From the start of this campaign I thought it would be a nice idea to include my own quilting journey. The reason I teach and make films is because my passion for this craft is so big, and fills my headspace a lot of the time. I get an incredible amount of satisfaction from being around people making, and though I now sew less myself than I did 13 years ago, I love it even more because I know its true worth.
The quilt in this film has been up in my loft for quite a few years now. Harry my son is 14, and has another quilt in his room which is slightly more grown-up (though that isn’t always on show either!)
Rediscovering the quilt and hanging it to make my film made me realise it shouldn’t be put away out of sight again. I have started a little pile of past quilts in our living room so they can be used if and when somebody wants them, and it makes me feel less worried that it is going to be eaten by moths!
It keeps surprising me that as makers we spend so much time on a project, hours and hours to piece a quilt, yet we rarely allow ourselves the luxury of time to reflect on that process and how it made us feel. Social media can pressure makers in to moving on to the next thing, the newest fabric, the latest pattern when perhaps we would gain more from slowing down to celebrate where we are now.
I really enjoyed revisiting Harry’s quilt and talking about it made me realise what a significant project it was for me. I actually hand quilted the outline of his tiny hands and feet around the border and touching those took me right back to huge milestones he reached that year – learning to walk and talk, and the wonder I felt as his mum!
My Just One Quilt campaign keeps moving forwards, it keeps challenging my mind and provoking bigger questions. I am very grateful to everyone making it happen.
Thank You
Jenni
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