The Creative Process: hunting and gathering ideas

The kids are back in school. My mom flew home after an absolutely wonderful week. I'm on my own again for the first time in months. Miracle of miracles - I have only one deadline coming up and it's not until mid-October. I think. I'd probably better double check on that.

So for the first time in years I've been thinking about sewing clothes. Just for fun. I have a collection of vintage sari's that I ordered from India off of Ebay. I kind of really love Ebay.  These came smelling like woodsmoke. It brought me up short for a minute - bringing home the fact that in many parts of the world life isn't nearly as convenient as it is for us with our easy electricity. Take a second to think how easy our lives are because of everything that happens around one of those little electrical outlets. Whew.

The Sari's are fine after a little trip through the wash. I always wash all my cloth before sewing with it - even wool and silk.  Then after the thing is made I might hand wash and lay it to dry but if it can handle a regular wash before it is made then it will be fine afterwards. 

There are a couple of spots where a little bit of the stitching came out of the hand embroidered piece (isn't it gorgeous) but I can repair or work around those as I wish.

As is my usual mode of operation, I think for a long time before I begin. It's my favorite part of the creative process. This time I've pulled out a bunch of patterns - they are all just a beginning. I almost never sew clothes without messing around with the design and the pattern.

I also went up to the attic and rummaged through all of my bins, pulling out all the neutrals. Cooking up some fun ideas for these as well. I keep thinking it would be wonderful to play around this year and actually USE UP some of the stuff that's been sitting up there forever.

Work In Progress: Rockstar Boro Skirt

More progress on the boro inspired skirt.

 

I've sewn down dyed vintage laces to cover the raw seams but haven't embroidered them yet.

At my current pace this project is going to be ongoing for years..... and years.

skirt front view - Lyric Kinard

 If you missed it - Melanie Testa inspired this project with a more true to form Boro project of her own.

If you haven't seen her new website yet - go check it out. It's GORGEOUS!

skirt back view - Lyric Kinard

 This will eventually be partially covered by more embroidery. I'm thinking this whole skirt will be a continual embroidered travel journal... which means the Disney Castle should show up next.

Here is a link to the previous progress posts for this project.

(I love alliteration - don't you?)

Tutorial: Sketchbook Slipcover

 Welcome to Artspark's third day of the Spring Tutorial Fling!

I love working with fabric and I love sketching. My sketchbooks want to be pretty on the outside - even if they are a mess on the inside.

If you'd like to make a sketchbook slipcover you'll need just enough fabric to wrap your book like a gift (mine is quilted to batting although that is not required.) You'll also need inside fabric that's just a little longer than the fabric you'll use for the outside of the slipcover.

And because I had just enough fabric left over I made a little pencil case. Melanie Testa has a tutorial here so you can make one of those too if you wish.

Make sure you don't miss the following tutorials from other Artspark members!

Spring wreath: Alisa Burke

Making a Faced Binding: Judy Coates Perez

Journal mapping: Jill Berry

Funky Purple Pants

Just for fun!

During the dye run a couple weeks ago I threw in several natural colored linen dresses and shirts that I don't wear any more. They all came from Goodwill so I never worry about ruining something I spent a lot of money on. They came out in lovely purples and I cut them up and combined them to make some funky purple pants. To match the fun tunic/vest that was a boring color before but no longer.

So - experiment - recycle - have fun - who cares about what's "in" fashion - create your own style! And (obviously) leave the housework till later!

You win a little, loose a little ...

So - I finally got the new screens uploaded to my website. Unfortunately I broke the whole site and spend hours trying to fix it. It's mostly better now. At least on the surface. I REALLY need to switch over to dreamweaver - can't afford it.

I had enough fabric to make three shorts, two dresses, and two tops for my little girl. The first skirt/dress combo was a disaster. Ugly, ugly, ugly - but she wore it anyway. I made another attempt today. This time doing the ruffles the old fashioned - pull the basting stitches - way. The out of control skirt was trying to use a fancy ruffling foot on my m

achine. I obviously don't know how to use it well.

Today's attempt was much better. Her favorite part is the button - which she wanted to hold and carry around rather than have me sew it onto her dress. ah well.