CLAIRE PASSMORE blog

Keeping busy - or an unhealthy obsession?

3/5/2020

 
This past week I was due to be in France at the Biennale Internationale d'Art Textile, but of course, that was cancelled ages ago. It is now due to happen at the end of October and I am really hoping we will all be able to safely travel again so I can attend. I was going to exhibit a selection of my quilts and those of the group I belong to called 'Six Dames'. We have a website (click here to visit) where we show the work but the exhibition was something I was really looking forward to. Meeting old friends and seeing all our work hang together was going to be really special.  I made a catalogue to accompany the exhibition, which may now not get printed, so here it is should you feel like browsing through it. Click the button below to view it.
Six Dames Exhibition Catalogue 2019 - 2020 Biennale Internationale d'Art Textile Exposition



It feels a little weird saying this, but during this enforced 'pause' of the day-to-day activities I took for granted I have actually been grateful for the opportunity to just stop. Without thinking about it I it filled every hour I had (and more) with appointments, deadlines, activities, jobs, hobbies, schedules, challenges, housework and more. To make sure I didn't forget to do all those things I used calendars, schedules, to-do lists and scribbled reminders on notepads. My phone pinged several times a day to keep me on track, dashing from one thing to the next. Does that scenario sound familiar? I was running to keep up with the speed of my little hamster wheel, and I was running so fast it couldn't stop; but it was all of my own making. I put most of those things on my to-do list and set the timeframe, nobody else.

Waking up each morning now, the first thing I do is listen to the birds. I can't remember the last time I woke up without at least 5 or more things I wanted to cross of my daily 'to do' list.  After a bit of daydreaming  I stop and think.......... what day is it today? (Not that it really matters, except if  the nice guy from Sainsbury's is coming then I need to get the Dettox out to wipe down the incoming groceries, which feels very weird.) It sort of reminds me of when I was a kid and didn't really even think about about what was coming next - I just took things in my stride.

I have lots of friends and colleagues that are busy with their families, juggling working from home, home schooling, spending hours online to hopefully get a delivery slot or even spend hours in line at the supermarket and I appreciate that I am so lucky not to have those pressures - so I am taking advantage of the fact that most of my work and forward planning have completely stopped. Teaching and exhibitions are off for now, and probably for the rest of the year, but instead of being sad about it I feel strangely relaxed. I'm not setting myself deadlines, or stressing myself thinking I should be 'making the most' of this 'free time'. I'm just enjoying doing whatever I feel like, and I can't remember the last time I felt like that! I've made scrubs, laundry bags, clothes, cut a few lino blocks and done some stitching, but it hasn't felt like I've had to do it, and like the feeling. I've also had lots of new ideas for things to do which makes me wonder if maybe I freed up some space in my mind to let that happen. 
Whilst I look forward to things reopening and doing some of the things I miss I am presently loving taking things in my stride once again, and strongly resisting the suggestions to set myself a challenge to get xyz done.
​Am I weird or do others feel the same?

​Thanks for reading.
Judy Book
4/5/2020 02:29:38 pm

Thanks so much for posting the catalog link. What an amazingly creative group of work.

Jane Findley
4/5/2020 02:55:33 pm

Love the catalogue, what a shame we can't see them in reality.
I know exactly how you feel and somehow it is a great relief - it's so easy to climb on to a treadmill which crowds out our own thoughts!

Claire Passmore
6/5/2020 08:27:17 pm

Hi Jane
Thanks for your nice comments about the catalogue. It has been great working with these ladies - very inspiring. Hope all is well with you. xxx

Margaret Pratt
4/5/2020 03:24:51 pm

Hi Claire, yes it does change how one spends the time. Our pristine new sun room is now a nursery for plants for our son’s allotment. I thought I knew much about growing things but am learning new tricks. We have taken up table tennis, good for ankles, and registering to music with loved in our ‘’younger’ years. Just now we should be inSan Sebastian celebrating a big birthday both for me and my daughter-in-law. The weather is worse there, so that is a consolation! I have done some hand sewing and the first 4 journal quilts.....but not much inspiration.
It would be so good to dress up and go out just once.....but it looks like the oldies are in for a while.
Keep well, lots of love.

Alicia
4/5/2020 03:28:00 pm

I feel the same and I know a lot of people do too. We seem to need this time for reflection and to listen to the birds singing. Perhaps the new normal will involve less rushing around.

Claire Passmore
6/5/2020 08:28:26 pm

Hi Alicia

I certainly hope so. Perhaps a 'sign' to lead better lives!

magret
4/5/2020 09:14:44 pm

As always your blog is a pleasure to read and always interesting.
This one I enjoyed very much.
Its a great shame that the amount of work all the Ladies have put in to making such lovely pieces has to be put on hold, lets hope that the Exhibition can take place later in the year.

Fingers crossed that things will soon get back to normal, in the mean time Carry on Sewing.

Magret.x.

Claire Passmore
6/5/2020 08:29:25 pm

Hi Magret
Lovely to hear from you. Thanks for your message and comments. Hope all is well with you. xxx

DENISE
5/5/2020 05:28:19 am

Oui Claire, merci pour cette belle lettre qui exprime exactement ce que beaucoup ressentent.
Cette crise sanitaire nous fait prendre conscience de notre "liberté" perdue... et je crois que dorénavant, nous savourerons chaque moment, chaque instant. Ecouter un chant d'oiseau, voir tomber la pluie ou la neige, tout simplement rêver...
J'espère te retrouver en octobre...
Je t'embrasse - Denise

Wendy
5/5/2020 11:23:50 am

Certainly the pace of life has slowed down, not that I am more productive except in the baking department. Certainly when life gets back to normal[ if that ever happens] we will remember this and aim to relax more and appreciate the world around us.
If you ever print the catalogue, can I buy one. I really enjoyed seeing how each member of the group interpreted each challenge.

Claire Passmore
6/5/2020 08:31:02 pm

Hi Wendy
Great to hear about the baking. You know I have a very soft spot for cake!!!! Thanks for your encourgement re the catalogue - I think we will print some at some time, even if they are just for ourselves. I will be sure to reserve one for you. Hope all is well. Love Claire
x

Lydie
11/5/2020 01:03:49 pm

Claire
C'est toujours un plaisir de voyager sur ton blog ,j'ai beaucoup apprécie de feuilleter les catalogues ,de découvrir d'autres œuvres (Fran ,Ana Stéphanie et de toi ) et de mieux vous connaitre à travers elles .Merci
Je t'embrasse Lydie

Catharine (Kate) Honeyman
26/5/2020 10:11:21 pm

Yes I have been making coronavirus pinatas with origami spikes, sewing facemasks and gowns for healthcare workers and now attempting your gelli plate for adding texture to my quilts. I had no locust bean gum so I used a scant 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum to your original vegital recipe. It isn't setting up so great but I'll give it some time. I almost couldn't get it out of the pan at first.


Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture


    

    Click here if you would like to receive an e mail when I add a new blog post.
                       OR

    Follow my blog with Bloglovin
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Challenges
    Classes
    Colour
    Cool-ideas
    Courses
    Designing
    Doodling
    Dye
    Exhibitions
    Experimenting
    Festival-of-quilts
    Flower-bowls
    Gelli-plates
    Hanging-sleeves
    How-to
    Inspiration
    Line
    Lino Blocks
    Making
    Marbling
    Mending
    Mono Printing
    Mosaic
    New-products
    Purchasing
    Quilt Gallery
    SAQA
    Sew On The Go
    Sketchbooks
    Software
    Stencils
    Stitch
    Surface Design
    Talks
    Thread
    White Horses
    Workshops
    Yarn Bobming

    Archives

    December 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.