laurawythe

It’s become obvious to me over the last few months that I don’t procrastinate.  I over-commit and then have to prioritize.  There are so many interesting things going on in my workshop and no elves to work in the night. I think that’s illegal, anyway.

Christmas tree skirt, in progress

One project was only half-finished, although presentable, by the time December 25th rolled around.  Deadlines are good.  And because it was a skirt for the bottom of a Christmas and the giftee lives miles away, I brought it home to fancy it up with a new deadline–next Christmas.  Months to finish it, months to procrastinate.

But I couldn’t do it.  Procrastinate, that is.  I couldn’t pack up the shiny organza and stick in the back of the closet.  A vision of flounce and shine was in my head, and so the yards of organza have been gathered and stitched, the trim applied twice around, the ties added and threads trimmed.

Some things you do for the joy.

Christmas tree skirt in January

Upcycling Article / Milwaukee Journal / Mike Smith.

Cool ideas, using what we have, including imagination 🙂

Yes, it’s time to get out the wading pool, the camping gear, the cooler, sketch books, the camera, the novels I always wanted to read, the portable bits of thread and cloth–and escape the studio.  Summer is the perfect excuse for a procrastinator like me to put aside all plans and just follow the sun.

Friendship Bracelets; one for you, one for you …

It also means, for a while, leaving behind posting regularly through this lovely connection.  I will return, I promise you.

During the summer, I will gather more inspiration than I need.   And I look forward to hearing about your inspirations as well as sharing mine again–when it’s time to remember where I put my shoes, when the cat sleeps in again, when the droning, dripping air conditioners are silent, when school supplies go on sale and all the best pencil cases have been snatched up and Hallowe’en candy has crept out of aisle nine into the first marque display, when the basil is fragrant and tomatoes and garlic are plentiful, when the sauce is made and the body sated, sunned, exercised and renewed.

Love,

Laura

My first quilt was a grid of squares made from scraps of fabric we had around the house.  I was 14 years-old.  My grandmother and her sisters came over to quilt it.  I felt honoured.   Quilting, it seemed, was a tradition in my family.  I’ve taken the tradition and twisted it with needle and thread in many ways over the years, but have never done anything like the women of Wardsville, Ontario.

Louise painting a Wardsville Bicentennial barn quilt block
Photo by Dave Chidley

They have taken the story of the founder of their community and created the Wardsville Barn Quilt Trail.   Each block of the quilt tells a piece of George Ward’s story or relates to the historical context of the founding of Wardsville in 1810.  What’s really cool is that each block is painted onto plywood then put up on the side of a barn or other structure.  Who would have thought, but it’s beautiful.

I’m still working with textiles–the stretchy knits of t-shirts.  They are my daughter’s.  There’s history, or should I say, her-story, in them for sure.  She hasn’t founded a town but she’s got time.

I’ve cut the t-shirts into blocks of various sizes based on the logos.   When I lay them out on my table, I can see that it’s going to take some work to make them fit into a grid.  And like any artist, I’m looking at the empty spaces between the blocks.

First Nation Paintbrush, Delaware First Nation

The double Irish chain design from Wardsville might be an option (they have put the pattern up on their blog).  My daughter has strong Irish ties from her grandmother.  The Rising Sun block is also beautiful but it looks like I’ll have to search for that one.  You know, I like research.

Thanks to the women of Wardsville for their inspiration.

Love,

Laura