Still being able to learn

I thought that, by my age, I should be a sage. The enlightenment would be reached and I could dwell in the comfort of knowing... At 78, it hasn't happened yet. I am trying to know something.....maybe more of myself than anything else. So, with the Covid 19 happening and all my face to face workshops being cancelled, I am taking as many or too many online classes to fill my little brain.

Now I am learning to Zoom.. Wow, what a technology to have. How lucky we do have it.

I gave a short class to Artseed. I volunteered to help try to save their summer intensive workshops for vulnerable kids. It worked and the group was pleased with my small contribution.

Next, I am the guinea pig for SCRAP-sf, planning Zoom classes. We are trying to figure out logistics of materials and tools and use of Zoom for the workshops. Challenging.

25 Million Stitches

 .....one stitch for each one of the 25 million refugees  This is a project to engage as many participants and raise awareness to the current global refugee crisis. The 25 million stitches were reached after many in the world sent their panels to Sacramento to Jennifer Kim Sohn. Jennifer began this project 13 months before the 25 million stitches were reached. I was fortunate to meet and talk to her in front of her home when I delivered 2 of the 5 panels I stitched. I only did a straight stitch and no real embroidery, concentrating on making the stitches to count. The virus hit and the display and opening of the project has been delayed.

My first piece...made without planing. I just let my fingers do the walking....

all of the pieces were done without sketches or planning.

Even this was done without planning...

Collage embroidery

A challenge by fiber artist Merrill Comeau, we were to use fabric scraps to form a collage with added stitching. Here are my two attempts;

The base cloth was a piece of lightweight denim. Most of the fabrics were cut offs and scraps from mask making.

The back fabric with netting to hold everything in place. I utilized the transparency with my embroidery stitches of weeds.

Stitching

 It has been a while since I put hand to cloth with embroidery or hand stitching. With SIP, I joined a group headquartered in England. ...Textile Arts and a monthly Stitch Club. Each month, three stitch artists give a workshop with a challenge. Here are some of my attempts of the first challenge by Debbie Lyddon;

First challenge was to make a container to hold something found or saved. These are the pattern pieces I created to make a self standing container. It is very small - 3.5" wide X 3" tall. It will hold a Japanese good luck wooden charm. or a seashell. This was a Debbie Lyddon challenge. We were to make three containers.

The fabric was first painted with acrylic paints.

Whip stitched all around to hold everything together

Openings placed to be able to see what is inside at different angles.

The openings were supported with copper wire.

This container was made to hold my Granddaughter's saved rock. I wanted to make something that would hang. Here was my solution.

I continued the copper wire above the top support to form holders to be able to hang.

I shaped the opening hole to mimic the shape of the rock and formed the holder to do the same..

SIP - Shelter In Place

A new term to learn. SIP and all its meanings. We are all vulnerable by the unknown virus; physically and mentally. It is a taxing time to learn ones ability to cope....again and again.

I have been so fortunate in most aspects of my life but those bumps in the road haven't been easy.

I know I like to do creative things alone in a quiet place but need the contacts of friends or family. I realized that I needed interaction with another person at least once a day.

Before this SIP happened, I would take a walk or have an errand to do, no matter how insignificant, at the least, once a day. Now,  I try to make something or learn something new with the new technology and Zoom.  How fortunate to have this. I hope this time is meant for all of us to learn about ourselves and our home on earth.

Upon learning that our caregivers needed masks to help their lack of safety equipment, I wanted to help. Because of my experience in sewing, I began to make masks. I tested numerous kinds and patterns and finally came up with my own....a tweak here and a tweak there. With a friend, Chula Camp, we were able to donate to Doctors and Nurses, a school (400),  cancer wards and others. We now sell them to help pay for those we donated and are donating.

I have made a few different ones than the regular mask. I worked on a beard mask and a mask with extra nose space and a mask for children. I now have 75 different prints. All masks have a filter pocket and a nose wire with three ways to wear them (inserted directions).

beard mask

child size mask