As I struggled a little bit putting together more of the reversible quilt this afternoon, I realized I was whiny yesterday about my tiny space. Nobody ever promisd me I could have it all. But I read quilters' magazine and quilters' blogs and look at their fantastic studios or work spaces and the blue eyes turn green and I start muttering, woe is me! Alas, I lack -- yes. I do. 'nuf said. I'm embarrassed and ashamed of whining about it for two reasons.
#1. Paula Nadelson. I don't know Paula Nadelson but I do know her magnificent kalidoscope quilts and I've heard her speak. She said -- this was many years ago, I don't know if it's still true but it may be -- that she lives in an apartment in the Bronx with her family and has so little space for her quilting that boxes of fabric are stacked under the dining table and when she works on top of the dining table people have to eat elsewhere. I promised myself when I heard that to always think of what wonders she creates under those conditions and never, never feel sorry for myself. At least I live alone and inconvenience no one but myself and most of my fabric is stashed away in a closet. I have yet to make even one quilt as complex and totally creative as the many for which she has become famous. I tried to find a website so I could put a link here but Google let me down.
#2. When I think about those lucky women out there is the land of individual houses, however suburban or rural, I have to think, too, this is well considered trade off . They do not have some dozen fresh fruit and vegetable venders within walking distance, they do not have excellent bakeries on that same walk. They do not have the Metropolitan Museum with its astonishing treasury of art also within walking distance, nor Central Park, the Museum of Natural History and Lincoln Center, never mind, a ton of movie theatres and the most fascinating street life in America. They do not have New York bagels!
So, I'll stop whining and figure out how to cope. The quilt is coming together and I'm liking it a lot, what more should I want?
7 years ago
3 comments :
Yup. I too have studio envy. I have taken over the dining room and three cabinets there, a whole bookcase and large closet upstairs, have appropriated the hall for hanging the end results and have a trestle table and bookcase for my painting space in the garage. And am I satisfied?. Oh no. I want a converted barn please. With minstrel galleries at either end to accomodate a handstiching lounge and guest balcony. I also need a wet studio wing and floor to ceiling glass windows over the water view. And yes actually I do know that some people don't even have a roof over the heads. Doesn't stop me being a greedy greeneyed quilter! (stops me actually spending the cash on more space though).
Helen, can we go halvsies on an extra large barn and share it? You can have the ocean view side, I'll take the mountain view side.
'Studio envy!' Love the term. Every once in a while I must admit to the same. But then I think about what getting a larger place would mean--no fenced patio for my cats, bigger rent, higher energy costs, more space to clean--I come back to earth. I may not have the work space I would like but I have done some nice work in the space I have.
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