapproved, because she hated to see such beautiful old trees cut down. However, she now appreciated how much easier it was to get to the house from the end of the road, and how the layer of rocks (or snow) warned her when anyone approached.

With a sign, she pushed aside the tapestry and rose from her chair. It was time to get supper started. Her dream of being able to make her sewing a priority over mundane household chores would have to wait.

"Someday," Martha vowed, "I will become a full-time, self-reliant artist and leave this place."


~~~~~*~~~~~


Delores of Under the Porch Light used to offer a weekly writing prompt called Words for Wednesday, and encouraged others to use it to write something creative.  Unfortunately, Delores began to have computer issues, and could no longer provide the weekly prompts. Elephant’s Child took over for a while, and then she organized volunteers to share the responsibility.

The prompts for this week were provided by Hilary Melton-Butcher but posted on the website Elephant’s Child. (They were posted last Wednesday, but it has taken me this long to get around to writing this!) I encourage you to go to the comments there and read the other stories writers have posted. 

I used the entire list of word prompts to create this story: Silent, Tea, Summer, Scrunch, Tapestry and/or Hare, House, Catalogue, Clear-cut, Path.

~~~~~*~~~~~

Where would these words have taken your imagination?


Please keep social distancing, wear a mask, wash your hands, get vaccinated, and stay healthy!
This post contains affiliate links. The opinions expressed, however, are entirely my own.

12 comments :

  1. I love this - and hope that she can devote more time to her art. Mind you, I think the mundane chores will always be with her.

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    1. Yes, true, even if we just do them for ourselves.

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  2. Oh, that is an interesting type of prompt. I haven't seen that one before. I like how this flash fiction invokes a continuation of 3 more scenes with the hare. It gives the piece a greater life for the reader to imagine. Well done.

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  3. I'm rooting for Martha. Nice use of your words, Susan.

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  4. Now that I read your piece (well done, by the way), I'm not sure where my imagination would have taken me. Maybe to a tapestry we bought some 45 years ago and we still have, but I don't know where I would have fit the hare in.

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    1. I'm sure you'd write a good story. Is your tapestry on a wall?

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  5. I like what you did with this prompt. Writing using prompts is a great way to keep your writing skills sharp and your imagination active.

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    1. Thanks Janeane. I love writing with word prompts. To me, it's like the story writes itself.

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  6. Hi Susan - thanks for joining us with your lovely tale of the tapestry ... at some stage becoming her life's work - sadly we need to do other things. It's a great story and I really enjoyed the take - fun too ... stay safe and have a peaceful Easter - cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary, and thanks again for the inspiring word prompts!

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