Back to Blogging - with yet another fiber obsession

In this very very very hot summer in the Southern US, I've finally found the inner space for a new art form: quilt weaving. I didn't manage to save enough money to return to the Folk School this year, but was determined to find a way to move my creative pursuits forward.

Through one of those serendipitous late-night internet surfing sessions, I came across Spirit Cloth. It's a blog, but so much more. It's one of the online art spaces of Jude Hill, and it quickly became my favorite oasis of peace and beauty every day. During a rare quiet moment at work, or after detoxing from the day, I found myself returning to Jude's place to discover an art form clothed in gentle wisdom and generosity. It never fails to restore calm.

Soon after I discovered Spirit Cloth, Jude decided to try teaching her first online class about quilt weaving. I immediately signed up (along with 59 other fascinating people from all over the globe). I'd never taken an online class in something that is, well, hands on. I wondered how it could work.

With an interactive class blog, excellent instructional videos, PDF lessons, and opportunities for Q&A, I found this medium to be very effective for learning. What a terrific surprise.

I haven't had time to try all the techniques we learned during the four week class. Here are some basic woven blocks below.

I am intrigued by Jude's idea of cloth as story, and by the free-form process. This is very different from the measuring and precision of traditional quilting, and this aspect seems important to my creative process these days.

I missed signing up for the second class, but was able to get into the third one - Patchwork Beasts. We will study applique with the woven blocks as a base. Can't wait for the first class!