Scholarships for this year
Thank you for all your interest, the scholarship applications are now closed. The selected candidates will be notified by email before the opening of registration.
Last year when I announced my scholarship opportunities I said this has been something I have wanted to do since I began these retreats. It felt good to put that thought into action. Launching into my sixth year of these outings (Holy Cow! How times flies…!) I am beyond gratified and honored by the response these retreats have received. I started them as a way to share my practice of Making with others beyond my immediate circle. I am beyond proud of what they have grown into, and profoundly heartened by the people I have met along the way. They have always been a very personal venture for me, shaped by my beliefs and joys both. I say somewhere on my website, that I truly believe that few things cannot be improved, or solved, or at least endured, by spending some time stitching. It would be grand if we could stitch our current president out of office, along with his party, or cool the heated world and it’s fires with some quilting. I have no illusions in that area. However, I do believe, and have experienced, that ideas and solutions and direction can come when you give yourself some time to sit quietly and stitch. It frees the mind just enough to allow deeper thoughts to bubble up and entertain themselves. I feel I am doing my small (soooo small) part in helping out the universe by creating these spaces for you lovely humans to feel safe and allow your minds to explore where they will. This state of being is something I feel to be desperately needed in these times, and so I will continue to produce these retreats as long as I can.
The mechanics of putting the retreats together has taken some trial and error, and some financial thrusts and parries. After last season I had to be realistic and put Slow Fashion on hold in order to keep it from draining my resources, and dampening my ardor for the subject. This is not to sound dire or critical of any of the previous outings of that retreat. I loved each and every one of them deeply, and I am inordinately proud of how they came together, and what came from them. I still believe in that subject matter deeply. Just in the last couple of days, after a couple of knitting and sewing sessions (!) I have had a bit of insight as to how Slow Fashion will return as a retreat. So for those who sew garments, bare with me, I am working on it!
With the continued vitality of Slow Stitching I decided to expand it, both in length and opportunity. Two sessions allows more flexibility in offerings and timing for interested stitchers. I hope you have seen something that works for you and you will join us this Summer! This situation allows me to, again, offer two scholarships for each outing of Slow Stitching. I know that the price for these retreats is beyond the reach of many folks, and that bothers me. The urge to Make is human, elemental, it is not limited to any social group, any race, gender, identification, or ability, it is for us all. I know this is a teeny, tiny drop in a very big bucket, but it is an action I can take to try and open the door a little wider. It has always been my goal to be more inclusive not less, and though the cost of my retreats by their nature are unreachable for some, I can make that a bit better by offering a place at the table for two individuals for each retreat.
To apply for these scholarships I will ask you to fill out an online form here. Share with me what Making means to you, and why you would like to come to my retreats. Tell me as much as you like about the circumstances that make attending these retreats difficult. Do send me images of any work you feel like sharing, be that fiber based or other. Do you write? Take photos? Sing? Garden? I’d love to hear a little bit about your passions. Applications will close on Sunday February 9th at 5:00pm EST. I will take a couple weeks to read over submissions and make a decision before registration opens. The selection of these scholarship positions will be private to me and the recipients, that is unless they feel like talking about it. Once they are notified, and accept, scholarship recipients will go into the registration rolls like all the other attendees.
A few more details:
The scholarship will include all instruction, housing, and meals.
You’ll need to take care of your own transportation to and from the retreat, as well as any supplies required for the workshops.
Please don’t apply if attending is within your means. I know the cost is still a stretch for many, but I seek to reach folks who really couldn’t come in normal circumstances.
Tell me as much or as little as you like about yourself. These retreats are about connecting, I like to know who you are! But do try and be succinct, this is not the moment for your magnum opus… Try and tell me what you think is important for me to know about you in a condensed form…?
To reiterate, these scholarships will be known only by myself and the recipients. If the individuals choose to share their selection that is totally up to them. But they will not designated as such to the public.
I thank you for reading. I thank those who choose to apply. I thank the universe that I am able to offer these opportunities. I look forward to reading the applications…. Come, Summer!
A completely unexpected situation came about last year when previous attendees sent me funds to offset materials and travel costs for scholarship recipients. I was stunned, and a bit overcome by this generosity. Although, honestly, the people who come to these retreats are just THE BEST PEOPLE EVER, so I don’t know why I was surprised…. If this is something you would like to do, you can send me a check at AGOS, 2 Main Street, 18-214, Biddeford, ME 04005. Or send me funds through Paypal at info@agatheringofstitches.com. I will divide whatever I receive equally between all four scholarship recipients so they can use the funds to help get to the retreats. Thank you in advance for any generosity you feel like sharing!
