Color Theory and Chinese Embroidery Day!

Fun Fact: I’m always going to a sewing and/or textiles instruction class. Over the years, I learned to stay away from the people who say, “What?!?! You’re going to another sewing class?!?! Why?!?!” My reply: “Because I love it! Now leave me alone!”

Anyway. .  .

I overscheduled myself this past Saturday and I am grateful I did. I love sewing days like these! I went to yet another color theory class in the morning and then a Chinese embroidery class in the afternoon. I am making a series of temperature quilts. I really felt I needed to talk to someone about the color gradations I chose. I personally feel you need to talk to different instructors and take different classes. I am in a teacher certification program. Repetition is key to learning and sometime one instructor will explain things in a way that you understand better than another instructor. The instructor said she would be at the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show next week. I told her I would be there too, See? This is when you know that something good is happening: You find your tribe, then you follow each other around from textiles classes to textiles conferences and events.

During Saturday afternoon, I went to my first Chinese embroidery class at the Heritage Museum of Asian Art in Chicago. Talk about phenomenal! And, as always, one attendee saw me walking around with a quilting bag and said, “I’m going to follow you. I’m with my people.” Once inside, we all made recommendations about local garment making and weaving classes, the new Mood Fabric store and exchanging ideas on how to organize an advanced Chinese embroidery class.

This was my first time sewing with silk thread and on silk. I remember when I was growing up that my mother sewed prom dresses on silk and literally had choice words about the experience. It was slippery yes, so I went slower, which seemed to help with meditation, calm and mood elevation. It also helped that the instructor had a huge flat screen television of videos showing herself sewing the stitches we were trying to learn. We were sewing a flower. After having come off of the elation of my nature writing class, I felt this was the most supportive and appropriate textiles gesture. I decided that I was going to take my sewing sample and place it on my wall when I was done. I was so proud of myself!

I walked away knowing that there truly are worse things to do in this lifetime besides sew. It is okay to be passionate and do exactly what you love.