Most of my free time these past few months has been consumed
by art. I wish I could say I haven’t been
happier; I mean.. what artist is not giddy-excited to work away to their creative
contentment like some evil genius fashioning various devious things in their lab? Yet, those whom know me the best know that is
impossible, as much joy and excitement as it reaps it doesn’t breech the dark
places.
Recently I’ve started sewing. I got a brand-new Singer sewing machine
around May of this year. I gathered a
couple of books from Half Priced books, Barns and Nobles, and Michaels and a
yard or three of fabric from Joann Fabrics, with remnants from The Art Reuse
Center and other sources.
As a pup I dabbled in sewing. I turned what Barbies and dolls I had into a
make shift manger scene by sewing scraps of material and lace together. The famous matel doll so oddly proportioned,
I opted sewing the garments directly on to the doll. I remember working with my Grandmother and
bits of materials and felt. Her picnic
style sewing basket was a treasure trove of trinkets, vintage spools and other
wonders. My Grandmother always threaded
the needle for me. My knots were
ineffective, but so was all of my stepmother’s ‘wisdom’ as I would later learn.
In middle school I recall taking a sewing class. I recall using a machine but knowing little
more than how to raise and lower the foot, hot to direct the material and how
the petal worked. My mother bought me
fabric with cats on it, and then a reindeer project, neither of which ever got
accomplished and are still waiting to be worked on. We had intended on using a machine to create
some wonderful things, but the tree never sprouted very far.
I have a number of ideas and the various fabrics I have past
and present are delicious treasures
waiting to be shined up and displayed.
My first shot was making a palm-sized furry brown rabbit. Then came there hunched werewolf, the rainbow
polar bear with magnetic feet, the baby seal, the swirled panda and lastly, a
machine embroidered gold silk scarf. The
panda bear is not finished yet, tho nearly so.
I tempted to machine stitch but he’s too minute and had to mostly hand
stitch. His rear legs are not finished
yet as they have been uncooperative with me.
The little seal is terry cloth and gray felt, the instructions were
hardly helpful and kept referring to other patterns. I pieced the little guy together leaving an
opening in the back as well as his throat.
I need to stitch his face before I can continue with him.
So far it has been a very rewarding experience which I
cannot seem to have enough time for lately.
Ah.. perhaps this Saturday. I
look forward to all the possibilities!
