Life is like a patchwork quilt. You can make yours bright bold and exciting or you can try to copy your neighbor's pattern. I like to think of mine as a patch of wild flowers with every color and shape I can add.
I am an artist. I started painting almost by accident. While painting my living room, I realized that the pictures I had hanging on the wall did not match the new color scheme. Having watched too much HGTV, I decided that I would paint over them. I used two wall paints, a pale yellow and a forest green. Each piece was painted over with one of the colors. After that dried, I sponge painted over each with the opposite color. Later, they were too boring for me. So I took one of them down and got out some craft paint. With very little thought I painted some roses on top of the painting. I thought "Oh well! I will find something eventually." Several visitors asked about the painting. When I told them, I painted it, they said "you are good, you should paint some more." I played with craft paints and cheap brushes for a while. A friend at church talked me into taking a workshop in abstract/non-representational painting. My world changed. Color and form suddenly opened my eyes. I became an artist. Paintings
However, I did not learn quilting from either of them. A co-worker was teaching a class (March 2008) and asked me to take her class. She said "free, and I will provide the fabric" She also loaned me some tools for the class.
I fell in love with the combination of "useful" and "art form" the rest is history. I took her next class - we made a table runner- then I started quilting on my own. Thank goodness for the internet and all the supportive people I have gotten to know and care about in the quilting world.
I am a creator. All my life I have loved making things with my hands. One day, I was reading a book on art and spirituality. The author said that we are created in God's image and God is a creator; thus we are driven to create. I finally realized that as a child of the Creator, I am also a creator. It is a gift that has been bestowed upon me, not because I am special, but because I am willing. Willing to make mistakes, willing to try again when mistakes are made. Willing to let the works I am creating speak to me and guide me. Willing to sometimes give up control so that the work can be better than I can make it. And yet the mystery is that I do make it, even though the work is sometimes beyond me.
I am also an amateur musician. I play penny whistle, piano, strum chords on ukulele, play a bit of autoharp and sing. I am always interested in learning new instruments. Perhaps one day I will find a banjo and learn to play it too. I truly love music.
This is my previous "Workhorse" sewing machine.
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| Janome 6600P |
My current workhorse is a Juki TL2010Q
