Sunday, April 07, 2013

Slow Stitching and Connecting

This weekend I attended a party with some of my highschool friends. 
We lost touch with each other for a few years when we were finishing our education, getting married, setting up homes, having babies, raising children, establishing careers... and generally trying to keep our heads above water. But in a wonderful serendipitous way, we have reconnected in the last couple of years and enjoyed some wonderful time together. "Old people" like us always discuss the effects of the technology... the "world wide web", blogging, tweeting, facebook, instagram, etc. 
Then I came across this interesting thought provoking article to read - "Stop instagramming your perfect life".  
So much to reflect on.
This is the quilt that I hand quilted while I visited with my life long friends... stitching together the threads of our lives, and choosing to be "a friend", instead of just "an observer".
I am quilting block #8 on my "Journey of a Quilter" (pattern by Leanne Beasley) not because I have already finished 7 blocks before this, but because this block seemed to be perfect to stitch this weekend.
I am making slow and steady turtle progress...just the way I like it!
What are you S L O W stitching this week? Link up your hand work post below and share your project with us.

12 comments:

Kate said...

Enjoy your time with your friends. Thanks for the link to the article, it was really interesting and thought provoking.

Lesley said...

You're right...that was a perfect block to work on surrounded by friends! Happy Sunday!

Deb@asimplelifequilts said...

Very interesting article you linked to! I guess at my age I'm not "compare" person online, I'm more an "inspire, learn & connect" person online. But I totally get what she is saying. My kids are so used to being in touch with their friends 24/7... I do wonder sometimes how all this is going to play out in the future. Food for thought while stitching I guess! I so love your quilt.

Teresa in Music City said...

It's always so nice to connect with old friends - there's something deep and enriching in reaching back into our history and tying it to who we are today. I've lost touch with way too many of my old friends. And I totally agree with the article about how the Internet interferes with our relationships. I have recently been choosing to not spend time at the computer and instead to call my mom or my child or a friend. I really need to do it even more often!

pcflamingo said...

This year it will be 45 years since I graduated from high school, but we have a gathering every year! We don't care - any old excuse to get together. There's a group that's been having a golf tournament for 25+ years and some of us non-golfers tag along after that too. We compare notes on children and grandchildren and have gotten past the point of one-upmanship on who has the most perfect life. We know who's lost their job, their house, who has health challenges or mental health challenges. We knew each other as pimply-faced imperfect kids and now we know each other as wrinkly imperfect old farts.

scraphappy said...

Everyone else's life does look perfect online, doesn't it? It is too easy to crop out the clutter and post only the highlights. Behind the false front though, we all have plenty of chaos. Thanks for the link to the article, it made me think too.
Your quilting is coming along so well, I love the soft look of hand stitches, they look great with your stitcheries.

Ellen said...

It's wonderful that you were able to spend time with friends. You know you have good friends when you haven't had contact for awhile and you can pick up right where you left off!

The article you linked to reminds me of watching television in the '60s with the perfect families and their perfect lives. Remember Mrs. Cleaver....

Karen said...

How true about the friendship being joined one stitch at a time.

marina said...

your quilters journey quilt is amazing I love the fabric colours you have chosen and your quilting looks wonderful.
enjoy

audrey said...

Your quilt is looking great. I bet it brings many interesting thoughts to your mind while you're quilting! Wonderfully interesting link you posted. Definitely food for thought.:)

Janet O. said...

I was very interested in the article in the link. I am not on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, and I only pin things on my few boards on Pinterest--I don't follow or search other people's boards. But still, I found this very insightful. It really put into words many of the reasons why I haven't wanted to be involved in all the social media options, but couldn't seem to find a way to verbalize. Thanks.

Sew Create It - Jane said...

I found that article interesting. I don't do facebook Google+ or any of it except for my blog..but that's just as much for me to remember my quilting journey as anything else :o) I'd forget half of what I've made if it wasn't for the blog LOL