I completed this piece on a Friday after Week 1 during Winter Quarter. Each color represents a different hour in the project, and the work starts from the very middle. I used www.time.gov to get the official US time, so each color change coincided exactly with each hour passed. I used whatever crochet pattern came to mind, and generally stuck with that pattern for the duration of the hour/color. To make it easier to compare one hour to the next, I made a rule with myself to complete one round of crochet around the entire piece before deviating. This also creates rings in the piece that are similar to the rings of a tree-- an intentional reference as the rings of a tree trunk also connote the passage of time.
I stayed awake by eating food for energy and surrounding myself with amazing company in the form of friends and teammates. No, I did not drink coffee, nor did I need it. We watched movies, talked, hung out, and more. Spipit even came over with her dog, Emmitt, and we simultaneously crafted. Later in the day, others visited to play drinking games and what not while I sat downstairs on the couch, crocheting away. Karishma fed me. Jane baked food for me. Everyone was absolutely the best.
In recent works, I have been exploring the archival properties of yarn and crafts as crocheted and knitted pieces often remind people of the past as the texture of yarn often creates the experience of nostalgia. While thinking about archive, time, and crochet, I decided that a durational piece would be interesting as the end result of time and crochet would lead to a sculptural piece. Originally, I planned this performance not only as an opportunity to create something that would be representative of time, but also as an exploration of my personal limits in crochet. I said something in passing like, "if I could, I would crochet all day, I love it so much." That immediately gave me an idea-- what if I did? I assumed I could do it, but that I would end up getting so sick of it that I'd stop crocheting for a while after finishing the piece. I was wrong. I would have crocheted for longer, but I didn't want to ruin the perfect number of 24 hours.
It sounds absurd, but there is something about crochet that makes it so easy for me to do, even for long periods of time. It is a passion of mine, and I can't quite explain why it is. People find it boring to watch, tiring to learn about, and confusing to get better at, but I completely disagree. For me, crochet is something I love doing, even at inappropriate times or places, like at a movie theater, during class, or at the beach. Older people have approached me with smiles saying things like, "I didn't think anyone your age did that anymore!" I may look like a grandmother when I am carrying yarn around everywhere, but I could care less. I actually find crocheting to be fun. What did I do when I finished my 24-hour piece? Well, aside from fighting the urge to want to continue, I took a really long nap. And yes, I used it as a blanket, but only for that one time!
Many people have asked me if I would do it again. Judging from how often I crochet, I think I could, and I am pretty sure I would.
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