Monthly Archives: August 2015

Spiderwebs

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Most mornings we drive to the local park to walk before I go to work. A few days ago we enjoyed the spiderwebs gleaming in the sun. We’ve seen the webs before, but not every morning. The angle of the sun, the moisture in the air, and I don’t know what other factors affect what we see on the fences. Hard to photograph too. I’ve included a few.2015-08-22 07.16.372015-08-22 07.15.352015-08-22 07.09.07 2015-08-22 07.10.17 2015-08-22 07.09.41 2015-08-22 07.10.52

Hanging on a wall in our house is a spider web quilt I made in 1996 in a class taught by Rose Hahn. Very different from the real ones in nature, but what a fun class with a creative teacher!

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Mindfulness

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I read A New Vision in Quilt Making by Mark Lipinski in the August/September 2015 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine. The subtitle summarizes: “Slow down and reconnect with your creativity.” Mark’s “Slow Stitching Movement” fits right in with the mindfulness and single-tasking that I have been embracing. Mark describes his practice of slow stitching and it really appeals to me. Here’s a quote: “Stitching with intent will help you trust your creative instincts and learning through practice, how to be in touch with all your senses, emotions, and the creative muse.” Taking time and effort to create can be really fulfilling, just as slow-food can be really satisfying. I think I will be doing this more, this mindful stitching, putting aside distractions and concentrating on the work at hand–enjoying the process. And then I’ll balance that with the quick projects that give me the satisfaction of getting something done!