teaching a blind student

[kusmaulk]

This is a 64 year old lady, blind since birth, who wants to make baby quilts and lap quilts with inspirational messages. She wants to sell these, as she has no job. She doesn't know how to write, so I suggested that we print the messages on fabric using a computer. She can knit and does plastic canvas projects. She lives alone with her two dogs, and has no means of transportation to get to my beginning quilting class. She has called several places to try to get someone to work with her, and all have turned her down.

I think she heard that I can't say no, so she called me. I told her that I think she can do a lot of the work by feel. I would like her to be able to get to my class, so I will see if we can get a carpool situation going when we start in September. Meanwhile, I have some fabric I can give her and will try to get her started.

She said that she got this idea in a 'vision' three years ago, and had almost given up on the idea.

Have any of you ever tried sewing with someone who can't see?

[MarieBrewer]

No, I haven't worked w/someone who can't see but as far as transportation goes, a lot of the time people in churches are willing to transport people around. Maybe things have gotten tight because of the cost of gas, I don't know.

[sewhappy]

Karol-

Can you contact a blind center near you? They can give you alot of advice on the best way to help and teach her. There are so many things we take for granted. They can give you alot of ideas and maybe even be willing to transport her to your classes!

I think it is wonderful of you to do this-I think it may be somewhat challenging but what a rewarding expierence! You are my new hero! Let us know how things work out.

Sewhappy

[dancingstitcher]

This quilt won an award at Paducah and the woman in the following photo used to be blind until she had surgery and can now see to do quilting. Speaking with her might give you more insight into how to teach someone who is blind.

I would think that doing tactile enrichment quilts would be a great direction for this woman. She would probably still need some support. Perhaps she could assemble tactile pieces onto individual blocks that could be put together into a baby/lap quilt size. I would think that hand work in the beginning would make this possible for her to quilt.

You might read any of the books by Joan Shay, "Petal Play" on three dimensional flowers using Heat 'n Bond Ultrahold and see if this appeals to your client. You might even contact her at joanshay@petalplay.com and see if she has ever worked with blind quilters.

Trapunto would be another very tactile technique that she could do. In which case solid fabrics in great colors would show her work nicely, be tactile to blind customers and also appealing to the sighted.

Good luck and know that anything you do to enrich and expand her life is valuable.

Vicki

[dancingstitcher]

Here's a photo of the woman who won an award at Paducah. Can you read her name tag? I'm sure that AQS knows her name because of her entry winning an award. She used to be blind and I'm sure can offer some help to you. To me it looks like Pat LaPierre from Lapierre Studio in Bass Harbor, Maine (? just trying to read her name tag). Pat's an adorable person by the way and I loved talking with her. You will too.

Vicki

[dancingstitcher]

Oh my gosh. I just discovered that this is Pat LaPierre who developed the Free Motion Slider. Check out her web site http://www.freemotionslider.com/about.htm. You'll see a photo of her. Apparently she goes south for the winter to Naples, Florida. I just bought one of her Free Motion Sliders and have yet to try it out. Sharon Schamber had them in her free motion class along with the heavy red plastic coated metal hoop to hold down the work and control the hand movement better. I'm sure you can find those on Sharon's web site or perhaps Pat carries those too.

Vicki