SJP’s Gayle Smith uses her therapeutic hobby to keep her spirits up
St. James Place residents are finding new ways to keep themselves busy during the holidays. While some prefer baking, playing games or completing a puzzle, one resident has taken to a therapeutic art form.
Gayle Smith, 76, moved to St. James Place in 2019, bringing along her two sewing machines, embroidery machine, and a stock of fabrics to pursue her quilting passion. In her Evangeline apartment, Gayle has transformed one of her spacious bedrooms into a quilting room, which she penned the “Diva Den.” She has taken her long-time hobby of quilting and turned it into a form of self-expression.
“My quilting is me,” Gayle said. “It’s what I do for myself. I love being a wife, a mother and a grandmother, but when I’m in my Diva Den, I’m just me.”
Gathering inspiration from the wealth of information the internet offers, she looks to quilting blogs, Pinterest, and even out-of-state friends for new patterns and ideas. Gayle is always looking for new techniques and designs to try — and in fact, many of her creations are “learning quilts.”
Gayle recently finished her seasonal quilting project featuring Clebert Cocodrie, a Cajun-French character she created, that represents every month of the year. The 12 door quilts are proudly hanging in her Diva Den, with many requests for Gayle to host a quilt show at St. James Place to feature her designs.
But even with this possibility in the air, Gayle is not slowing down on her cotton quilt creations. She made a few Halloween and Thanksgiving designs to hang as decor, and since finishing Clebert Cocodrie, she’s gotten back to work on a queen sized Christmas quilt for her former daughter-in-law. Using applique and embroidery, she plans to complete the “Twas the Night Before Christmas” themed quilt by December 2021.
When Gayle is excited about a new project, learning something new or even the process as a whole, it’s like being “on a high,” making quilting a form of therapy and a way to lift her spirits any time of year.
“Quilting is like a holiday for me — whether it’s February, August or November,” Gayle said. “When I’m quilting, it’s the holidays all the time.”
Call us at 225-215-4510 to learn more St. James Place and schedule your free private tour today!