Tap Dancing In My Head

The links bar on some blogs shows a small image. It's whichever picture comes first in the linked to blog. To use that feature as a marketing tool, I would place my most colourful or most intriguing image first as a hook to tempt readers by whispering come visit me.

The first image in today's posting is grey. It's not colorful nor that intriguing in postage size. Yes, I'd like readers to come, visit, and enjoy my blog however, while marketing was a huge part of my career, it's not where I'm at right now.

I've been watching over the months as Gertie has positioned herself. Consciously, or possibly subconsciously, she has appeared to me to be building a path to what I call being a big name. It came as no surprise earlier when she announced her pending book nor yesterday when she announced her teaching. I'm happy for her and so glad it's not me.

Just thinking about the energy needed to build and sustain that career makes me tired. Instead, I have reached a milestone of my own this week. A book idea has been tap dancing in my head for months, demanding to be written. It wouldn't leave me alone. And then, it stopped dancing. Not because I'm no longer intrigued with the idea - I am - however, through the blog I can write, teach, share, and inspire with the bonus of something to wear immediately and without the stress or expense of producing products, without putting "they" before "me", without deadlines, and especially without the constraints a focused subject puts on my creativity. I've come to realize that that is good and enough.




Right now, I'm intrigued with refashioning and with lingerie. If I were writing a book on a different subject, these would go on the back burner. When I was creating textile art, I was not sewing fashions. When I was creating textile art for a workshop, book, or exhibit, I had to ignore any other creative ideas that whispered come play with me. There wasn't time to explore them.

I'm aware that I live a fairytale life right now and that it will change significantly when I get a job, however, even so, it is wonderful to explore creativity without obligation and to then share it with those who are interested. Blogging works fabulously as a method of personal sharing. Not being in business, I can let go of other popular, must do, marketing ideas like Twitter or Facebook that don't intrigue me in the least. I don't have to do that. I'm not on that path anymore. YES YES.




In the back image, the white line at the top of the pleat is chalk. It'll wash out later. The neckline looks casual and soft. It's stabilized to hold that look. I fused a strip of the sweater fabric to interfacing, cut it 3/8" wide, zigzagged over it several times to firm it up, and then pinned it behind the fold of the collar and around the back of the neck 3/4" down. It's zigzag stitched along each edge although it's nearly invisible because of the texture of the sweater.




The clasp is like a giant hook and eye. There are three holes on each side between the curling design where it's stitched on like a button. I was surprised at how inexpensive it was - $2.50.




While Sharon was here yesterday, I worked on another bra using a Chinese brocade. Technically, you can sew a bra out of any fabric you'd like as long as the cup is firm and shaped and the band is stretchy. In reality, you'd need to make some changes to make that work. For one, I'd need to add an inch to the band to give it additional stretch to make up for the lack in the front. I can barely do it up.




The cup would need to be ever so slightly bigger. It fits however, the bust is confined to its shape as opposed to filling in a fabric with a bit of stretch. Instead of smooth and sleek, I look bumpy and compressed. There are no more firm fabric bras in my future even though it's gorgeous. There are also...




... no more pictures of bras on me in my future. After seeing what Kyle pulled up on the Internet the other day, even though those images are headless, I've decided that Millicent can do all my lingerie modeling. I tried to think of who I could give this bra to but most of my friends have a larger ribcage than mine. They would need to be about a 32 C or D.

This morning, a Christmas breakfast with Francine, a few errands at Wal-Mart, and then home to do a super clean in the kitchen. I want to wipe down the cupboards, clean out the fridge, see what's missing in the pantry, make a list for grocery shopping on Monday, and have it all nice and neat, ready for Christmas.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - reaching a new stage and awareness in the de-commercialization of my creativity