It is a wonderful feeling when a dream starts to become a reality. Last summer Janome and I started to talk about how we could connect with the community and develop the mission we began with our Just One Quilt films. It is a simple one – to get more people quilting in the world. But we all know that starting anything new can be scary and that a helping hand can make all the difference.
This quote by Maya Angelou was the real spark behind the Skillshare:
Ten years ago I began to teach quilting to friends without much experience, but a willingness to try. It is surprising how much you pick up along the way just by doing something and repeating the process. Passing on a skill gives me great pleasure and empowering others to teach seemed the perfect way to move forwards. If we can create more quilting teachers in the world, the scope to engage new people in the craft we all love so much, gets wider.
Social restrictions during the Covid pandemic have made everyone adapt to new ways of sharing and communicating and this made us believe that people could participate in the Skillshare without physically being together. We do have a number of same household mentors and students but we also have many new partnerships blossoming in separate homes around the United Kingdom. People have paired up via mutual friends, social media and other community projects such as sewing scrubs and masks for NHS staff.
2021 marks the 100th anniversary of Janome and we are delighted to have over 100 participants in The Big Janome Skillshare. We hope to enrich the company’s legacy by focusing on education and celebrating the power of helping one another to develop and grow creatively. There is always something new to learn and quilts soak up the experience of our lives like no other objects. What will these objects tell future generations about our lives now?
We are excited to share the journeys of all the participants and welcome you to support us along the way by reading, sharing and spreading the word.
Thank you,
Jenni & The Janome Team x
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