One of the outfits I'm making for my holiday is a white top with black polka dots paired with black pants with white bicycles. I cut out one of the bicycles and started to make a pendant and then decided it would be fun to make each of us a bike brooch. There are fourteen in the class including myself and the two instructors.
Monday night, I had an oven full of bikes. I like the way the bike can symbolize moving forward in a leisurely way. One instructor will be demonstrating textile art techniques and has asked us to bring black and white fabrics and threads. The other instructor will be demonstrating creative clothing techniques. Yesterday, I applied pattern tissue to the back of the brooches to represent the clothing. It's a fun way to focus my excitement to get going.
This grey top is part of another outfit. It's a double knit. I used the version of my T & T pattern that is more roomy because the fabric is thicker and I didn't want it to feel sausage-like. It didn't. I had to take the sides in significantly. It's going to be interesting trying on all my clothes the week before I leave to see if any more adjustments are needed.
The sleeves are from McCall's 7836. The pattern has the sleeve cap cut on and lots of ease. I wanted a set-in sleeve with less ease so I used my usual sleeve cap and the bottom portions of the pattern. Once they were sewn, I eliminated the cuffs. They felt very constraining. Instead, I created a casing, added 1/4" elastic, and now it's a 3/4 length bishop sleeve.
I am pairing the top with a colourful skirt that has a bit of gold sparkle. It's made using OOP V9860 with an elastic waist instead of the ribbed band. I've made this pattern several times and it's very comfortable. The whole outfit should be cozy, which is good, since it's supposed to rain seven of the eight days I'm there. I'll add a colourful necklace, tights, and fun shoes.
Instead of sleeping soundly, at 1:30 Tuesday morning I was cleaning the studio. Monday had been a rough day and I couldn't sleep. I've been feeling overwhelmed by how much stuff I'm generating with the jewelry, buttons, and beads and overwhelm was rapidly moving to panicking. This month alone, I've made over forty sets of buttons and half that in beads and probably have thirty to thirty-five necklaces. As it piled up, I was getting more and more anxious and the joy was sapping out of the making. Creativity should be joy filled not joy sapping.
The friend that I'm doing the 100 day project with sent an email saying how much she was enjoying learning to draw and water colour paint. I replied that I've never been interested in drawing but have always been fascinated with abstract painting and collage. More than once... or twice... or three times, I have bought all the supplies and then given them away for one reason or another.
In my journal time, I'm studying Amy McLaren's book Passion to Purpose. To identify directions to move in, she suggests looking at comments you hear yourself making like the one I wrote to my friend, that they may hold a message you've been overlooking. Having read her suggestion shortly before emailing my friend, the two thoughts clicked. Why did I keep buying supplies but never studying painting?
Instead of sleeping soundly, at 1:30 Tuesday morning I was cleaning the studio. Monday had been a rough day and I couldn't sleep. I've been feeling overwhelmed by how much stuff I'm generating with the jewelry, buttons, and beads and overwhelm was rapidly moving to panicking. This month alone, I've made over forty sets of buttons and half that in beads and probably have thirty to thirty-five necklaces. As it piled up, I was getting more and more anxious and the joy was sapping out of the making. Creativity should be joy filled not joy sapping.
The friend that I'm doing the 100 day project with sent an email saying how much she was enjoying learning to draw and water colour paint. I replied that I've never been interested in drawing but have always been fascinated with abstract painting and collage. More than once... or twice... or three times, I have bought all the supplies and then given them away for one reason or another.
In my journal time, I'm studying Amy McLaren's book Passion to Purpose. To identify directions to move in, she suggests looking at comments you hear yourself making like the one I wrote to my friend, that they may hold a message you've been overlooking. Having read her suggestion shortly before emailing my friend, the two thoughts clicked. Why did I keep buying supplies but never studying painting?
When I thought about switching to 100 days of abstract painting, it seemed so much more manageable. It required minimal supplies and virtually no storage space and the beginner-paintings didn't need to be sold at some point. Because of those factors, it would be more fun creatively without the overwhelm. I don't currently own a lot of quality painting supplies, just cardstock and folk art paints. And that's good. No worries about wasting. I just want to play.
Inside that plastic container is a package of 250 sheets of heavy cardstock. ALL of my 100 paintings will fit in there with room to spare. It's highly unlikely any of them will be a masterpiece since I don't have a clue what I'm doing but they can all become collage papers useful down the line. I call that a win-win.
I went to bed once all the jewelry supplies were out of the studio and into the hallway. As I moved everything out, the space expanded and I could breath again. Yesterday, I sorted. Two banker's boxes and two paper grocery bags are going to the thrift store. Some things were thrown away and some were recycled. Two boxes of polymer supplies are going into the crawlspace and all of the metalworking tools are back out in the garage. It's a positive shift. I'm feeling calmer and excited to learn something new. YES YES!
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - breathing room
I went to bed once all the jewelry supplies were out of the studio and into the hallway. As I moved everything out, the space expanded and I could breath again. Yesterday, I sorted. Two banker's boxes and two paper grocery bags are going to the thrift store. Some things were thrown away and some were recycled. Two boxes of polymer supplies are going into the crawlspace and all of the metalworking tools are back out in the garage. It's a positive shift. I'm feeling calmer and excited to learn something new. YES YES!
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - breathing room
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