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Creative Mystery Challenge

We Carry
by Sara Snuggerud in Archives

Last year a friend asked if I wanted to participate in a mystery challenge. “Sure,” I said, more honored that I was asked than what the mystery challenge was really about. The first step was to select eight fat quarters and return them to her in a bag. Also to be included with the fat quarters was a short description of me, what my favorite things were, and any other fun, important information. My description was, “This South Dakota girl still has a California, palm trees swaying in a warm breeze, sand between her toes, heart.” As I selected fun bright colors I am thinking all along we would be doing a quilt of some kind…

After a couple weeks, a pretty pink Victoria Secret box arrived from our challenge leader, Kay, with the next step. To my surprise, my selected fabric had been transformed with fusible web and Timtex into delightful 8” squares!

(At this point, the idea of making a quilt was completely out the window!) The next step was to finish off the raw edges of each square as desired and to insert holes/grommets/buttonholes along the side or sides to later hook all the “pages” together. Again, at this point I was not exactly sure of what the final outcome would be.

I selected the Bernina bias binder to bind the edges. Boy! Did this work slick! I starched each of my binding fabrics, cut them into bias strips, and bound the four edges of my “pages”. I chose to insert two grommets along the left side of each page to form a book-like finish. Again, I was not sure exactly how this would turn out. The pretty pink boxes were again returned to our leader, this time with a picture included ?!?!?! as requested. (Hopefully, the picture was not for any future blackmail – but I played along.)

Upon opening my box the next time, I did not find my fabrics and pages, but pages of 10 other people that Kay had gathered into this mystery challenge! The next step was to decorate as desired the “pages” of 10 other people based on their written descriptions. We had 6 months to complete this step.

I promptly pinned each of the blank pages to my design wall in hopes that ideas would pop into my head of what to do each time I walked into my sewing room and saw them hanging there. I also pinned up each of their descriptions to read from time to time.

Months 2 – 5 went by and the deadline was approaching. (Boy, how fast time flies!) Somewhere along the way, I had decided on selecting fun, appropriate sayings to embroider for each person based on their personalities. Each saying was embroidered on fabric that would complement each of the pages and then appliquéd to the pages in the shape of a heart. Some of the sayings I selected were:

“For me, it’s always easy to choose between the Ultimate, the Infinite and the Chocolate!”
“Love doesn’t make the world go ’round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.”
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead were there is no path and leave a trail.”
“Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise.”
“The older you get, the more important it is not to act your age.”
“That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet.”
“Children are the most expensive form of entertainment.”
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
“Love is not a matter of counting the years but of making the years count.”

On Saturday, November 24, 2007, we all arrived at Kay’s house for a group swap. How fun it was to see the entire table full of pretty pink Victoria Secret boxes! After eating, chatting and laughing, we finally were ready to reveal our pages. One by one, we each opened our boxes, explained a little of what had inspired us to do what we had done and then we handed to each person their personal page. The next hour was full of ohhs, ahhs, giggles, more laughing, and even some laughing with tears from laughing so hard!

Each person had done something totally different! The creativity was so diverse from one page to the next. Some people used scrapbook items, others used fabric and decorative stitches, lots of glitz was used and everything in between. I was overwhelmed by everyone’s translation of my description on my returned collection of pages. These were my little treasures to keep!

Kay also added pictures and commentary to her website about this challenge. Click here to see and read more.

Some days during the challenge, when I was overwhelmed by work, I wondered to myself why I had said “yes” to participating. I didn’t have time for this! I had so many other things to do! But when it was all said and done, I not only was happy to have reached inside of myself to make time to be creative, but I was ecstatic with the outcome! Here are some other pictures of some of the other people’s pages. Please click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Making time to be creative is one of the hardest parts of sewing. These days we want projects that are quick and easy and that can give us the instant satisfaction of finishing something. Over indulging in quick projects can eventually lead to sewing boredom. Are you bored of sewing? Do you need to add a little spice to your sewing life? Then Heirloom Creations has exactly what you are craving!

Starting Thursday, February 21, 2008, please join us for a new creative outlet called CREATIVE ARTS! We have developed 10 specialized creative hands-on 2 ½ hour sessions to help you explore new and different sewing techniques throughout the year. Each Creative Arts session will feature everything from fabric weaving, painting, dying, beading, working with Angelina fibers and much more! There will be both a morning and evening sessions offered on the 3rd Thursday February through November 2008. Watch for fun “outdoor summertime sessions” to be announced!

By sampling some of these new creative avenues, you can translate them into anything from artist trading cards, journal quilts, Priority Quilts (quilts that are 8” x 10”), home decor items, a quilt or nothing at all. There will be no particular “finishing” rules; we are only facilitating the opportunity to try new techniques. You can choose your own use for these new creative avenues. Fee: $20, limited seating. Call now to reserve your seat!

Upcoming Topics:

February – Fabric Weaving

March – Vintage Elegance

April – Working with Angelina Fibers

May – November Topics TBA
Is it time to experience something new? Set this year aside to get out of your sewing rut! We have many classes including Sewtopia Sewing Club, embroidery classes, and sewing machine mastery classes that can do just that!

And the next time someone invites you to be part of a sewing challenge, don’t think, just say “YES”!

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