My Little Blue Shed

If you had asked elementary school Patty what she wanted to do when she grew up, she would have said make stuff all day long. Middle school Patty would have said sew all day long. High school and college Patty would have said create and design. Current Patty would say all the above but share it with others. Show and teach others how much joy you can get from a day doing something with your hands. My Little Blue Shed backyard studio was the location of my first such workshop, a Natural Indigo Gathering, I decide on that name to change the focus from it being a class to being a time to just gather and create. I know I had a great time, and I think the 4 people (plus a little one) also enjoyed our time together. I look forward to more things like this. For me this was a dream that finally became a reality.

These past few weeks I have been setting up my website, transferring images, and blog posts from previous sites to just this one location. With that I had a chance to look back at the past years and what I have been doing. This last year was really hard but it also allowed me time to really decide what was important to me. I really miss being in classes with other people and I really miss sharing my excitement of creating with my hands. So with that in mind I decided to start offering classes, or as I prefer to call them Gatherings. I noticed when switching my blog over that what I said over a year ago holds true today. I need to reread the last stanza of the John O'Donohue Poem, 'For a New Beginning' Awaken your spirit to adventure; Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk; Soon you will be home in a new rhythm, For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

Nothing is more meditative then sitting quietly and doing lots of tiny stitches. In March I put together all my prepared fabric and headed out to my shed. I designed on paper and then transferred that to fabric. Once the grid or outlines were on the fabric it was time to sit and stitch. I listened to podcast, and music while stitching out back on the porch of my little blue shed. With everyone home it was a little space I could call mine.  I did a lot of stitching, made some large pieces, some of the largest I have done. I spent most of May, June, and July first stitching and then dyeing those pieces. I plan to get a few more large pieces stitched over the winter to be ready to dye come March/April. When the weather turned cold I moved my studio inside the nice warm house. One of the perks of the boys moving out, I have a dedicated space inside to call mine. I plan to do some designing, stitching, and sewing during the winter. I will of course also be knitting by the...

This blog is going to be a type of journal. My hope is this will help keep me accountable for doing the things I am committed to doing this year and to share with others my journey. I found the first lines of this poem on my Instagram feed this morning and after looking up the whole poem decided I need to share it here. TRUST THE PROMISE Then the delight, when your courage kindled, And out you stepped onto new ground, Your eyes young again with energy and dream, A path of plenitude opening before you. Though your destination is not yet clear You can trust the promise of this opening; Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning That is at one with your life's desire. Awaken your spirit to adventure; Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk; Soon you will be home in a new rhythm, For your soul senses the world that awaits you. John O'Donohue Excerpt from, 'For a New Beginning' You see for me this year (or the start of the school year really) has been a st...