Jodi's Thoughts on Handstitched Class
This December four guests are sharing their experience of taking one of my original classes. I hope that, through their eyes, you will be able to see which Stitched in Color course would best meet your stitchy needs. Feel free to follow up with questions!
You'll be able to vote on your top 2 class choices starting December 15th! Two classes will encore early 2015. See this post for more details.
Today let's welcome Jodi of Tickle & Hide. She has such a lovely voice that I'll just let her introduce herself. You're in for a treat!
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Hi, I'm Jodi, a coffee-drinking mother of three, who loves to tell stories through quilts over at Tickle & Hide. I share much of my process, ask for advice, and muse about motherhood on Facebook and Instagram. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to invade Rachel's online home today, because over the years it's become a place I can feel at home too.
There's a storm outside my house in Australia right now, blowing away the 100 degree temperatures we've had this week. I have an eight month old with a fever and new teeth pushing through, but right now she sleeps. We're moving house in just a few weeks, to a new town to start a new life and the boxes are piling up, taking away any feeling of 'home' that we had left here. So today, thinking about this blog post, and what I should write, I wondered if I was a bit crazy for saying "yes" to Rachel's lovely request, if I was just adding another unrealistic to-do item to the ever-growing list.
But tonight, magically, I had a moment. I opened up my laptop to start reading over my past blog posts about Rachel's Handstitched Class, about which she asked me to write. And as I read, a strong theme started to emerge.
I'm probably not the ideal student when it comes to classes like this. I get left behind. I like to have a mix of other people's patterns, and my own, on the go at any time. I lose focus and dance off with some other partner, knowing that this one, I'll definitely finish.
I make things bigger. I turn a covered diary into a whole quilt (well, it will be one day), a mini quilt into a whole quilt. I backtrack and perform open heart surgery on the whole quilt that was well underway.
Actually, maybe that makes classes like this absolutely ideal for me. No grading, no absolute deadlines (just enough for those who like them), just ideas and encouragement and colour and a class of new friends to get to know.
But what came through strongly tonight reading those old posts, was not just the joy of learning embroidery, or trying new English Paper piecing designs, or how, even though I loved the lessons on Sashiko stitching, I never actually got those started, it was how important hand-stitching has become in my life.
The stories in these posts were about processing the seasons of life as a mother and the things we don't plan for, taking risks, processing grief and loss and being kind to myself. These slow, small stitches have helped me to pray for friends in hardship, and they've helped me to sit completely still, and let those thoughts take the back seat.
I finished my Modern Medallion quilt this year, only about 18 months after I first took Rachel's class. I used to think this was a flaw in my personality, but tonight I can see how taking it slow helped me take it all in. It was a quilt set aside for just the right moments, and finished when just the right person came along to give it to.
I still have the e-book of all the Handstitched projects and classes, and it's such an invaluable resource! All the stitches and patterns and gift ideas compiled for people just like me who take their time, and for those who love whole books of colour and inspiration. It makes me kind of glad those star blossoms are still in my Unfinished Box, waiting perhaps for when all those boxes are staring up at me in my new home, but I know I need to let myself rest.
I'm not sure if this is what Rachel had in mind when she asked me to write about my experience of Handstitched, but I'm so thankful for the prompt to go back and remember. I can tell you that I think hand-stitching is a good lifestyle choice, and that Rachel's class is a pretty complete, encouraging, and colourful place to start.
**********************************************************
Yes, that was perfect, Jodi! In fact... it makes me nostalgic for Handstitched. This is a lovely time of year (in the cold northern hemisphere) for cozy handwork. If you have any questions for her, feel free to post those in the comments here. For more details about Handstitched, see this post. On Monday I'll invite you to vote on your favorite encore options!
**********************************************************
Some favorite Handstitched projects and progress shots from the Stitched in Color flickr pool:
You'll be able to vote on your top 2 class choices starting December 15th! Two classes will encore early 2015. See this post for more details.
Today let's welcome Jodi of Tickle & Hide. She has such a lovely voice that I'll just let her introduce herself. You're in for a treat!
**********************************************************
Hi, I'm Jodi, a coffee-drinking mother of three, who loves to tell stories through quilts over at Tickle & Hide. I share much of my process, ask for advice, and muse about motherhood on Facebook and Instagram. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to invade Rachel's online home today, because over the years it's become a place I can feel at home too.
There's a storm outside my house in Australia right now, blowing away the 100 degree temperatures we've had this week. I have an eight month old with a fever and new teeth pushing through, but right now she sleeps. We're moving house in just a few weeks, to a new town to start a new life and the boxes are piling up, taking away any feeling of 'home' that we had left here. So today, thinking about this blog post, and what I should write, I wondered if I was a bit crazy for saying "yes" to Rachel's lovely request, if I was just adding another unrealistic to-do item to the ever-growing list.
But tonight, magically, I had a moment. I opened up my laptop to start reading over my past blog posts about Rachel's Handstitched Class, about which she asked me to write. And as I read, a strong theme started to emerge.
I'm probably not the ideal student when it comes to classes like this. I get left behind. I like to have a mix of other people's patterns, and my own, on the go at any time. I lose focus and dance off with some other partner, knowing that this one, I'll definitely finish.
I make things bigger. I turn a covered diary into a whole quilt (well, it will be one day), a mini quilt into a whole quilt. I backtrack and perform open heart surgery on the whole quilt that was well underway.
Actually, maybe that makes classes like this absolutely ideal for me. No grading, no absolute deadlines (just enough for those who like them), just ideas and encouragement and colour and a class of new friends to get to know.
But what came through strongly tonight reading those old posts, was not just the joy of learning embroidery, or trying new English Paper piecing designs, or how, even though I loved the lessons on Sashiko stitching, I never actually got those started, it was how important hand-stitching has become in my life.
The stories in these posts were about processing the seasons of life as a mother and the things we don't plan for, taking risks, processing grief and loss and being kind to myself. These slow, small stitches have helped me to pray for friends in hardship, and they've helped me to sit completely still, and let those thoughts take the back seat.
I finished my Modern Medallion quilt this year, only about 18 months after I first took Rachel's class. I used to think this was a flaw in my personality, but tonight I can see how taking it slow helped me take it all in. It was a quilt set aside for just the right moments, and finished when just the right person came along to give it to.
I still have the e-book of all the Handstitched projects and classes, and it's such an invaluable resource! All the stitches and patterns and gift ideas compiled for people just like me who take their time, and for those who love whole books of colour and inspiration. It makes me kind of glad those star blossoms are still in my Unfinished Box, waiting perhaps for when all those boxes are staring up at me in my new home, but I know I need to let myself rest.
I'm not sure if this is what Rachel had in mind when she asked me to write about my experience of Handstitched, but I'm so thankful for the prompt to go back and remember. I can tell you that I think hand-stitching is a good lifestyle choice, and that Rachel's class is a pretty complete, encouraging, and colourful place to start.
**********************************************************
Yes, that was perfect, Jodi! In fact... it makes me nostalgic for Handstitched. This is a lovely time of year (in the cold northern hemisphere) for cozy handwork. If you have any questions for her, feel free to post those in the comments here. For more details about Handstitched, see this post. On Monday I'll invite you to vote on your favorite encore options!
**********************************************************
Some favorite Handstitched projects and progress shots from the Stitched in Color flickr pool:
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| Hexagon Tree Tote project by Farah Lin |
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| Modern Medallion WIP by Donna D |
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| Sashiko Coasters project by Dashasel Sews |
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| Meadow Pillow project by Courtney Lyons |