Creative Women

    
 Somewhere in a stack of framed items from long ago I have an antique song sheet for a song called Wild Women Don't Get the Blues.  The title of the song always appealed to me but I think now that title would be better if it Wild was substituted with Creative...Creative Women Don't Get the Blues. 

Yesterday I had a mini melt down that had a bit to do with loosing my parking ticket at the local shopping centre and a bit to do with time sharing.  For some reason, when the groceries were loaded in and I put my hand into my pocket I realised I had lost the ticket and I was overcome with rage.   I am ALWAYS very careful with the ticket but today it had slipped away.  All I could think about was how many insignificant details of life are stored in my tiny brain space...that and how much of a hurry I was in to get home to sew.  I had gotten up early and organised myself with stacks of projects in order so as to be able to use my short time wisely....I was FURIOUS... partially because they wanted to charge me $25 for a lost ticket when it was clearly early morning.  I was even more angry that sorting out the situation (backing out of the exit line, finding the parking station and irrationally yelling at the poor guy through the machine...all the while knowing full well I was TOTALLY in the wrong...ugh!)  was taking precious time out of my only sewing day in the week.  Sunday mornings are a mad dash of get a work out, get the groceries and start the laundry before settling into MY room and doing MY thing.  MY THING.  Anyway.  All over now, settle down.

Point of the story, creativity settled me down.  Being able to finally arrive home and walk into the bliss of my projects eased my mind considerably.  The rest of my day was bliss...that is until number one son (you know the one that knows the world revolves around his plans) arrived home with four big blokes for dinner and cards...ahem.

Anyway, today I choose to start the story here with these creative women who all had happy hands. 

It was Brigitte Giblin Day in the shop.  I arrived and before I could put my bag down I could here the chatter coming up the stairs.  Who is having a party I wondered but no, it was just a lively group of women all doing their own thing.  There was crochet happening in one corner.

A couple of tiny hexagon bag patterns happening as well.

These bags are gorgeous but I don't have to tell you that.  They compliement any evening outfit and would look grand on any table.  Who would ever believe that you made it yourself!  "You did what?" they'd exclaim! and then proceed into a conversation about not having the patience or time for patchwork while you would know in your head that anything is possible when making things!  (that is me dreaming as I never go out anymore...except to the rugby dinner next week...)

Just big enough for a lippy, wallet and keys. 

On the other side of the room there was some serious broderie perse going on...

These quilts do take time but really, what is the hurry?  It is always nice to have a slow brewing project gurgling along. Amazingly, it all gets done in the end.  I particularly love them when there is a bit of manic peicing involved as well and Brigitte is certainly a master at that.  Her quilts often contain a combination of skills and her advice with fabric is spot on.  I hate to admit but I often think, now why didn't I think of that when she pulls out a combination.  It is a style grown from decades of experience.  It is a style that is subtle but outrageous at the same time.

Brigittes hexagon stories are many as well.

These combinations are all based on large sections of feature fabrics surrounded by hexagons.  There were stacks of them on the table as they were beind done by several people, all with different colourful direcitons and feature fabrics.  I could have spent the afternoon just examining all the stacks.

It is a great pattern for using up the stored beauties in one's stash...you know the ones.  The ones you find, buy and stack up for someday.  Someday has arrived for many of these beauties.

I particularly like when the hexagons move around the block with careful precision.  NO!  That is not because I can't take the time to do it myself!!

 

Then of course there is always Brigitte's Tessellations.  We did this as a block of the month.  Meegan watched and then decided to do it herself and has brought in 16 finished blocks for guidance as she puts it all together.  It is, in a word, magnificent.

The paper pieced blocks sit beautifully on Reece's shot cottons...note to self...use those for my tulip blocks! The Tessellation blocks are also a great way to dig into the stash.  They don't use a lot of any one fabric and like a crossword puzzle they work the mind in exercises in colour and pattern control issues.  Every single time I see this  quilt I put it on my "to do list" which these days is much longer than my done list.

 

Every corner of the room was filled with women doing creative things and it just felt good to hang in the room.  I often think on days like this that it would be great to be able to offer up creative services to some of the  more politically challenged corners of the world. 

This particular Thursday is full to bursting but we have had a few people change their life schedules in the first Thursday of the month class.  If anyone is interested in joining up, just let us know.  We are also offering up a ONE DAY HEXAGON workshop with Brigitte on Thursday 1 September.  Brigitte will be working through this hexagon quilt which is done on the machine!!!!  Looks like heaps of work but it isn't!

 

Interesting to note is that over the years Brigitte has introduced lots of interesting ways to finish off quilts and this is one example.  The quilt has ric rac as a border.  It is possible to bring in your collection of bits and get this done...it is possible.  I might even do it myself.  Take a day off and come enjoy yourself!

So the moral of the story is keep on making stuff and the world of lost tickets can't get you down. k

Comments

[Sally]

I love reading about your real life frustrations (that you have melt-downs just like the rest of us) and your creativity as well as the creativity of your students. I'm always amazed at the fabric combinations! Often say to myself, I would never have thought of that... And, you always remind me to slow down and enjoy the process. Thanks for being so honest in your blog.

[kx]

You obviously didn't have the 'finding fairy' with you. Did they charge you in the end??
There's nothing a day in your sewing room can't fix! kx

[Erica]

Having spent my whole working life working with members of the public, I learned long ago that when someone yells at me it usually has nothing to do with me - it's always them and something else that's going on in their life. That doesn't make it any easier to cop abuse, though. I feel for the parking attendant. :-)

[Martha]

Sorry you have to pay to park to get your groceries! That's a bummer. Is that an Australian thing? Thanks for your honesty. We all go through it and we all have days when we are trying to get to the good stuff and tumble over a few stones along the way.

[cardygirl]

Great post...I sometimes say when I see unhappy people..."They need to sew" and my husband laughs. Sewing made me a calmer person and then keeps me that way (though sometimes it is hard!). Love all the creativity...wish I was closer!

[Rachaeldaisy]

I feel for you. Sometimes it's one little thing that can tip the basket. My partner says he knows everything is right in our world when he can hear my sewing machine. All the quilty goodness in this post is just wonderful!

[Anna]

I felt my blood pressure going up as I read because I can also go from 1-100 in a split second when something is out of my control...especially if it is my fault! LOL I absolutely love that bag!!! Wish I could drop in for a class....