🌿 Community Nature Quilt 🌿
with Lavender Hope
During the summer of 2024, I worked with Lavender Hope’s Monday afternoon art group in Tulse Hill to help them make a Community Nature Quilt.
Earlier in the year, the group received a donation of two large bags of mixed fabrics. Alex, the group facilitator, asked me for help in creating a collaborative artwork that would reflect their ongoing theme of nature.
✂️ 🧵 🌿
From start to finish, I guided them through the process of creating a design using paper cut-outs, learning appliqué and chain-stitch techniques, and reimagining their designs in fabric.
“I enjoyed us coming together as a community to create an art piece. It was a lovely social activity. It was a helpful distraction when I was feeling anxious.”
“It was a great communal session, and felt good working in a group. I Used sewing skills I'd long forgot I knew.”
“It was very relaxing and educational too. I found it very therapeutic when I felt stressed, and very enjoyable to be making a quilt with others. Natasha was very encouraging and supportive, and so pleased to have learned some sewing skills that I can do at home as well.”
“I loved the community aspect of working together on a shared project that we can all enjoy and feel proud of; I loved learning new sewing skills and quilt-making techniques; I loved the relaxing and calming effects and the patience sewing helped me practice.”
“My creative juices have been flying, and it has helped relieve my stress in a family crisis.”
You could really feel the sense of community and achievement as each week passed. With various skill levels within the group, everyone came together and helped each other out, ensuring nobody was getting left behind.
✂️ 🧵 🌿
I am particularly fond of this project and the group because it was my first community quilting project. I recently returned to deliver the quilt to the group, and I was met with the warmest welcome, big smiles, and a lovely community lunch. Thank you for making me feel special.
Big Love ❤️ Natasha
Community Partner
Lavender Hope
Project Dates
06/2024 - 08/2024
Project Stats
👉🏽 It took 3 months to make
👉🏽 We had 8 group sessions
👉🏽 We had 9 hardcore members of the group who came 2 times or more.
Special Thanks To
Alexandra Arad
Earline Hilde