Everyday Magic
When I think back over all the years I've been sewing, and then quilting, the word "magic" keeps popping into my head. That's how I think of sewing; as a form of everyday magic.
I learned to sew from my mother. Her love of sewing was a wonderful example for both me and my sister. It seemed that Mama could make anything that she put her mind to. From the card table cover that looked like the Three Little Pigs' brick house, to Wizard of Oz dolls, to matching Christmas pajamas and Easter outfits (for myself, my two brothers, and my sister), Mama's ability to sew was a gift she gave to us over and over again. I still remember fondly the many garments she made me over the years.
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| My sister wearing perhaps my favorite dress of all time. After I grew out of it she loved it just as much as I did. |
Better still, my mom taught me to sew and gave me the confidence to believe that I could also create anything that I envisioned. And if that isn't magic, I don't know what is! She encouraged me endlessly, and starting in about 6th grade I began sewing many of my own clothes. I can't say that everything I made was super stylish, and I did get made fun of now and again for some of my creations, but I loved being able to make things that were uniquely mine.
Through years of sewing my own garments, then discovering the *amazing* world of quilting, and eventually creating Halloween costumes and party decorations for my kids, the wonder of it is still there for me. And now, when I lecture at a guild, write an article, or teach any of a variety of techniques, part of the magic is the look of joy and accomplishment on a student's face when I've been able to help them gain confidence and skill as a quilter. Isn't it magical that using some fabric, needle, and thread, we can create things that are so beautiful and full of love?
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| Blossoming ©2016 Diane Rusin Doran |
Finally, getting to spend time with others who are as passionate about sewing and quilting as I am is magical in and of itself. Attending quilt shows and visiting guilds is always a joyous occasion for me, and I know this holds true for all of the other BERNINA Ambassadors as well.
Each Ambassador has their own story of why they love to create garments, or quilts, or anything else they might imagine. We all love sharing the joy of sewing through a variety of means, whether teaching, writing, or mentoring. That's what being a BERNINA Ambassador is most about to me, having more opportunities to share the things that I love about quilting and that fascinate me most.
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| A sample I made for a blog post on the WeAllSew blog about double needle quilting |
Be sure to stop by the blogs of some of my fellow Ambassadors this week to learn more about each of them. They are a wonderfully talented group with loads of expertise to share!
Friday
March 24
Joanne Sharpe
Cherry Guidry
Jenelle Montilone
Teri Lucas has done a great job of coordinating the tour, and will have several posts on her blog as well.
Joanne Sharpe
Cherry Guidry
Jenelle Montilone
Teri Lucas has done a great job of coordinating the tour, and will have several posts on her blog as well.
If you’re a shop, show coordinator, or guild program chair, please know that each one listed above is available to teach!
As a reminder, I've been blogging up a storm over at Machine Quilting Unlimited, so please be sure to stop over there and check it out.
12 comments:
Hi, Diane!
I enjoyed learning more about you, one of my BERNINA Ambassador sisters! I LOVE "Blossoming", BTW!! Happy Spring!
Thanks Kelly, this is such a fun tour. It's been great to learn so much about some of the other Ambassadors, including you. Happy quilting!
Thank you so much for sharing your story and for the beauty of your quilts. They are amazing.
And thank you Teri for doing such a fabulous job kicking off and coordinating everything!
It is nice to meet you and hear your story! I learned to sew in a class in High School...my grandmother sewed clothing, which I found so interesting, but she didn't let me touch her machine. I made some clothing over the years but soon became aware of quilts. My Mother In Law made quilts from Hershner's catalog kits and I soon bought one and made it...hand quilting it on a home frame of wood and C clamps. With the invention of the computer there are so many tutorials and videos and blogs. I am a follower of Lori Kennedy and love her blog and classes and book! Now learning to do some machine quilting.
Nice to meet you too quilt4fun2! I see that you're also a papercrafter, which I love to do on a seasonal basis. Sometimes papercrafting gives me great ideas to incorporate in my quilts. If you're following Lori I'm sure you're learning loads. I'd love to see some of your machine quilting.
Beautiful
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