Evolve: a journey in stitches
Early in 2024 the Manitoba Craft Council presented Remold – “a group member exhibition engaging with the idea of craft transforming our very being, taking the intuitive knowledge that it imbues within our bodies to extend and alter the state of humanness.” Evolve was inspired by the prompt for that show, and by a desire to push the boundaries of my artistic comfort zone. Although the piece was not juried into the Remold show, I am grateful for the impetus that call for submissions gave me to undertake this project.
If you follow my Stories on Instagram, you be familiar to my oblique references to my #dayjob. Throughout my (long!) career, a series of “professional looking” black blazers were a staple of my work attire. Over the last decade I have learned a lot about myself – much of which was hidden from both the world and myself behind my carefully curated professional persona. My quilting journey has been both an outcome of that discovery process and a catalyst for further discovery. In my sixties I am intentionally carving away pieces of my work “costume,” replacing them with creative play, and learning to call myself an artist out loud. I am reframing the #dayjob as an time-consuming side-hustle that exists mainly to finance my real work.
In creating Evolve, I set out to represent my personal transformation journey by replacing parts of a black blazer with quilted sections, transforming it in the process into a very different garment. The first step was to source the blazer. I put out a call on Instagram, and a friend offered up exactly what I envisioned.
For the back panel I used a block pattern called “Crossroads,” designed by Allison Harris for the 2021 Summer Sampler pattern as a nod to the many talented designers whose patterns helped me develop my quilting skills.
The sleeve is foundation paper pieced (my own design). The front and side sections contain a mixture of English paper piecing, applique, and improvised curves. I combined hand and machine quilting, and used scraps from other projects.
Note also that the cuff of the quilted sleeve has been left intentionally unfinished, much like the journey it represents.
I finished it off with some signature “bee trail” stitching on the collar and replaced the bottom button with something more in keeping with the new parts of the jacket. The denim patch over the right pocket, gifted to me by Winnipeg artist Louis Stevens, represents my home in Winnipeg and the community of artists who continue to encourage my journey.
If you are in Winnipeg, you have an opportunity to see Evolve at the upcoming ArtFest Art Show sponsored by Crescent Fort Rouge United Church.
