If you read my blog regularly, you will know my addiction to fabric is seriously detrimental to my bank account...
I am also a huge advocate of the power of crafting/sewing to boost peoples self esteem and confidence. The sense of achievement and fulfilment a person gets from making something is unmeasurable.
I teach 4 young ladies every Thursday how to sew. They are sisters, each with their own strong personality and strengths and weaknesses. The eldest (N) has both dyslexia and dyspraxia, which has made her sewing journey an interesting - sometimes triumphant, sometimes hard...
We decided a couple of weeks ago to make quilts. Everyone picked a couple of charm packs, which have mixed with plains. The girls picked their own pattern and we started cutting. Each quilt reflects the makers personality in a way I never thought was possible!
Working steadily and gaining confidence, N started pinning her own work. She has a gorgeous quilt of reds and pinks that we have just basted together. Her seams have steadily improved and the smile on her face when she finished the lesson is infectious.
Last week we tried straight line quilting and free motion quilting. N loved the free motion. The lack of restraint and the fact she could make 'mess' and it still looked good caught her imagination.
Today I showed her my Shadow Waves sample from Leah Day's website and she wanted to give it a go... so we did!
Her attempt was amazing.. and I mean amazing!
She then decided it needed something else and could she investigate filling the waves with circles....
Here is her work:
What do you think?
I think this 14 year old young lady, who has struggled with traditional education, has found her groove!
As someone who can barely thread a needle, never mind actually sew, I am hugely impressed & not a little jealous. Tell N her work is fantastic & I hope you show us more of it, as it progresses.
ReplyDeleteI will do! Her work is amazing!
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