Challenge
Art: I met a quilter this year in a nursing facility. She was recovering from a stroke and had a real challenge recalling and using words to communicate with me and others and often just abandoned conversations. But when I asked her about the quilt on her bed, she shared bursts of passion with her eyes and her words for art and her creations and the community in her life connected to her inspirations. When I said, "I want to make a quilt. I have never quilted. What's the first thing you recommend that I do?" Her response was, "Get a good book." We smiled at each other. I knew she knew of many good books, but she was unable to tell me the name of a book she would recommend.
I searched though many good, informative books in the local library. I scanned through techniques and processes and tips for success. And I knew what I wanted to do. A rational person would get the book, the tools and materials and follow directions. I wanted to get the book but my will wanted to no boundaries.
Challenge: Okay, I have to admit that I'm hardly a "quilter". I'm a scattered, neither-here-nor-there crafter who is always hoping to piece time together for one project or another. So, I've told myself, "If you don't have time to do the things you want to do, work them into the time you have." I'm fortunate enough to have a profession which allows for a bit of creativity, so I am beginning this post initiate my remnants into a challenge.
If the stars align and I can recruit enough personal energy (and hopefully some helping hands), I will cut, piece and sew an attractive quilt to be sold at a school auction to benefit a population of students at that school. Through the kindness of a donation from a futon shop that does upholstery, I have a bin full of remnants and samples that should help me reach that goal.
Problem: There is always some challenge for creative sorts who have lovable partners who enter the craft space. To their credit and with sympathy, the partners who live with crafty sorts, especially those who label themselves "Artists", must exercise great patience. The craft space can appear overwhelming, incongruent to the rest of the house, and "messy."
On the flip-side, the crafter may go to great lengths to disguise the craft space from appearing "unorganized" by putting fabric into small cubicles by color, size and texture. Crafters might avoid the impression of a "chaotic" space by employing unsightly plastic bins or jars to contain notions and bobbles placed in rows on shelves; however, if they're not hidden behind a locked door and labeled "WARNING: HUNGRY PREDATOR" or "TOXIC WASTE" that space somehow becomes "noticeable" and "enter-able." Nameless hands may enter the space when the crafter is not around and may re-arrange things. Found objects might suddenly find the bottom of the trash can and sewing machines may occasionally fly up to the top shelf to later look down upon a searching crafter's head.
For some crafters, the boundary between the craft space and the items within it are not to be crossed by outsiders. A line of blue tape between the offender and the craft space is sometimes not enough. There are territory wars and barricades, walls erected and electric fences that could be employed... for both partners, I suppose. After all, wasn't it Emerson who said, "Good fences make good neighbors."?
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