The Joy of Making

At the end of last week I started working on a quilt. I have been wanting to make a quilt for our little one and I decided that I should get started on it while I still have time. I fell in love with this quilt (I found the tutorial for the stars here) when I saw it a few weeks ago and decided to try making something similar. I have made a variety of quilts over the years, most of them crazy quilts or quilts that don't require patterns. When it comes to making things my forte is not precision and perfection but rather persistence, fearlessness and embracing the joy of making.

I have made several quilts over the years, usually without a pattern, but this one has been the most joyful, so far. At the last minute I decided to use lots of different fabrics for bright multicolored stars. It was fun to pull the fabric out of the drawer and choose many of my favorite patterns. The stars come together really quickly. Now I just have to put all the squares together, choose a back and binding and quilt it.

I have been reading a book by William Coperthwaite who writes about A Handmade Life and the importance of doing real work and valuing simple things. Reading his thoughts reminds me of many of the things that I strive for in life. He writes, "Our understanding would be enlarged immensely if we were all to become artisans in some manner...  When as a society we fail to help all people have confidence in their ability to create, we are doubly wasteful. First, we lose from society's reservoir the creative potential of so many, and second, we see those who are left out lose well being and emotional security."



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