Have you seen my Mojo? It seems to have gone on holiday – together with my “round tuit” and “good intentions”. However, I think they’ve just sent me a postcard telling me they’ll be home soon.
I haven’t blogged for quite some time – I didn’t feel as though I was contributing anything worth reading. As most will know, I’m a co-ordinator for Project Linus Stockton on Tees and regional co-ordinator for the North East & Cumbria. Through my involvement I have met the most amazing people and made firm friendships. The wonderful ladies that sew for our monthly workshop – sew4linus- just get quietly on with making mountains of quilts and items for our fundraising. Our group is filled with friendship and laughter and has developed into something our committee could never have imagined when we started out five years ago. Writing about this each month, didn’t seem relevant to anyone outside of our group.
So, you may ask – what has inspired me to write a blog now? Perhaps because we have all had to put our lives on hold in ways we could never have imagined. Many of us will have started out enthusiastically exercising with the Green Goddess and Mr Motivator – my daughter has even kindly sent me a link to Jo Wicks workout for seniors! We’ve taken online courses and joined in various sew alongs.
However, as we know enthusiasm wanes when our normal routines are disrupted for too long. We have to be thankful for the technology that keeps us in touch with friends and family via Facetime and Zoom – but when gatherings are missed with family and friends, it’s not long before we find it hard to get on with our hobbies.
Personally, I’ve spent the last 6 months making, sewing and planning for our daughters wedding, which should have been Easter Saturday. It’s likely we will not see our Grandson on his first birthday and his Baptism will have to wait. I was also ready to open a craft hub – the paint hadn’t even dried on my little unit when lockdown started.
Then I watch the news and see the selfless acts of heroism by our incredible NHS staff and all of the key workers and care workers and feel humbled and guilty for feeling selfish.
After a lifetime of crafting and sewing, my Mojo had gone. It needs a purpose and currently all outlets are in lockdown. Luckily I have an amazing network of quilting friends both locally and countrywide. We hold each other up on our darker days. We all feel as though we want to contribute to our NHS using our sewing skills and there is some amazing work going on by groups making scrubs and bags. My local hospital is in the enviable position of having a plentiful supply of official PPE, so I couldn’t contribute there. Then my good friend Lynda Jackson started making quilts that she intended to gift to nursing staff when we are on the other side of this lockdown . I said that’s a great idea – are you going to start a group? So I and some other friends were roped in and Quilts4Carers was born. If we could ask every quilter to make one quilt from their stash, then there would be enough to donate to every local hospital and gift to those staff that need counselling. Through Linus, I have seen the comfort a quilt made by a stranger and gifted with love can bring. Making a quilted hug for an adult will hopefully be needed and appreciated
My Mojo now has a new purpose and making quilts for both groups will hopefully stop it going on holiday too often. If your own Mojo is away just now, I hope it’s not too long until you too get a postcard, saying it will be home soon.
Stay safe x
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