Welcome Home

Welcome Home !

Of late, I’ve come to realise that quilting is a spiritual practice for me as much as yoga and meditation and like yoga and meditation is essential to my wellbeing. So it’s timely that I was inspired to create the ‘Welcome Home’ piece above – first photo. I started and finished it within a week.

The font , colour of the words and contrasting thread colour against the background collage are satisfying. The square shape not so much. So I’ve auditioned roof shapes to add interest. Like the traditional topping off ritual when building a house, I see this as a symbolic topping off of my work as a devotion to spirit.

I’m calling it ‘Message from the Universe 2’.

Journal Writing, Truth and Meaning

My Truth

Do you journal ? I do, I use my journal to process my thoughts, to work out what and how I think. To gain insight and understanding and to learn.

My journal writing arrives on the page in a stream of consciousness. The writing is swift.

My textile word work on the other hand, is slow and deliberate. Because it takes time, attention and technique to draw, cut out and fasten the letters to the quilted cloth, to bring them into the material plane, these words need to have meaning and truth.

Clutter Confession #3 things aren’t as bad as they seem

I’m happy to share my ‘Finishing Project’ progress today. 11 finished hand quilted wall pieces with a couple of ideas floating along. And here’s the thing, I’ve been working very slowly through these, with deep chasms of delay along the way. I’ve found that although I get caught up in ‘that dark head space’ I Have made progress and things aren’t as bad as they seem.

If you are stuck in a difficult place, take a step back and look at what you’ve achieved so far, however small. Be kind to yourself, Be encouraged .

Yes I Can

I’ve set myself the task of finishing 8 Quilts by 31 December 2019. Admittedly they are small pieces, because of this I am hand quilting them. This makes them portable and easy to take to the ‘in real life’ quilt group I’ve joined. ‘Stitchers’ in Herne Hill are very welcoming ! I’ve also joined an online accountability group which is proving to be equally supportive.

The quilt shown here is quilt number five and is from a small series from way back, that addresses the voice of the inner critic, that negative and silent in your head voice that says ‘no’. The quilt is called ‘Yes I Can’.

Clutter Confession #2 Obstacles

I have a strong tolerance for discomfort.  I can avoid, ignore, evade or go Vague in regards to the ‘stuff’ that needs to be organised. It still boils down to the fact I cannot and will not move forward easily until I vanquish the obstacles in my way.

Clutter Confession #1

Hand quilted textile art ©️Maggie Winnall

Shape Study-1 ©️Maggie Winnall

For the longest time I’ve procrastinated being an artist and living my artist life. It is actually denying what is true for me, denying my own self and my own being. When I do make my art I feel so happy and satisfied. When I make my art it seems such a simple and an easy thing to do. It feels right.

Procrastination

But the story of denial is played out through procrastination, unmade decisions, the build up of ‘stuff’ in my life, physical obstacles that stop me before I start. For example, my studio workspace is in a constant state of flux, always needing to be cleared, is cleared, then back to being a tip again. I do make some progress sorting it out and where I have taken control, things have stayed sorted.

Results

I can put a working system into place, organise all the tools together so I know where to find them (and put them away) I can eliminate items that I no longer need.

I can remove old projects that distract from making the art I want to make.
There are so many unfinished compositions of pieced ‘patchwork’ cloth waiting to be quilted, so many cloths created along one theme or another, then so many ideas come cascading down when I start yet another new idea. This has been my ongoing story. It is currently my place in the scheme of things.

Decision

So I’ve decided to approach this challenge by taking this Chakra Quest with Anodea Judith  alongside my yoga practice, with the intention of unblocking the stuck energy, so as to access the cause of the fear that underpins this procrastination habit. To work with chakra energy to integrate the body, mind and soul. To be able to move forward confidently, competently to finish and create the art that I am to make.

If Teaching was a colour…

..what colour would it be? Originally, I layed down plain orange letters and stitched around them in a greyish variegated ‘thin’ thread. It created a drab effect and didn’t engage my interest. So I went back to the drawing board, choosing a more vibrant combination of viridian and teal which works well. It’s an improvement and the purpose of teaching is to strive improvement, to do better, to do your best.

What are you striving for today?

Growing

A red orange thread enhances the orange letters, turquoise sets off the complementary colours nicely. #Lovelist is growing. More and more words are being made, more bubbles are sewn, more skill is developed as I find new and improved ways to cut the fabrics to fit and more skill sewing them together. Growing in confidence.

Now and Then

Now and Then #1 a reversible improvisational quilt by Maggie Winnall