Living by God’s Grace
At University
I was a stay-at-home mum doing ordinary things stay-at-home
mums do, God wanted to change my life. I had always thought I
had no real skills. I regularly took the kids to the local sailing
centre. One day while I was in the centre, I saw an advert for City
and Guilds sewing and fashion course, at the local community
centre. I had been thinking I needed to increase my skills. I had
made a bridesmaid dress for my daughter, but I did not know how
to adjust it to make it fit her properly. I told my best friend about
this course and we signed up for it together. The course covered
lots of topics: from how to use a
sewing machine, learning about
different types of fabrics and how to
care for them, to following
commercial patterns to make
garments and how to make them
fit.
I put together my folder of work
samples and made a garment so,
passed the City and Guilds Exam.
As my daughter was still at Junior
School, I decided I would stay on
another year, learning some more
new skills like how to design, draw and cut out my own patterns.
I learned Batik and Tie-die; all the things I had wanted to know.
God still had more plans for me.
At the end of the year, we both went on to Southwark college to
study 2 A levels: Art, Textile Design. and a GCSE in Photography.
After the exams, I was encouraged to stay on for another year, to
do an Arts Foundation course. This involved, trying out different
art disciplines I could follow next: Graphic Design, Textiles or
Fashion, Fine Art, Woodwork or Metalwork. We also did Art
history, to learn about the different Art periods. It taught me how
to look at pictures and paintings properly, meaning, I could start
to enjoy going to art galleries with my husband Steve. Up to now,
I had kept away from art galleries, as I did not know what to
expect which he really loved going to.
I was still expecting I would follow Fashion (making garments,
etc.), but it turns out, I was best at textiles, working in 2d Design.
Suddenly, it made sense to me. I was more interested in the
design pattern and colour of the fabric, rather than the shape or
style of the garment.
God was still stretching me.
It was then I went on to University. It was not something I had
ever thought I could do as I have dyslexia and struggle to put
words on to paper and only got a maths O level and computer
studies, qualifications at school.
The first year of my course I went to Plaistow in east London. I
lived in south London at the time and went on public transport to
get there. I still had doubts and started off thinking I was not good
enough or too old but settled in very quickly. I loved printing with
bits and pieces such as making patterns with what I found: string,
leaves, cotton reels and feathers, etc. I had already learnt how to
silk-screen print earlier in
college.
We learnt all about
experimenting with size,
shape, texture and colour.
Making patterns with all the
things I did naturally, without
thinking. Documenting it all
afterwards.
I still thought I could not do
it. I was struggling. I did not
like to try out new things in case I failed. God was changing how I
thought about myself. He showed me most people learn through
failing, picking themselves up and trying again; this built up my
experience and changed my outlook on life. Along with all the
practical things, I had weekly reviews of my work. sharing
verbally with my fellow students.
Computers and the internet were
also studied. I had studied
computers at school. God
reminded me of the skills I had
learnt at school and building on
them for life in the changing world.
This meant I did not feel out of my
depth with it. I was able to go on
to learn and use Computer Aided
Design (CAD).
In the second year of my degree, the campus moved to a new
location. I was very unsure how to get there. God was still
challenging me and my fears. The first day back, the New Jubilee
Line opened its new station in Bermondsey, so I got there very
easily. God had answered my fears, I felt God say “Look, I am
here with you all the way, do not fear”. I did not take me too long
to find my way around the local area. I was learning about myself
and trusting God more and more.
I passed my degree.
God’s next adventure for me, was to join a local community-
based Arts group. They went into schools and tenant halls,
providing 6-to-12-week courses, on embroidery, knitting, crochet
and quilting. I was able to share my skills, meeting lots of people;
something I never dreamed I could do. God had changed me and
is still challenging me to go deeper with him and use the gifts he
has given me.
