This month, our quilting group at Sewspire Studio 365 is creating tribute quilts to honor Donna Jordan, the founder of Jordan Fabrics. Many of you know that Donna recently passed away, leaving a significant void in the creative quilting and sewing community. Her accessible tutorials and calming presence were encouraging and comforting to quilters of all skill levels. She will be deeply missed.
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For my own tribute, I've chosen Donna's Churn Dash quilt pattern which you can download for free here. Before beginning, I quietly asked her joyful spirit to join me in this endeavor. Personally, the past several months have been challenging, so you can imagine my relief as the fog of stress induced depression and anxiety began to lift. My creativity re-emerged, intertwined with a profound gratitude for the woman I was watching and remembering through her YouTube videos.
Earlier this week, a friend shared an intriguing garment / duffel bag pattern with me. As I learned more about the designer, I was struck by her vulnerability in sharing her own years-long struggle with depression and how creating and designing bags became her outlet.
As I mentioned last week, creativity has long been a lifeline for me, and I know it has been for many of you as well. Within our community, we have friends who have bravely faced serious health issues, the loss of loved ones, the demands of caregiving, chronic pain, and so much more. I've personally heard from them about the hope, escape, and joy that our community and creative pursuits have offered.
It takes dedicated teachers like Donna, who consistently provide well-organized, edited, and approachable content, to reach individuals like me and others in our circle who benefit immensely from a creative outlet.
In my own way, I've also aimed to make sewing accessible to newcomers and novice bag makers. While I've never aspired to design bags with the complexity of today's independent designers, with their intricate hardware and alternative materials, I deeply respect their talent. It's clear how they, too, play a vital role in expanding the reach of creativity by offering the next level for makers seeking a more challenging project.
Whoever serves as your teacher or inspiration, please take a moment while they are still here to let them know how much you appreciate their efforts and talents. I encourage you to try one of Donna's legacy quilting tutorials and perhaps even find the courage to attempt that advanced bag pattern my friend shared and you can explore here.
Remember, the key to creativity is simply to begin.
With love,
Andrea
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