A Welcome Break and Catching Up! Healing Cloth Workshop

Dog Dreams by Holly C.

After three weekends in a row of teaching and events, I'm coming up for a temporary breath! I was supposed to teach this coming Saturday, but the class was cancelled. I can't say that I'm super-sad...my dining room table (where I write) and my studio are both a disaster. I need to dig out and also prepare for classes coming up. I also want to create stitched samples and make more scarves to sell closer to the holidays.

I'm also playing a bit of "catch up" with the blog...I've been away too long.

So...I will start off with my Patching, Stitching, Weaving: Creating Healing Cloth workshop from two weekends ago.

I had four students...all enthusiastic to get going stitching on a variety of projects. I'm not sure that the "healing" theme was a priority for this group...but the act of stitching and sharing can also be a healing experience and I think that is what this particular workshop was about.

Carol worked on a small bag for a friend. She was interested in giving new life to various fabrics and other bits she'd concluded had no use. She was happy to discover that these bits could, in fact, be put to use as a gift and at the same time she discovered the pleasure of hand stitching.

Carol's fabric bag in process. Running stitch ("boro") details and the addition of beads and French Knots.

Holly also brought many scraps from her collection and put together a piece about her dog's dreams. I love the flow of the stitches (and the pink toenails!). See the image of the completed piece above.

Debbie had an interest in taking some of her hand dyed indigo pieces and adding stitching and applique. Her hope is to create utilitarian pieces and accessories that combine her dyeing with stitched and appliqued details. She worked on a piece that could be a wall hanging...or a hand towel.

Debbie S.: Piece in process.

Kate used some sun-printed fabrics she'd made at a recent conference. She plans to turn the pieces into book pages with healing images and messages for her to enjoy.

Kate M.: Healing book in process.

Thank you for inspiring me!