Row one was finished on Monday night. It forms center back. Adding to the left and the right, with each consecutive row I trimmed and pressed making permanent decisions. Instead of trying to control the seam allowances, I pressed horizontal ones in the direction that best showed off the stitching and let vertical ones go where they wanted to. Have you read my book Press for Success? It's all about taking control of the seam allowance. As you can see - LOL - I've changed.
Committed decisions - like trimming and pressing each row - force you to live with and work forward from the consequences of your choices. You can't change the decision you just made. You can only build on it. It's a given that you're going to hit a negative but the positive is that you'll stretch a few creative muscles resolving the issue.
That's the same way of working used with the Guatemalan napkins that were the starting point of the last purse project. I dyed, then painted, then glittered, then cut up, then satin stitched, and finally covered the fabric with red organza, stitched all over it, and was happy. Permanent decisions are a step-by-step process that utilizes our what if pondering skills as well as our innate design skills. It's a process that over the years has made me a better artist and - to my surprise - a better person.
Creating the patchwork required me to live in the present, to be happy right now, row by row, to create each row with the best arrangement of color, value, and texture and then accept that what is, is before the next and the next rows were added. The final fabric isn't perfect although it's perfectly wonderful and that's okay because everything that we make is an opportunity to learn and grow and develop our skills. The cardigan isn't finished yet either. There are still five more pieces to make and many more choices to explore. All of those choices build on, enhance, and even correct the choices made before them. Like life. YES YES!
As I mentioned before, this step-by-permanent-step way of working is not something I grew up with. It is an attitude I deliberately chose to learn, letting go of control, and embracing imperfection. Right now, I'm reading The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown who - quoting from her website - spent the past ten years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. Brené spent the first five years of her decade-long study focusing on shame and empathy, and is now using that work to explore a concept that she calls Wholeheartedness.
In the video above, Brené talks about her own journey away from control and perfection toward vulnerability and authenticity and how that decision made her life richer and more rewarding and became a legacy to pass on to her children. Before yesterday, I had never heard of this woman but I have certainly walked that same path and found that instead of detracting from life, the willingness to be wrong and to accept imperfection expands horizons. It takes a lot of work to maintain a lie and we all know that no one's life is perfect. The truth - that you are and can be imperfect - sets you free.
In the video, Brené talks about our need to connect and how important being connected is to Wholeheartedness. You've heard me say it before, that I believe life is about relationships. That's why I'm up at 5:00 this morning to meet a friend for coffee before she goes to work. Mornings are her only time to get together and - IMO - relationships are worth going out of your way for. I appreciate when people go out of their way for me but then again, my love language is quality time.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - surviving day one of fluff
I have read this post three times, and now on my way to pick up the Gary Chapman book. I need a virtual hug and a therapist :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting!