10.30.06
Posted in Anecdotes at 12:39 am by Administrator
Sometimes, life hands you roses. Sometimes, it brings people into your life who will not only try to steal your roses, but also rob you of every other joy that you have. This just proves how fleeting happiness is. If you are happy now, hang on to that feeling with all of your might because just around the corner, there may be some nasty, vicious, jealous, hateful person, who is more than willing to rob you of that happiness.
They say that most crimes are committed by someone who knows the victim. Certainly, it is a crime to try to rob another person of their zest for life. For the past three days, I have been under attack by e-mail, accused of all sorts of things, way in the past, that never happened. Just like the Underground Railroad story about the use of quilts as signal devices, I cannot prove that these alleged things did not happen. I can only be sad, devastated, in fact, to think that a family member would tell such untruths about me.
The world is getting to be more unreasonable and demanding. The letters I am receiving from readers also reflect a profound change. You’d think that I owed them an answer to every little question they have ever conjured up about quilting, and if I don’t have an answer, then I am just no good. It’s pretty discouraging. I have to wonder if I am the only professional running into this kind of shabby treatment.
As for me, I can’t afford negative people in my life. I struggle to keep a positive outlook, and to share quality information in an upbeat way. When all I get back is criticism, it sure does bite. Sometimes, I wish I were not a part of the human race, that great collection of “me firsts.”
So, I am feeling jaded and a whole lot less whole or well, in light of these recent “letters.” There is another side to my look-on-the-bright-side personality, and today, you are seeing it: the total disenchantment with the whole sorry lot of humanity. Yet, being me, I will continue to do my best, in spite of adversity. Part of the treatment is “just due” for my “being out there,” - just a part of the price to pay.
As the Spanish song says, I hope that tomorrow brings better times.
Pat, from the “Spider’s Web”
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10.28.06
Posted in Musings at 11:45 pm by Administrator
On my website, there is a free design. I found a microscopic version of the pattern for Outline Stitch Embroidery in a late nineteenth century catalog, and enlarged it. For Christians, the Anchor, the Cross, and the Heart (Sacred Heart of Jesus), with flames arising from it, has profound meaning.
I never know what part of my website will enchant any particular person. The site is so large, I often get inquiries about pieces that people own, or in this case, pieces that people would like to have. This week, someone wrote to ask if I have a quilt with this design and if so, if he could purchase it.
While I offered to scramble to try to hurriedly make the gift he sought, I knew that it would be difficult to meet the deadline. So, instead, the person opted to buy a print based on a song by Ray Boltz: “The Anchor Holds.” If you like Christian music, then you will enjoy hearing the song at this site:
http://www.wrensworld.com/anchor.htm
The e-mail interchange only reminded me of the connectedness of all the arts.
The design can be found here:
http://www.quiltersmuse.com/images/Christian-Cross-and-Anchor.jpg
Have a blessed Sunday. There is so much for which to be thankful.
Patricia Cummings
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Posted in Articles at 12:04 pm by Administrator
I had to smile broadly when I read Carol Miller’s account of how and why she started her online Quilt University. You see, I have been “there”…”there” being teaching in public, and I can agree with its drawbacks, and the need for an alternative.
For example, when I taught classes for our local community education program, I also was relegated to the art department. I learned that I had to carry my own cleaning supplies and wash down all the tables from the paint spills of the day, before students arrived.
Since I didn’t want to ask students to tote their sewing machines, and because I was mostly teaching hand quilting and hand appliqué classes, and needed the machine only a little bit, I would bring my own machine for their use. No matter how many times I’d tell beginners to turn the wheel only toward them, inevitably, they would turn it the wrong way, every time, risking damage to the machine.
People would show up late to class, and if arriving with their best buddy, they would consider the night out a chance to catch up on news of boyfriends, kids, work, etc., and their loud, animated talking would disrupt the learning process for others.
Most often, the easiest access door to the assigned classroom would be locked, and in the day before cell phones, I’d find myself trudging around the building and up three flights of stairs to the “office,” to get someone to unlock that door for arriving students.
Since the classes were at night, and there was no lighting in back of the school where most students preferred to park, there were complaints about that from students, due to safety concerns.
Nonetheless, the actual teaching/learning interchange was great! Students would bring in grandma’s quilt or quilt top, ask advice, bring their latest projects or ideas for projects yet not started. They all seemed to enjoy learning new techniques in all of my classes. There was a real sense of camaraderie and excitement that was very fun.
Then, with the start up of yet another (third) quilt shop, in this relatively small town, plus a quilt guild, all of which were giving classes, enrollment dropped off at the high school. It was just more convenient for students to take classes at a place where fabric and notions were supplied, too, saving them time.
However, the final nail in the coffin for my local teaching was when I told, on a number of occasions, the day before, or the day of, some scheduled classes, that due to insufficient enrollment, the classes were a “no go.” That is tough news to hear after preparing lesson plans, packets of information for students, and gathering supplies that represented a large investment of time and money.
All in all, Quilt University makes a whole lot of sense for both teacher and student. Supplies can be gathered ahead of time, photos of finished work can be shared online, questions can be asked of teachers, in a non-threatening environment, and sharing can be done with fellow students. Moreover, in my opinion, the price is right, and the variety of classes is there.
For an insightful look at how Quilt University came to be, read Carol Miller’s responses to our interview questions.
Why is this article on my website? The answer is simple. I continue to support quilt professionals who are making a difference by bringing quality goods and services to others. Carol Miller, Dean of Quilt University, is someone who is doing just that!
To see some beautiful teacher and student quilts, and to find out more about Quilt University, click on the link below:
http://quiltersmuse.com/quilt_university.htm
Pat Cummings
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