Reinvention

Feb 9, 20232 min read

This writer needed a creative break yesterday. All creatives do from time to time. The interesting thing for me is to do something entirely different from writing. Diving into cooking, sewing or some other thing I have never tried, seems to kickstart the creative engine.

Here's how a beautiful quilt became my inspiration.

Last year, I told my husband that if he bought me anything at Kamala, I would love it. With my birthday coming around again, I knew some small direction might be helpful and he was grateful. Kamala was always my local, go-to gift shop in our town; that is till recently, when its owner Kate LaMontagne, found an amazing farmhouse in Maine, and decided to move her home and business there... with great encouragement and support from the townspeople, I might add. We were all so happy for her.

(Shop at Kamala's online store )

Through out the years I enjoyed lovely gifts from Kamala, like a black wool shawl with hand crocheted long trim (stunning and toasty!), hand made earrings, funky leggings, my perfume and the occasional cool shirt on clearance.

My beautiful gifts from Kamala.

Each gift boxed lovingly with colored tissue and curls of rainbow ribbons. So when Scott appeared around the corner with that familiar box and cascading curly trim, I knew I was in for something special.

Inside was an amazing quilt, hand made from old sari's from India; shades of olive green on one side and gray blues and plum on the other. Tiny white running stitches racing through the fabric. Occasionally, I saw the evidence of the perfectly imperfect, discovering an adorable patch in the middle of it. Hand stitched, and perhaps just a decoration, I wondered what the patch was hiding.

I used the quilt to cozy up in the family room for many, many nights. But I loved the pattern on its fabric so much, that I began thinking of other ways I could use it. A table cloth? Curtains? or maybe... clothing.

After working on a school visit presentation for 5 hours yesterday, the creative well ran dry. I stood in my studio looking at the many piles of projects waiting for some attention and my beautiful quilt caught my eye. Spotting my sewing machine, I knew what I needed to do.

Deciding on a Pattern

Ever since I bought it, I have been living in a black knit sweater with dolman sleeves that has quickly become my go-to top. . Warm and comfortable with a cowl neck, it is my go to top. Maybe, I could use its form as a template. I decided to take my heavy tracing paper and make my own pattern.

I laid out my pattern adding a little extra, just in case I had mis-measured. Soon the sewing machine was humming. Giggles could be heard at the completion of each successful step.

Soon I had a cozy shirt!