{"id":4876,"date":"2015-10-02T11:00:48","date_gmt":"2015-10-02T15:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=4876"},"modified":"2015-12-16T11:13:58","modified_gmt":"2015-12-16T16:13:58","slug":"free-youth-workshop-to-inspire-creativity-and-teach-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/free-youth-workshop-to-inspire-creativity-and-teach-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"Free youth quilting workshop to inspire creativity and teach skills"},"content":{"rendered":"

See the bottom of this post for an update on this program.<\/em><\/p>\n

Two local women want to show youth in our community that technology is about more than iPads and laptops, and they hope to inspire creative expression in the process. Terri Howell and Mary Spring received a $2500 District of Muskoka Pay It Forward grant<\/a> for their proposal to offer landscape quilting workshops free of charge to youth living in Muskoka\u2019s outlying areas.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe are using small, computerized sewing machines for the workshops,\u201d said Howell. \u201cIt\u2019s another form of technology other than video games and it gives them an outlet to express themselves creatively. Hopefully they come away understanding there are different ways to be creative than painting a picture, for example.\u201d Five sewing machines were purchased with the grant; the remaining funds will be used to purchase supplies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to teach a skill that many rural children don\u2019t have access to \u2013 it\u2019s no longer taught in school and if no one in their family sews they won\u2019t learn,\u201d said Howell, a quilter who began doing this free-flowing form of landscape quilting because she disliked the rigid rules of regular quilt-making. \u201cI call it no-rules landscape quilting. Once we\u2019ve taught the kids how to use the machine, the design and creative piece will be completely up to them. We\u2019ll just be there to provide support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lillian<\/a>

Lillian Bowman, 13, sews a landscape quilt<\/p><\/div>\n

The goal is for each participant to leave the workshop with a small, completed landscape quilt.<\/p>\n

Both Spring and Howell are retired teachers who recognize that kids in outlying areas may not have as much access to the programs available in town. As part of their grant application, they committed to providing workshops in more rural areas.<\/p>\n

The first two day-long workshops will run in Huntsville on public school P.A. days \u2013 October 9 at the Huntsville Train Station and November 20 at The Huntsville Public Library. A workshop is also planned at the Dwight Public Library in February. The program is being offered free-of-charge \u2013 participants only need to provide their own lunch.<\/p>\n

\"Lillian<\/a>

Lillian Bowman shows off her handiwork<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWe have space for eight to ten kids per workshop,\u201d said Spring. Pairs of participants will share a sewing machine for the day. \u201cAnyone age 11 to 14 is welcome, but we\u2019re really hoping to attract some boys. There are a lot of creative boys out there and this is a great project for them.\u201d Spring and Howell are also looking for adult volunteers to help provide sewing support during the day.<\/p>\n

Anyone interested in registering for the program can contact Terri Howell at tghowell54@gmail.com<\/a> or Mary Spring at forestbella12@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

UPDATE New classes have been added:<\/p>\n