Living the Quilted Life by Sunny Daze

Here in Studio JHP we love searching out excellence in the handmade, upcycled, artisanal world of fiber arts. From hand-painted silk ribbon hailing from Oxford, England, to unique digital art that comes from a small town in Wisconsin, my goal as a teacher is to open my student's eyes to the possibilities of it all! Here is a sampling of what has come into the studio in the past few weeks.

Many of you may not know that JHP has a long history of designing church textiles; banners, altar paraments and things of that nature! This banner is a recent commission from a church in Lombard for a new baptismal banner. Many thanks to Vicki Welsh from Etsy for the beautiful custom dyed and painted fabrix that turned out exactly as I needed!

Life changes a great deal when the doctor says “It's cancer”. I did not expect to miss the sense of control I seemingly had over my life before these words were whispered into my world. Before, I woke up, chose my clothes, went to work, decided to stay late and catch up on lesson plans, stopped for coffee, called a friend, cashed my pay check, went out to dinner, took a class, studied the Bible, watched TV with my daughter, volunteered at church, went to the movies, prayed for my family and friends.

Suddenly things change, I wake up and take my medication, stay in my PJs, stay close to my bathroom, go back to bed, pray for healing, read a book, eat dinner at home, go to the doctor, have a test, a treatment, or a talk about my new life. I watch TV a lot. I grieve the life I lost, my job, my freedom, my health, and my students! I wonder if I will ever have these again. I search for ways to face the “new normal”.

I email an old friend. She quilts! I ask if she can help me to create a new life through fabric. The rest, as they say, is history. Fabric has calmed my being and soothed my soul. Sewing has filled my mind and pushed aside the worry of what tomorrow will bring. Quilting has helped me to see the beauty in my new life. Creating has given me new purpose.

I always wanted to quilt; now I can. The hum of the sewing machine fills my brain with noise drowning out the fear. It tells me I am leaving something of myself behind. I am grateful for my teacher, my friend, who encourages and corrects, and guides m
e in my new passion. I think of the hands
that have touched the fabric I piece together and I dream of the hands that will hold it in years to come.

I thank God for my friend, her talent and her willingness to share her gift with me. I thank God for my husband, who provides for this expensive new addiction. I thank God for the people to whom I will give my quilts and I believe there will be many quilts in my future. Sunny... aka Barb McD