The Intersection of Design & Motherhood
Yesterday I was daydreaming about taking a class. It’s been awhile and I’m having a real craving to be a student. If I could pick, I would attend a Potholder Rug class at Alchemy Initiative. I have been admiring Crispina’s potholder rugs for ages and ages. I would feel so lucky to get to actually make one.
Are you enrolled in any classes? Do you wish you were? What would you take?
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My name is Gabrielle Blair. I'm a designer and mother of six. We currently live in a farmhouse in the French countryside. I post on where design and motherhood intersect.
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
I really want to take a photography course and get really good at taking awesome photos! But that rug is incredible! I just want to see what it feels like to walk on it. :)
Now I want to make a loom and do a rug right here in my dining room. Actually, I would take it to the studio. Denim. That would be mine. And then a leaded glass class.
I would love to take a knitting class. I’ve been dreaming about taking one since this winter when I read a novel about knitting. Maybe do a hat for each of my babies… Perhaps one day I’ll find the time to sign up! Otherwise, I know your urge to be a student. LOVE the rug class! Imagine having that rug in your living room, and saying to your visitors, “I made that!”
yep, two at the moment – graphic design [the big degree :D] and computing. best part is, i love them both! i think it’s best to learn something and do something you love!
p.s.: can i just say, i love this new “reply” post system on your blog!! way more interactive :) i’ve got two replies from you so far haha XD
Wow… that’s a pretty awesome rug… I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for braided rugs, but this is amazing.
I’m actually signed up for a woodworking class this summer. I have a dreadful fear of the table saw due to a bad experience in college, but I’ve had the itch to build a few items after following knock-offwood.com for a bit so I’m trying to get over it. And in the fall I’m signing up for an upholstery class; I have about ten items in our home waiting to get a “make-over”. Can you tell we just moved into a new house? ;-)
oooo potholder rugs!!
I would LOVE to take a class again. I’m thinking of signing up with my mom for beginner’s oil painting.
I’m not taking any classes, but I have a whole list I’d love to take, including photography, cake-making, and history. Right now schooling my three kids feeds that flame for me – I think I often learn more than they do.
I love that rug – it would look great with my red sofa!
Before I sign up for any classes I feel that I should first finish my degree in journalism. I am planning on enrolling part time next Spring semester.
In the meantime, I’ve considered anything from graphic design courses, acrylic painting, cake making, sewing, etc. Now that I think about it, I might look into taking a summer class while I’m home waiting for baby to arrive.
I LOVE being a student and have talked with my husband about having a weekly “mom’s night out” so I can be in school even when we have kids. Some people do cocktails, I want to do a classroom.
yay for education! I just went back to school this year for architecture and I’m back into art + design big time. I’m taking a community ed ceramics class this summer and I can’t wait until it starts. I wish I had the $$ to take glass blowing but it gets expensive. Someday.
Finally taking a letterpress class this saturday. I would have loved to take Jordan’s class, but since I live in Utah that’s just not feasible. Plus I’m hoping to take some graphic design classes this summer. I love taking classes. I wish I would have taken more creative classes in college.
I’ve been taking a food writing class. So incredibly fun. I love taking courses and learning new skills (I hear it’s the secret to keeping your mind young).
I would LOVE to learn how to make a potholder rug! So colourful and cozy!
One day, I hope to take a quilting class at Purl Soho in NYC. I think that’s a great excuse to go for a visit … don’t you?!
I would take a photography class. We have a really nice camera but I’m not 100% sure how to use/work everything on it!
I dream of taking all sorts of classes – pottery, woodworking, writing, pastry making, upholstery, spanish….I always tell myself I don’t have the time but that just means I won’t MAKE the time I guess. I must be lazy because when I saw that rug, I didn’t think “I could make that”, I thought, I would love someone to make that for me!
That rug looks incredible! I love taking classes too. During the fall and winter I take a community ed woodworking class (it’s not offered in the summer). It’s just so satisfying to make something with your hands.
My favorite project that I’ve made so far is the crib I built for my son: http://thenearestfuture.blogspot.com/2010/04/crib-i-made.html
I agree that learning new creative skills is so satisfying! If I could take a class right now I would learn better photography skills to capture my little guys every move, and also needle felting which looks really fun and probably easy with the right materials.
I just started getting my MBA. While it is exhausting (night classes after working all day) it is also stimulating. I love learning something new – even if it is statistics. I feel like I’m finally taking the hard classes I skipped in my undergrad — and conquering!
I love Crispina’s work & wrote an article about here for HandEye Design magazine:
http://handeyemagazine.com/node/160
Learn more!
I am in my last year of law school – so I am still part of the school adventure – but I love it. I am taking a mediation course right now and have really liked mediating in small claims court (fascinating people watching, better than daytime TV anyday) and hope to do family mediation someday.
I would love to take another foreign language – like French, Arabic, or Portuguese – also ditto the knitting (I crochet), and would love to take piano again so I can sit down and play musicals.
I take tap dance every year. Runs from September to May. We just had our recital a few weeks ago. You can see some of our “work” here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bedaiss
I absolutely love it. We have so much fun and get some exercise. The gals in my classes have become some of my greatest friends.
I’d also love to take a few quilting classes. Maybe a photography class once I get my dSLR.
I crave going to college — or at least a few classes. I just can’t decide what I want to be “when I grow up”! For now though, I’m content with taking care of my precious kiddos.
I’ve been taking photography e-classes. They improve my photography skilz and inspire me to look at things differently.
Oh. My. Gosh.
I love the pot holder rug. An excellent idea!
Wow! I’d for sure take this class with you! hee hee
Love the rug! I would really like to know how to make one!!!!
I plan to enroll in a photography class this summer. I am having to wait due to getting the camera for my birthday. Can’t start the class without the camera….This is something I have a passion for. I hope to do something with the knowledge I get from it. This rug is amazing… I would love to try my hand and making one too. If he would just finish this one and let me stretch out on it for a little while, well that would work for me too…
Goodness that would take a LOT of Tshirts..but would be so fun too! Just doing a round braided rug with my daughter has taken more old Ts than I thought it would!
If I could take a class right now, it would be fiber dyeing with natural dyes (and how to make the natural dyes)
I live in Missouri, USA. I would love to take a pottery class. It would be particularly cool to use a pottery wheel! Do you think the potholder rug is made using a custom weaving frame? I’m wondering if I could figure this out for myself.
hello i live in australia and would love to know how to make a pot holder rug. is there a website i can go on to learn or tutorials blessings to you Debra
I would love to know the instructions on making the potholder rug. I love the looks of that!!!
Please share your talents.
Chris
I made a pot holder rug when my now 35 year old son was an infant. I used the loom kids make pot holders with and wove them together. It makes a very nice, colorful nursery rug!