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Flag Squares and Tension

Here are some squares I knitted for the flag theme.  I did not do this with any sense of nationalism but rather as a geographical representation, something that might awaken curiosity in the African children who will receive blankets into which these squares have been assembled, something that would say to those children someone in that part of the world cares about you.

I wished to respect the proportions more or less of the flags which is 3 to 2, and not square, so I added two bands top and bottom in the first square.  This gave something that could be an abstract design and not necessarily a flag, so I did another square with a mast.  Then I thought how about a smaller group of humans and did a fairly reasonable facsimile of a Breton flag.
Meanwhile I was rereading an article by Michel Potay (the witness of The Revelation of Arès) called Nous Croyons, Nous Ne Croyons Pas (We Believe, We Do Not Believe) and one phrase particularly jumped out and stayed with me—une tension de l’être (a tension of one’s being).  When knitting with several yarns, one must be careful of the tension, neither too tight nor too loose.  So it is with our efforts to change, our penitence—neither too hard on ourselves nor too easy.  An image of the Arès pilgrim is one who walks an upward path, neck extended, with rest at night so as to continue the next day, vigilant, yet moderate, persevering towards Good within and in the world.  There is an aspect of yearning along with accomplishing, pulling up the slack without breaking.

“…our love, humbleness, honesty, and our labor to create the new world; from that feeling and that tension both accepted and made dynamic, our soul forms….”

(This article is an appendix to the French-English bilingual edition of The Revelation of Arès.)

P.S.  One of my blog readers wondered if I could make a Turkish flag.  Here it is:


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Tags: flags, tension

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Comment by Linda Maltby on January 21, 2013 at 4:06am

I missed this discussion until now.  djd, the comments you make are very thought provoking.  We can definitely relate une tensione d'etre to our lives and our crocheting/knitting.  I shall remember this when I am working on squares for the children. 

Comment by Monika Hazelwood on January 21, 2013 at 3:38am

these are beautiful! Did you first knit the background as it looks in seedstitch and then sew the flag in top of it?

Comment by Anne Lokken on April 26, 2012 at 5:02am

Love the Turkish one, a clever idea to make the flag on the flagpole!

Comment by Bev Jeffery on April 19, 2012 at 8:46am

An interesting idea......to include the flagpoles.....love the squares....and thank you for sharing the quote with us...food for thought, indeed.

Comment by Pam Antink on April 19, 2012 at 7:10am

The flagpoles do add another dimension djd!  Very much enjoyed the quote starting "..our love.....

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