10 Kinds of Quilting Joy

  1. Accomplishment: the ability to see undeniable progress after as little as 5 minutes.

  1. Multitasking: quilting while talking, listening, watching, etc

  2. Flow: What is the opposite of decision fatigue? Quilting is so slow that you can get in a groove working, and not need to 'pause and decide' for hours & even days!

  3. Watch anything on tv, and know that the reminder to look up is inherently valuable for keeping your neck healthy.

  4. Quilters! You get to meet other quilters. Including on instagram, doing things like the #vignettesquilt quilt along. I feel in awe of the support, inventiveness, teamwork, and learning in this #.

  5. Repurposing. Sustainable Sewing like that addressed in Soft Bulk episodes #3 with Sherri Lynn Wood and #4 with the Zero Waste Chef is both ethically inspiring, and makes quilting more financially accessible than other artforms. Did you see how I recently demo'd trapunto with fluff from a pill-bottle?

  6. Self care. When I teach a quilting class, I so frequently see folks who've carved out a tiny bit of time to refill their own cups. This in turn makes them kinder, gentler, more patient people in other areas of life.

  7. Independence! The ability to make a beautiful functional object yourself, without needing to buy a finished version in a store.

  8. Self expression: making endless creative decisions, that are entirely yours to make and no-one else's. Plus, the therapeutic benefits of creating, and the insights gleaned by observing one's creative choices.

  9. Skill. Feeling talented and capable is amazing. The big sweeping joy of feeling good at making quilts, and allllll the micro joys of threading needles, matching corners, turning edges, and stacking a big, juicy bunch of running stitches in one pull of the needle!


Stitching Together Joy:
Creating this Makerie workshop on Joy has been food for my soul. Yesterday, I spoke with my colleagues Ekta Kaul and Adriana TorresLIVE on instagram, and we shared about our experiences learning from each other, researching joy, and innovating unique creative projects that could be made as gifts this winter season.
In November 2017, I co-curated a show calledGIFTwith my friendLois Bielefeld, in which we asked artists to exhibit the things they make for their loved ones. Although the idea to teach a Makerie retreat based on that idea was postponed due to the pandemic, it feels revived in this workshop.
***A note that sometimes joy can be a particularly elusive emotion. I shared in yesterday's LIVE that I was told almost a year ago that I was especially low on joy by my naturopath-- who has helped improve my health in many measurable ways. In this workshop, I believe that one of the highlights will be in sharing many small, but specific and reliable ways to improve joy. As you'll learn in myHabits lecture, linking new habits with reliable ones is something I call habit-snuggling, and so: if you already have a stitching habit, you can snuggle that with new habits for feeling joy.

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Vignettes Quilt Quilt-Along


Vignettes Quilt Quilt-Along (QAL)
 

Details:

  • This Google Slideshow has the day-by day schedule for the QAL.

  • The Vignettes Quilt Workshop video was originally filmed for QuiltCon Together last February. I've re-edited it myself, and I'll be filming a special outro where I show the quilted quilt, and share some additional insights now that I've taught the class in person, and worked with students who watched the original video.

  • There's no official QAL registration, you can just start posting on 9/20.

  • We will have 4 free live zoom meetings to discuss progress. They are all at noon central on 9/20, 9/29, 10/12, and 10/20. They'll be about an hour each, and I'll keep the zoom room open afterwards for mingling. Register with Zoom, (*these Zoom links are typed out at the bottom of this text box) and look for an immediate confirmation email from Zoom. 52 people are already registered, even though the link was glitchy last month! These are not mandatory for participation in the QAL. They will be recorded and uploaded to my YouTube Channel for those who can't attend live. (Linked below!)

  • We're doing a fabric swap too!! The pattern is great for orphan blocks, and using up little bits, so you can share a fabric and get a fabric with this Google Slideshow Signup. The swap is optional.

  • This pattern can be done with hand piecing, machine piecing, or a combination of both. (I did a combo)

  • You are welcome to participate on instagram as much or as little as you would like. Same goes for the Zoom meetings. There is good energy with all of us sewing simultaneously, and that’s reason enough to work on the pattern during this moon cycle.❤️

-The Zoom Registration Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkceCqrD0vHNe9epltU2mVeSdAd00yIE9M
***there were issues tapping the link from an iPhone, but if you copy and paste it into your browser, you'll be successful.
-Purchase the Vignettes Quilt Pattern here
-See my favorite supplies on my Amazon Shop page here
-Get $5 off with Snuggly Monkey (for my favorite Little House needle gripper) here
-Timeline slideshow here
-Fabric swap here
***Registering for Zoom is helpful because if we go over 100 people, I'll want to pay extra $ to create more space, but if you have any registration issues, THIS is the direct Zoom link.

This is a 5-minute trailer for the Video Workshop

solf bulk, vignettes quilt.jpg

This was our first Zoom meeting for the QAL.

#MakingTime

I think that Making Time has been a very big theme for me in the last year. Past newsletters on manifestation, planning, and being nimble seem to point towards that. (Those 3 links now lead to my Blog, where these essays will live in a more shareable format) I'm about to participate in a conversation on Time Management with my friends Zak Foster, Audrey Esarey, and Luke Haynes. And speaking of managing time, it seems appropriate to share (ahem, cough) prep my thoughts on that subject here. 😉 You can see our talk with the YouTube video below!

  1. Coaching: I've been consistently working with two career coaches this year. I met Lisa Mueller (linkedin) (insta)when she was a student in my mending workshop in 2019. We stayed in touch, and she impressed me with her desire to talk strategy and work with me. During the last year, she has been an incredible resource for hands-on practical stuff like to-do lists, organizing my workspace, visualizing my calendar, and committing to reminding me about my long term goals instead of getting swept away with the day-to-day stuff. This isn't her full-time job, but she is accepting additional clients, and her passion for strategy has been amazing for me. I've also been meeting with an advisor from my college SAIC. In both of these cases, and with occasional advising sessions that I've had as one-off appointments, this kind of focused thoughtfulness in a professional rather than friendly setting has been awesome for making time. These appointments, and earning the $ to pay for them is a worthwhile investment. (I also know this because I do this work with my own one-on-one consultations)

  2. Categorized to-do lists: This is a tool that I developed with Lisa. My to-do list is sorted into 9 categories that make sense for me. Examples include: Quick Hits, Making for Work, Making Personal, Cognitive for Work, Cognitive Personal, Physical To-Do, Pulse Check, Long-Term Goals.... I add things to this list, and then pull from this list when I make my weekly calendar. As I complete things, I cross them off with my chisel tip sharpie. Then, I have a visual record of black lines of where my time has been going. All in one area? Maybe it's a sign. Not feeling up to a cognitive project or low of steps? Take a peek at the physical list.

  3. Polaroids: Technically, they're fuji instax mini's, but the point is the same. I was feeling like, "I never get to sew!" "All I do is work at the computer!" With a little reflection, I realized that couldn't possibly be true. I made over 15 quilts in 2020. (not that I made time to put them on my website yet, but my assistant Kat is slowly emerging from being the covid-mom of a 4-year old, and she's gonna make it happen soon!) I also noticed that my "personal to make" list sure had a lot of black lines on it quick. Hmmm... Why then this feeling that I never sew? Oh yes, I'm a completely insatiable hedonist when it comes to sewing, and I would literally sew till my arm fell of if I could. I will never sew 'enough,' but I do sew a lot, and it's good for my body that I don't sew non-stop. SO, I'm taking polaroids every time I finish a professional 'make,' and I'm putting them on display near my sewing table. It will be convenient for Kat to stay organized, and It helps me stay in touch with reality about my sewing.

  4. My Body: My beautiful strong body that lets me sew and do everything fun gets a say in my schedule. I have perhaps learned this the hard way, but now I KNOW that I need to pause when I hear a little voice rather than a scream from my bod.

    • As mentioned above, I'm not managing my time correctly if I'm sewing so much that my arm, elbow, shoulder, neck, low back, ring finger, thumb, etc are hurting me. I must choose a task from a different to-do list instead.

    • I also need to pause to stretch, walk, and especially practice Hand Yoga. (Which I'm thrilled to share for free on YouTube) These pauses also lead to great creative insights, btw.

    • Big picture, a few winters ago I booked toooo many workshops, and I got sick, and never had the time to get healthy again. It was the worst, and I swore I'd never over-schedule myself like that again, and I've both been very healthy since then, and I've made more $.

    • Cycles: I've also had a lot to learn these last few years about cycles. That led to my Moon Improv Quilt Pattern, and to a big rule: On the first day of my cycle, I work as little as possible. I used to power through, and sometimes workshops are like magnets for this day, so I'm not saying I call in sick or anything, but I do make an effort to rest as much as I can. I also use the power of my cycle predicting app to 'try' to avoid scheduling things that week. It can be a time for me to be at home, sewing, talking less, and it's been very helpful for my overall wellbeing and productivity.

  5. Efficiency: I love the nerdy pleasure of economy in the studio!

    • I often sew with 3 needles at a time so I can move my quilt less, and thread needles like an assembly line.

    • I love being strategically thrifty, since a penny saved is a penny I don't have to make time to earn. I do this most with fabric, cooking at home, mending my clothes, sewing my own clothes, and making handmade gifts. This also saves time on shopping, driving, and making decisions.

    • Paying, trading, or collaborating with professionals who do it faster and better than me. Delegating stuff and working with people who love what they do is awesome.

    • I'm working on reorganizing my space with the help of Kat, Lisa, and my sweetheart Beau. I'm setting up stations for certain activities because it takes a lot of time to be always getting out and putting away (or shoving things on the floor...)

Well, there may not be time to fit all this into my powerpoint for Friday, but it's here, and I'll be able to further hone this list so as to Make Time for the most important bits. Please comment on this blog post to let me know which of these ideas were the most interesting to you!! ⏰ (Or, add you own strategic tips in the comments too!)

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Planning

This is an excerpt from my August 2020 email newsletter:

    I've been thinking a lot about plans lately, changing them, the risk of making them, and the desire to make them.  Also, I've realized that I may have been giving folks the incorrect impression that I don't plan much when I make improv quilts, and that couldn't be further from the truth.  Here's a look at what I plan, and how I plan it, even though my finished quilts often contain many surprises for me.

  1. Time. I am a heartless cutthroat penny-pincher when it comes to allocating time to a quilt. I vividly picture the time that something will take, and the usefulness of finishing that quilt at that time when I begin something. Having the right work available for an exhibition matters very much to me. So, I think carefully about my ideas, and only the very special few are given the time to be made.

  2. Synchronicity of materials, concept, technique, and anticipated exhibition. These things have to sync up with all of my quilty desires in order for a project to get the green-light to be given time. In the back of my head, there's often a mix of interesting materials, techniques, and ideas swimming around. for example, I could make a quilt with machine piecing, hand piecing, wholecloth hand piecing, real wholecloth, pleating, layering under a scrim, trapunto, stretched canvas style, 5x5', 3x3', extra large, extra small, natural dye, hand quilting, tie quilting, faced binding, non-square, big pieces, small pieces, etc. These techniques then match with a material choice, and then match with a concept. Almost like playing a slot machine, these three categories roll into place when the moment is right for a quilt.

  3. Timing. So, what pushes one idea from infinity to the forefront?

    1. It's Necessary. Sometimes I'm processing something in my own life, and I need to make a specific quilt, that matters.

    2. Or, there's an open call exhibition, like QuiltCon, Quilt National, a show with Fiber Arts Magazine, or a powerful quilt happening like Threads of Resistance or the WMQFA's biennale.

    3. Another option is an invitation for a quilt. I've been invited to do shows like the Piecework Collective, juried museum exhibitions like Remnants or In Death with the WMQFA, or my artists residency with Have Company. These invitations often cause me to 'drop everything,' because they're special, but even then, I get to choose the quilt, technique, and material, and can often get the work to align with my interests and the opportunity.

    4. A life event. This is different from things 'I need to make,' in that a unique opportunity is about to present itself. For example, when I traveled to India, I knew it was a special moment that I wanted to document, as it was the culmination of years of longing, and I wanted a 'diary' of that experience. I recently made a quilt top for the 100 days project (an open call), because I wanted to document this part of the pandemic (a life event).

    5. Money. I recently received a commission to mend a quilt top and quilt it. It was a project that I thought sounded awesome to do, and maybe one day I'd've bought a quilt top to do that to on eBay, but the funding moved it to the top of my list.

    6. Love. I've made 3 quilts total for my nephews, and those growing babies won't wait, so they got prioritized asap!

    7. Teaching. Sometimes I want to teach a class, so there can be more quilts of a certain kind in the world, and I have to make an example so people can understand what I mean.

    8. Curiosity. Sometimes there's a new technique that I'm longing to try, or a concept that I wonder if I can translate into a quilt.

  4. Once I know the reason for 'why now?' along with the materials, technique, and concept, the quilt can feel REALLY PLANNED, but I go a step further by creating a mental compass. This compass is a way of directing and thinking about the quilt, so that if questions come up while I'm working, the compass can often answer the question for me. I might cultivate a specific phrase, image, feeling, or memory as a way of orienting myself with the work. This can answer questions around thread, knots, color, craftsmanship, binding, backing, and more. It's also a way of making decisions that I encourage my students to use, because it saves a lot of time and indecisiveness- it allows me to move forward efficiently.

  5. You may've already noticed that my planning for a quilt doesn't stop with the binding. The planning goes into signing my name, adding a sleeve, photographing, sharing on social media, exhibiting, and ultimately finding a good home for the work. Completing the physical quilt can often feel like an insignificant moment in the life of the quilt or series, because there's so much yet to do for the quilt. Just like life, a mother isn't done when their child is born or when they graduate, and we're not done even after death, because our memories (and quilts) ripple onward.

  6. Plan like life. I think that's the final element of the way I plan for a quilt. I like the idea that as an improv quilter, I hold myself to similar limiting factors as those that I experience in life. Lack of materials, time, or getting what I want are part of the plan. Adapting the making of a quilt to fit my lifestyle at the time is important to me. Working within the confines of my home studio, which is sometimes pretty messy, is part of my art. And doing things and then wishing I hadn't- that's a big part of life and quilting too. I attempt to deny the possibility of a misstep, and then use it as a learning experience or a point of visual contrast in a quilt. I might also obscure it with the quilting, and create a different focal point, but I try to avoid fully seam ripping and removing the offending attribute. Often times, the thing that I didn't love becomes the thing that most viewers respond to positively. Sometimes life is like that too... Basically: I plan to allow things to happen, and that kinda takes a lot of planning and paying attention.

Meuse, Pandemic, Invisible, Sweetheart 2020

Meuse, Pandemic, Invisible, Sweetheart 2020

Nimble Fingers

This is from my email newsletter in April 2020:

     I feel so grateful to've discovered that I can still do my work, the work of teaching quilting and mending, but just in a different format for a while.  Back in 2005, when I graduated with a degree in art education from SAIC, I had no computer graphics or Photoshop experience.  Yet, I got  a job teaching intro art and computer graphics!  I promised to work hard teaching myself over the summer.  I enjoyed teaching at that school for 9 years, and it was a wonderful success.  I've also benefitted tremendously in the last 15 years from my skill with Photoshop.
    This moment of adapting my teaching from in-person to online reminds me of that moment when I transitioned from art school to the work force: I had to improvise, and adjust my skillset for a future that I hadn't yet dreamed of.  Here are a few thoughts that I've found helpful as I've reconnected with my 22 year old self this month:

  1. Before I was born, my maternal grandmother organized this collaborative quilt for me. It taught me that all my aunts could sew. My grandmother perfectly embroidered her signature next to 'Jack be nimble.' Sometimes I think I have free will, and other times, I think this life of mine was always coming for me.

  2. As my grandmother has continued to age, she's 89 right now, I've lamented that she hasn't been more nimble, changing with the times. Like when, in the late 90's, she taped a magazine clipping of Antonio Banderas to her desktop computer screen, because it was more useful to her that way.

  3. An ex boyfriend used to irritate me when he went through airport security, slow as molasses, failing every time to anticipate the needs of airport staff for him to empty water, remove shoes, and take out his laptop.

  4. Freshmen year at SAIC, my Time Arts professor Steve (why can't I find his last name?), said an art degree was the most useful degree on the planet, because it taught creative thinking.

  5. My art ed professor Lisa Hochtritt taught us that we could teach creativity, and that anyone can make art, no mater what. Like, art with no hands, art if you're depressed, art without art school, art with no art supplies. Art. No. Matter. What.

  6. I used to watch news reports about job loss, and wonder, why can't they be more nimble, get a new job, and react how I would react? I then learned to have more compassion, as being nimble is a skill that perhaps they hadn't learned yet. Nimbleness and creativity aren't taught in every classroom.

  7. In book arts class, I spent many hours on my homework, while another boy made a book by stapling some fresh leaves together; and we got equal praise from my instructor Susannah Strang. She was right, and I learned that effort and struggle don't necessarily make things 'better.'

  8. Sometimes I thought I was teaching high school art, but then I had to shift to preventing mischief, or helping a student feel seen. I find I'm often multitasking like that, and have noticed that the more important thing is often unspoken. Like, you think I teach quilting, but I actually teach ________.

  9. Sometimes like the tortoise and the hare, when I slow down, I get faster. (Did you all know yet that I feel deeply connected to the rabbit?😉🐇

  10. In The Makerie's Playful Pause, I said something, and then got to absorb it as a quote from @midwest_monarch later on instagram. I said, "What we see as beautiful is malleable." I was speaking in reference to wabi-sabi, and the way I learned to see mending as beautiful. Amidst so much suffering, tears, change, and frustration, it is also possible to find new joys, and I'm learning from my therapist that we're allowed to enjoy and savor those new and beautiful moments.

My maternal grandmother made this quilt and quilt block for me before I was born.

My maternal grandmother made this quilt and quilt block for me before I was born.

Manifestation

This was in my email newsletter for February 2020.

By manifestation, I'm referring to the idea that we can create things and events with our thoughts.
Disclaimer: I believe that I've already shared about my Vedic consultation withDr. Katy Jane, but it feels worth mentioning again, because many of her insights about my personal timeline that she shared with me two years ago, are now coming to pass. (in many areas of life, not just professional) I was impatient, and she said just wait till the winter and spring of 2020... Talking with her helped me to have faith, and make the most of the situation that I was in. I bring this up at the start of a conversation about manifestation, because sometimes it just can't and won't work now like we want it too, and working hard towards a goal and seemingly making zero progress can be distressing. Manifesting isn't always in our hands, and I think it's important that we be gentle with our emotions when attempting this work.
But: I sincerely believe that we can nudge things in the right direction, and I've had enough positive experiences to feel like there's something to it. Here are my favorites:

  • I've enjoyed listening to all three seasons of Esther Perel's podcast, Where Should We Begin? In it, she asks people to tell their stories, and then asks them how they learned to tell it that way. For example, why do you perceive the past 2 years as a series of failed attempts instead of as explorations, getting warmer each time, or developing skills? Editing the story in our heads about the past, is an amazing way to change the future, and manifest the story that we want.

  • Surabhi Mudra (Wish-Fulfilling Mudra), is a yogic hand gesture taught to me by my dear friend and teacher Indu Arora. She writes about it in this article, and my experience was in practicing the mudra in the liminal space between waking and sleeping, am and pm. The mudra is able to impact the subconscious in those moments to clear away limiting beliefs, and connect neural pathways towards our desires. While holding the mudra, I would vividly picture the the thing that I wanted, as though it was happening. For example I might've contemplated people desiring to learn from me in France, the unique and special things I could bring to such a class, and the huge variety of ways that desire might be able to enter my life. *In my personal experience with this mudra, some desires were too tender, and it hurt to picture them daily. Carefully watch your feelings around this practice, and only use it in ways that feel nourishing and good.

  • Would any list of this nature be complete without mentioning The Law of Attraction? Here are my favorite take-aways. 1) Give voice to the things I want, and not the things I don't want, like, 'one day maybe I'll teach in France,' instead of 'I'm worried this quilt is a flop.' 2) Speak with positive phrasing like 'clean up after yourself' instead of 'don't leave a mess.' 3) Name the things I want, and dream big. Jeff Koons is an artist who speaks brilliantly on this subject, and I mentioned him in this podcast recorded during QuiltCon last year.

Habits

Excerpts from my January 2021 email newsletter, and links from my 2/18/21 QuiltCon lecture with the MQG

Habits, Good to have on Hand...

    Starting a new habit can be really tricky.  I'm creating a lecture on the subject of habits for QuiltCon 2021, and with it due by the end of January, I'm extra keen on them right now.  Here are some habits that I'm personally working on:

  • Reading audio books again: since my old habit was to listen to them on CD in my car, and I hardly drive anywhere further than 10 minutes away now.

  • I'm getting into Tai Chi, to broaden my mindfulness and exercise routines beyond yoga and walking.

  • I'm filming and editing videos for QuiltCon and YouTube, and learning new skills for that.

Here are some helpful tools for building habits. They can help you to join me for hand yoga in January, and can help you achieve other goals too!

  • Snuggle new habits next to deeply engrained ones! Our brains are a mix of highways, dirt roads, and footpaths- shifting between these is neural plasticity, and our ability to leave and start varying ways of doing things. We have more habits than we think, and owe the majority of our daily accomplishments to them. Selecting a firm habit as an anchor for a new one is a powerful skill: For example, if you check your email, watch netflix, or use YouTube, that could be a great time to add in 5 minutes of hand yoga.

  • Create visual cues. This hand yoga video uses a pencil, dowel rod, marma stick, or highlighter as a tool. Strategically placing these tools near your sewing supplies, nightstand, microwave, sink, or remote control can be a great reminder of your commitment to care for your hands.

  • Meditate or visualize a new habit. They say that doing something 20+ times is enough to start forming a habit, but how do you remember the first few times?! I've found a lot of success in meditation. I vividly picture the time of day, location, and anchor habit or visual cue. Then, I picture myself activating that new habit. By tuning into the sights, smells, textures, and sounds that accompany it, I can feel like I've already walked on that path before, so that in the moment, I remember to act on my new habit. Picture: where will you do hand yoga? TV, computer, or smartphone? Sitting or standing? Is the link bookmarked for easy access? Is there an alarm set on your phone? Have you enabled notifications from @HandYogaClub on your instagram?

  • This Hidden Brain podcast episode about habits was very informative for me: Creatures Of Habit: How Habits Shape Who We Are — And Who We Become

Habits Lecture Resources and Links:

My Yoga Teachers:

Indu Arora

Yogsadhna.com

*She teaches online

*She’s written books!

*She’s on YouTube, Podcasts, and iTunes

Rolf Gates

RolfGates.com

*He shares free meditations on Facebook, and teaches yoga live on Zoom

*He’s written books!

*He’s on YouTube and Podcasts

Podcast Episodes:

Hidden Brain: A Creature of Habit

The Subtle Forces: Put Away

NPR’s Invisibelia: How to Become Batman

NPR’s Life Kit: How to Make Exercise a Habit

*Search “Indu Arora,” she’s been on many podcasts, especially about daily routines

*Search Rolf Gates, he’s been on a few podcasts, especially about sobriety

My Reading List:

Indu Arora’s Books

Rolf Gates’s Books

Brene Brown’s Books

Untamed, Glennon Doyle

Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer

Mindfulness, Ellen J. Langer

Me and White Supremacy, Layla F Saad

White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo

How to Be an Antiracist, Ibram X. Kendi

Becoming, Michelle Obama

A Promised Land, Barack Obama

Hold Still, Sally Mann

The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint Exupery

Remembrance of Things Past, Marcel Proust

Getting the Love You Want, Harville Hendricks

The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo


More from Me:

HeidiParkes.com

My Monthly Newsletter

Youtube.com/heidiparkes

Instagram: @Heidi.parkes

                    @HandYogaClub

Amazon.com/shop/heidi.parkes

1/31/21 Instagram Live on @HandYogaClub, Zak Foster and I talked hand care and habits

Lecture Structure:

Part One: We discuss Habits

•Noticing a habit

•Physical habits

•Creative habits

•Social habits

•Habits of mind

•Limiting beliefs

Part Two: We  discuss ways to alter Habits

•Habit snuggling

•Auto-pilot

•Object cues

•Meditation

•Mindfulness

•Willpower


My Habit Meditation:

•Picture the habit that you would like to change

•Consider where it could fit into your day

•Is it snuggled with a firm habit?

•Is an object connected to the habit?

•If it’s a ‘don’t want’ habit, transform your language and thinking into ‘do want.’ 

•Notice what happens before and after the new habit

•Now, vividly picture and feel the new habit in your mind’s eye, and in the cave of your heart, repeatedly, with your senses engaged

Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Creative Workshop

Due to a spectacular flurry of replies from the email newsletter that I sent out 14 hours ago, I’ve realized that the ‘essay’ parts of my newsletters will need an additional place to ‘live,’ in addition to my newsletter archive, here. That place is here on my blog. If you enjoy this blog post, please know that you can find, “much more where that came from,” in my newsletter. Thank you in advance for sharing this content with others, crediting me and linking back to this post, and for your comments below, digging deeper into the subject! 💕 ~Heidi

I'm about to do a lot of teaching at QuiltCon, much of which I've already pre-recorded. I've also just recently taught Stitching Together with The Makerie, so my brain is full of ideas around creative instruction.  The following are some tips on getting the most out of a creative workshop, and the places one might choose to focus their attention:

  • Technique and materials vs concept: I am often bewildered by the intensity of questions around materials and tiny details. How many strands of floss? Floss or pearl? Which weight? What stitch is in that example? Please show the quilter's knot again... This bewilders me because I often show up curious about the concept. I want questions like: High visibility or subtlety? Stitch every detail, or leave some negative space? Depict everything from above, or break with that perspective choice at times? How to marry both 2D and 3D embroidery? How to visually incorporate text? How did you choose this color palette? Which part did you stitch 1st, 2nd, 3rd? Etc.

    • I believe that goals/focus are at the root of these two sets of questions. I also concede that the second set of questions may simply be those that come from a more experienced creative student. But, how to make that leap? (I hope by modeling the questions here!)

    • Once I have the name of a technique, I can look it up on YouTube, and watch it on repeat till I get it- it's not a unique or special thing that I can access only through my teacher.

    • I can look at any stash and find different gauges of thread. I can also look at any stitch dictionary, and find a texture or stitch that will serve my purpose. After all, I'm not planning to make an exact copy of anything.

    • What I want to learn, and can usually only get from my unique teacher is:

      • What inspired you?

      • How do you save time, or create economy of movement?

      • How do you choose the right stitch?

      • How do you choose the right thread for the project?

      • Why is that knot so useful to you?

      • What technique and materials details are you a nerd for?

      • You say you're inspired by X, but your work looks different from X, how did you get there?

      • What do you think causes your work look so sublime?

      • How did you transition from idea to finished product?

      • How did you prioritize this idea over other options in your head?

    • Of course, you can ask what you want to ask in a class, but my point is that you may not be asking a question that will get you where you want to go. These latter questions are the ones that will help move you from copying into creativity. They will transform your focus so that you too will find the first set of questions to be immaterial.

  • How and Why. While I was a HS freshman art teacher for 9 years, I LOVED showing my students episodes from PBS Art 21. At first, I just told them to "Take Notes" in their sketchbook about the video, and they wrote down the most peculiar details, with no notion of why we were watching the video in the first place... Then, I started to teach them about taking notes, and I would write on the dry erase board the two questions that I wanted them to have in mind while they watched:

    • Why do the make the art they make?

    • How do they make the art they make?

    • What a difference! Suddenly, my students cared about the things that I wanted them to care about. Understanding the motivation behind the art led my students to find deeper motivation in their own art. Noting the steps in the creative process, and how a work was made also increased their perceptiveness around materials, craftsmanship, and balancing planning with improvisation.

      • I think that any student can do this for themselves too. Consider your goals in taking a Zoom workshop. Make them simple, and try using a post-it note on the frame of your computer screen while in class.

      • These goals can be as simple as how and why, or they can be much more specific.

  • Critique. This is a big concept for me when I teach, and one that I worry about extra in large workshops and on Zoom, as inflection and tone can get a bit lost sometimes. I am used to the rigor of an art school critique. I have a thick skin, and it can be easy for me to forget that my clever commentary can be taken from a much more fragile place. I hope that the following will help protect you in class, and keep your heart safe and open:

    • I love to brainstorm. It's super fun for me to say to a student, "What if..." and play with several new creative options. As a teacher, I hope that this will spark their creativity, and keep their mind rolling in this exciting new space.

      • What I hope that the savvy student knows, is that my feelings are not connected to them taking any of that advice! If they stick with their original plan, it's like when I ask a waiter what's good on the menu, and then I ignore that advice, and get what I wanted anyways. Hearing their response sometimes fully clarifies my desire on the menu. I'm happy to do that for a student. I'm also equally happy when my brainstorming session rolls them into a totally new idea, and they make that.

    • I like to notice details and craftsmanship. I feel that it is my responsibility as a teacher to let my students know when and how they can 'up' their technique.

      • I hope that these tips don't hurt feelings. You are not bad if your applique is turned under differently from how I do it. Also, you might have a great reason for having done it that way on purpose! #ConceptualArt. But, I know from experience that it can take a few tries to get a technique down, and sometimes I introduce a bunch of info really fast, and maybe you just didn't hear/see that bit of instruction, so I do try to point those details out in class, so that you can leave having learned as much as possible.

    • Perspective. I believe that understanding this perspective on critiques can lighten the hearts of many students. After clarifying a point in class recently, I had a student proclaim, "OH! I didn't realize that the Quilt Police weren't here." How wonderful to feel free to make the class work for you, and not the other way around. Trust your own gut, and push back to make what you want. Experiencing the push and pull of critique will give you an inner compass that's key in finding your own creative voice and point of view.

I hope that these tips are helpful! I hope that you are able to show up fully as yourself when you take a creative workshop. I hope that you are able to maximize your experiences in class, and that you leave feeling refueled and inspired.

"What a thrill it is to cultivate one's skillfulness in the area of learning. It is perhaps life's most useful skill."
-Heidi Parkes

P.S.
Because thread, book, and tool choices DO matter, as evidenced by the many questions students ask about them! Here's a reminder that if you're curious about some of my favorite supplies for quilting, hand care, and Zooming, they're linked on my Amazon Shop Page.

30-Day Hand Yoga Challenge

Welcome to the 30-Day Hand Yoga Challenge! Please remember to listen to you body throughout, and know that yoga should never hurt- be gentle with your hands, and with the pacing. There are 8 hand yoga videos in this challenge total. The videos focus on gentle movements, circulation, rotations, and self massage. I suggest practicing them in the order described below, but you can also move through them at your leisure with this playlist on Youtube. Each week of the challenge, we will add 5 minutes to our practice. Please like and share comments about your experience on the YouTube videos, and I will respond to any questions there! Also, please subscribe to youtube.com/heidiparkes

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Day 30

Blue Moon Quilt Along Days 17-31

Days 17-31 explained:

Please remember to tag me @heidi.parkes and to use #BlueMoonQAL and #MoonImprovQuilt when you post.

  • 10.17 *Bleed: How have you responded to this prompt? Did you use a traditional quilt pattern, or do you have a traditional quilt pattern? In her Creative Bug classes, Sherri Lynn Wood speaks beautifully about looking for ‘bleeds’ and ‘natural fits’ when she improv quilts, see her videos here.

  • 10.18 Waxing Crescent, Planning: After beginning again with the new moon, this is a transitional phase for making plans. In a recent interview with Create Whimsey, they asked me about planning vs improvisation, and I responded that I do both in the article, here. How do you balance improv and planning? Today could be a great time to use #ImprovQuilting Now is also a great time to start planning the way that you want to quilt this quilt top. I like to leave negative space when I piece that can be filled in visually later with hand quilting. I believe it’s important for me to start contemplating the quilting by the time I’m half way into piecing a quilt top.

  • 10.19 *Ida: What are your plans for this step in the quilt pattern? Did any of these aspects resonate with you? How does it feel wading into this tangle of mental attachments with ‘the feminine’ and ‘gender’ as separate entities? I felt empowered by thinking that both the masculine and feminine live within me simultaneously. I’ve learned to adapt my use of the English language by saying, “I’m in my feminine when I ____________,” or “I’m in my masculine when I ______________.” This could be a good day to use #DivineFeminine

  • 10.20 *Pingala: How did this side of the quilt resonate? What element of the masculine do you plan to highlight in your quilt? After so much focus on the feminine, did it feel good to sew something connected to solar, expansive, protecting, goal-oriented energy? #DivineMasculine

  • 10.21 *Milk: How did you respond to this prompt? I think it’s still one that makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, and I’m working on unpacking why that is… Looking at art that connects with the topic is hugely helpful for me. Here are links to some of my favorite works: Emily Zarse, who makes quilts about motherhood, here. Linda Marcus whose piece “Strained” is in the show I co-curated at the Portrait Society Gallery, here. Sonia Rose’s torso based pottery, here. If you’re not ready for this step yet, consider sharing the work of an artist you love.

  • 10.22 *Spell: Yep, this one’s pretty similar to the manifestation block in the Scavenger Hunt Quilt, how does it feel different this time around? How are you approaching this prompt? Are you casting a spell, or has a spell been cast on you?

  • 10.23 First Quarter Moon, Action: The resting, inward focus, and planning phase of the moon is over, and now it’s time to act! This is also the end of piecing our quilts, and the time to get ready to start quilting! What are you bringing into action this week?

  • 10.24 Baste: What’s your favorite way to baste a quilt? I like to make a 10” grid on my quilt with safety pins, and can usually get all the pins in within about 10 minutes. Frankenbatting takes longer though!

  • 10.25 *Glue: Let’s connect today! Register here for a Zoom hangout at noon Central, where we’ll meet each other and I’ll answer questions about previous and upcoming steps.

  • 10.26 Waxing Gibbous, Refine: This is a time to prepare for the full moon by refining your goals, tightening your focus, and editing. What are you letting go of so that you can achieve your goals? Or, how are your goals becoming sharper or clearer now than before? As you start quilting, how is it changing the look of your quilt top?

  • 10.27 Gush: Share a story today about a quilter that inspires you or a fellow member of our QAL! Lifting each other up is one of my favorite things about social media, and today is a day to celebrate the community that we’ve built together. It could be a great time to use #VisibleHandPiecing, or another community building hashtag. Have you found an accountability buddy in this process? Let’s celebrate each other.

  • 10.28 Hands: How do you care for your hands when you quilt? Have you learned a hand yoga tip from me that has helped you? Big news: I’m making it my 2021 goal to share a lot more hand yoga videos on my YouTube Channel, you can subscribe here.

  • 10.29 *Bind: How are you sealing the edges of your quilt? Did the action phase of the moon allow you to be ready for this step by now?! If not, share your plans, or a past quilt? Does your moon improv quilt have an unconventional silhouette?

  • 10.30 *Mollycoddle: I love this step so much! I probably spend half my time mollycoddling my quilts… What’s the title, dimensions, materials, artist statement, documentation photography, display, and plan for this quilt? Also, my mom is the best at mollycoddling me, I’m so grateful for that, she is a gentle port in the sea, always ready to support me. Do you have a person like that in your life, or you do that for someone? Do a little something extra for your quilt today.

  • 10.31 Blue Moon: Can you believe it! Savor today. If you’re an American, make sure you’ve voted or that you’re ready to vote! Do you celebrate Halloween or have a tradition to remember your ancestors? I may have to show some photos of the Halloween costumes that my mom used to sew for me and my brother. A blue moon is rare and special, do you have something of that nature that you’d like to share? If it wasn’t part of your mollycoddling day, please share a glorious photo of your quilt! The full moon is a time to reap the benefits of the seeds you’ve sewn, and today is a Hunter’s Moon.

    Stay tuned for the 11/30/2020 Frosty Moon Lunar Eclipse, and get ready to notice all 8 of these moon phases on a regular basis. Thank you sooooo much for participating in this QAL with me, it’s already been amazing to see the first few days. If you’ve gotten behind, don’t worry, you can still share these prompts on your own timeline, or perhaps in sync with another moon cycle.

    xoxo, Heidi