Sometimes we get so comfortable doing what we are doing that we forget there are other ways to live. And create.

So, way back in July, I had one of those ‘pause’ moments when you look around you and wonder if you are really doing what you REALLY wanted. No, really. Now don’t get me wrong…I was wonderfully happy, running my Bernina Creative Center and teaching lots of creative stuff to lots of creative people, but I did miss the ‘Creative’ process.

“When in doubt, turn to social media” – Old Jungle saying.

So I posted this appeal on my Facebook timeline:

“HELP ! I am so engulfed with the ‘routine’ that I seem to have no time/opportunity for the truly ‘creative’. Am going to challenge myself to get out of this rut by attempting to create one small quilt a week. Those friends willing to give me a hand (or a swift kick) pls comment below. I will need the person I pick every week to send me pic for inspiration and then hound me for the next one-two weeks to keep tabs on my progress. The inspiration pic can be of absolutely anything – anything that catches your eye or means something or even just random stuff. Ready ? Let’s see who my real friends (who are jobless enough to be on FB) are. Volunteers please raise your hands in the comments below “

I even gave it a hashtag ! #PicForTina  #KickForTina

I had numerous offers to have my bottom kicked. What can I say, I have adorable, helpful friends ! But there were a few who did oblige and post some pics on my timeline to help trigger my creative thoughts and my thanks to all of them. I will try to take up each pic, one at a time, and stare at them long enough till they speak to me. I am good at that. Ask my family !

It was my fellow Bernina Ambassador, Pia Welsch, who was the first one to provide me a pic for inspiration. This one :

The movement in the pic set my brain a whirring and I, somehow, knew immediately what I was going to make. It would be a piece titled ‘Fate and Free Will’, that I knew; but how exactly I would do it, I didn’t know yet. I have always been intrigued by the concept of ‘Fate’ and ‘Free Will’ and have often wondered if either of them exist. This would be an experiment :).

Aiming for a palette inspired by the background in Pia’s pic and working with a self imposed rule of using only my stash, I dove straight into the scrap bin and quickly picked out a handful of tiny scraps. And then with no plan in mind and placing my entire faith in ‘Fate’, I randomly and very organically stared piecing them, wilfully paying no attention to what fabric/shape went next to which. This is what Fate handed me. Not bad, huh ?

Now on to stage two. The blue thread(?) lying in the pic seemed to me like it had a mind of its own and was contemplating picking itself up and making a run for it . So I gave it the Free Will to do just that !

Hahahaha! (I laugh the hardest at my own jokes!) Did you see what I did? FREE Will? Free WILL? Get it? Like WILL freed itself/himself of the shackles and rose? And for those who seriously cannot recognize Will Smith’s face, I also quilted in his name and an arrow pointing towards him !

Though I still chuckle everytime I see this mini quilt, sadly my twisted sense of humour was lost on most people. Oh well ! Its their Free Will and my Fate, I guess ! 🙂

I love attending Bernina workshops organised by our dear Mr.Ajay Gupta of Bernina India, and try to incorporate the skills acquired in my new projects. Here, I used Jutta Hellbach’s paper lamination technique for Will’s face, Kieko Ike’s technique for his body, Paramjeet’s FMQ  and Jenny Bowker’s facing techniques.

So that was the making of ‘Fate and Free Will. We do not choose our circumstances but are born into them. We have no control over external situations or the actions of others. All we can direct is ourselves, and our reactions. Set against a background of the landscape that Fate offers you, you pick up your cards and exercise your Free Will. Might as well do it joyfully and joyously.