Seasons of Creativity

Beginnings of a new quilt made with scraps from my stash

Making time for the creative energy to flow freely is imperative for a healthy mind, body, and spirit.  Fall is the time of year I am most inspired to work with textiles.  Out of all the luscious natural fibers to choose from, hand dyed yarns, bright earthy colored fabrics, and raw wool roving are my favorites.  Several years ago I went to a quilting exhibit I will never forget at MOMA in SF.  The title was The Quilts of Gees Bend.

Below are three of the quilts I love from the Gee's Bend exhibit, they are so simple yet the colors and the designs are exquisitely artful. These quilts were mostly made from old worn out clothing, Sears corduroy and denim.

 The stories behind these amazing women are not only moving and inspiring, but humbling.  After experiencing the artwork at the exhibit and reading all of the women's stories in the book, I realized how important it is to use what we have, not always out of necessity but because frugality has become a lost art. 

corderoy

recycled denim

These days, when I get excited about piecing together a new quilt or dreaming up some kind of crochet project I try to always use what I have whether it is just old scraps of fabric from previous projects, recycling some jeans, or yarn from my stash basket. This latest quilt I am making for my bedroom reminds me a bit of Frida Kahlo's style with the bright colors, flowers, teals and reds.  A little bit of color brings light and a warm uplifting energy, perfect as we move into the crispy cool days of autumn.