Forgiveness - A Word Quilt for Wednesday

Forgiveness.

One of the most difficult human actions. Especially when we need to forgive ourselves. And still with others. It is so much easier to be angry, to be scared, to hold a grudge. Recently I took that energy and channeled it into this quilt top. 

What a release. 

Don't ask me how many pieces are in here. Don't ask me how long it took. Don't ask me the personal details. Just know that it worked. That forgiveness is not only possible, but it does indeed feel better and require less energy than holding on to the anger, the frustration.

And bonus, my sewing room has a few less scraps in it.

With forgiveness in your heart you welcome the cute photobombers who draw on themselves and the reluctant quilt holders. Even the wind. 

Take a deep breath, get your butt in the seat and sew. Let the good stuff ride.

Morning Makes - The Australian Verson

If it wasn't for my morning make I would not be surviving summer. To clarify, I would not survive the kids being home and very limited time to sew or work. I'm doing my best to be a calm mom and the act of creating before I consume is making a huge difference in that goal.

This is just an exercise in improv. It's just play.

The first bits started as demos on my Australia trip. I grabbed two fat quarters fairly randomly to demo something on the fly. Then I used the fabric to demo something else. By the end of the trip I was rather in love with the combination so I bought the rest of those two fabrics. At home I added in bits of love from my stash, treats that Leslie at Maze and Vale gave me, scraps from my Kawasaki's Theorem screen printing, and some special fabrics also gifted on the trip. 

There are a million ways to approach improv and a million ways to play. I've decided to focus on shape to have some cohesion in the quilt. Triangles/diamonds, curves, little bits. This way, that way, any way. Scale provides some great interest and keeps me on my toes in the making.

So here and there, each morning, I make a little. Some days I can sneak in a whole hour. Most days I'm lucky if I get 20 minutes. All that counts is that I sit my butt in the chair and sew first thing in the morning. 

Quilts from The Creative Retreats

Wow. Wow. Wow.

At The Creative Retreats on my Australia trip I had 12 students in each retreat create some amazing work. They were tasked to bring an idea - an image, a feeling, fabric, a concept - along with fabric and a willingness to play. We started with a warm-up exercise to unleash our sense of play and went from there. Over tea and a wonderful cookie called an Afghan Biscuit we developed our ideas and then people got sewing. And sew they did!

Original ideas ranged from an homage to a family property and the Outback, a trip to French cathedrals or Eastern Europe, simply wanting to play with colours or a specific block, showcasing a fabric. We could have started all with the same idea and ended up with 24 different quilts! The creativity and the creating was intense and fun.

As a teacher I worked with each student on technique, layout, and design difficulties. I spent as much time with each student as possible to make sure they were happy with their own project. It was all about each student creating the quilt they wanted to make. That being said, I was totally impressed by how they each pushed themselves to try something new - whether that was improv, a colour grouping out of their comfort zone, or a different technique. Their spirit was infectious! 

Because we were in a space where we could sew all night if we wanted to, our every need was met by our awesome host, Jules, and the laughter was contagious it was just as much fun to hang out as it was to sew. There may have been some champagne (and margaritas and scotch) along the way. To be able to spend three uninterrupted days (until I made them go for walks to see birds or the beach) was a luxurious treat for many and we made the most of it.

Thank you to the wonderful women in both groups. You came from Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Ballarat, and Perth. You brought your humour, creativity, and sense of both adventure and play. I returned home totally inspired and excited. 

If you would like more details about any of the quilts or their makers leave a comment and I will try to point you in the right direction or answer any questions.

Arkison in Australia

So, I went to Australia for 2 weeks. It was rather incredible. My first, but hopefully not my last time! Enjoy a quick slide show of my trip. I was there to teach at a couple of amazing events organized by The Creative Retreat. Jules did everything to create a space for action, imagination, creativity, and laughter. More on the creativity in another post.  A few highlights:

... I had no idea how fitting it was that one of the first images I would see would be a sheep photoshoot in front of the iconic Sydney Opera House. You cannot even imagine the number of sheep in Australia.

... After a morning in Sydney and sleeping off my jet lag in Canberra we went on the road to our first retreat location: Kangaroo Valley. A glorious spot among farms, Fitzroy Falls, and creating by the fireplace. 

... The birds! I never thought of myself as a birdwatcher, but now I am totally obsessed. To see a million different kinds of parrots, rosellas, cockatoos, plus kookaburras was phenomenal. Then to spot and hear the unique Lyre bird was mind blowing. I am totally obsessed with birds now.

... After Kangaroo Valley we made our way towards Melbourne, stopping in country towns where I was introduced to the pie shops, RSLs, old buildings, and what counts as mountains in Australia. Road tripping is awesome, my favourite.

... 48 hours in Melbourne! A city I really would like to explore more. They care about architecture and public art in a way I've never seen before. We ate well, we played with Leslie at Maze and Vale (that's a whole other post), and visited Jen Kingwell at Amitie Textiles.

... The second retreat was in Point Lonsdale. The ocean!!! Long time readers know how I love the ocean, no matter which ocean or where. There I was taking my morning walks along the Pacific, but seeing the sun rise over it instead of set. Mind blowing. And, of course, I went for a swim! How could I not? Such a lovely location and another group of hysterical and creative women.

... More roadtripping and then the long flight home. (Right after that last photo Nicole Kidman walked by.)

Such a amazing experience and I am forever grateful to this job. These sorts of trips are so appreciated and I get as much out of them as my students. Their work, commitment, and creativity is inspiring. Thanks Jules, for making this all happen!