Last evening I thought I'd just put my hand on the notes I'd made for this ongoing skirt projects. I knew exactly where I'd put them..
Then followed a search through half a dozen binders full of ideas, projects I've made, stuff I've taught, including handmade and stitched paper out of which fell dried flowers.
And there were envelopes of patterns I'd drafted, templates for English paper piecing, a book of pictures of rescued cats on the dozens of adoption blankets I knitted for them. And much more..
And an old snap of Boud (l) with dear sidekick Florence, teaching paper weaving at a festival of the arts about ten years ago.
Then finally I unearthed the skirt notes
measured myself to compare to two years ago when I made them, and found I'm a couple of inches smaller around now. So I rethought and redrew the ideas.
So now I think it's six woven panels and those wedge shapes knitted to give the fit.
Next I'm going to draft out lifesize wedges and panels on paper in the new measurements, and do a trial fit.
Then, since I've been spinning and plying all along, I can get to knitting my homespun, of which I'll need a lot more. See, it's practically done..
Yesterday F, via Tigger, raised a really important point about embroidering without drawing a design. Even if you're uncertain, it's a very good idea to try it. Or drawingwithout blocking in. Or knitting without a pattern.
Bettye Saar, wonderful, wise and highly intuitive artist, look her up if you don't know her, says it's good to trust your intuition, not to plan every step.
She says the more you use your intuition, the stronger it gets. You don't need a detailed blueprint, when a general idea will do it. So I'd suggest you try it.
I do this all the time, as you've noticed not just art, food too. Great fun to be had.
Today was curried shrimp over rotini, with a coconut milk base.
Condiments l to r, sprig of Thai basil which scents the whole plate as you eat, maroo raisins, apple raisin chutney. The liquid will go later into a cream soup, probably celery. This picture was here when I published, then vanished, so I just noticed and reposted it
Dessert was strawberries.
And I just found this excellent destination if you really want to re-home fabrics and notions
Happy day everyone, if it's a holiday weekend enjoy, observe what it's for as well as a day off.
I'm currently reading Caste, a sobering and important book which seems very appropriate for this weekend's Memorial Day, given the disparity in how we value different groups, including some of those who went to war and didn't return.
This was a tour through memories for you. The kitties seemed happy with the blankets. I am interested in what your skirt will look like finished. You need a good day with a great meal.
ReplyDeleteThe kitties many times clung to their blankets with all four paws when they were adopted. Seeing the blankets, as the kitties were awaiting adoption on days at Petsmart eg,made them more appealing, since clearly someone liked them enough for a hand knit blanket.
DeleteI'm interested in how the skirt will work, too! Tba.
Did you keep everything that you found? I am so nosy.
ReplyDeleteYour skirt is going to be a beautiful work of art.
I agree with you on intuition and doing without a specific guideline BUT of course, you have to have a general idea of what in the world you're doing! I guess that goes without saying.
I use all those ideas all the time for reference, so yes, I kept it all. It's really my personal art library, much more useful to me than my books.
DeleteSometimes having no idea what you're doing is a good start. You teach yourself as you go. I've done that with so many projects. Often you plunge in then common sense supports intuition.
Sounds like your search for your skirt notes resulted in a real trip down memory lane!
ReplyDeleteThat stroll took longer than I expected.
DeleteI can't wait to see that skirt. 2 inches smaller? I wish!
ReplyDeleteWeight loss rather than gain has been an issue for me now and then. My doctor's concerned, but I feel fine so I'm not so worried. Of course she knows a lot of ominous possibilities that I'm spared.
DeleteWith her ‘baggage label’ attached to her clothes, Florence (well, I take you’re the one working) reminds me of the children who were evacuated to safer places during WW2. All lined up (with their names on the label) after saying goodbye to their parents at the train station.
ReplyDeleteFlorence was into her eighties here, so she certainly would have recalled that era.
DeleteOh your practically done with the skirt lol. The process is always a journey I say. And it takes as long as it takes.
ReplyDeleteI’m always just winging it. Especial with food.
Yes, I thought of you and cooking when I wrote that, along with other good cooks who read here.
DeleteI really like the point about artistic intuition. In archery, there's a technique called intuitive archery. I've not yet ventured to try it, having preferred something solidly step-by-step as a beginner. I've never thought about it artistically. That's something I'll be interested in pondering. In life around our homestead, I try to heed my intuition as much as possible; it's amazing how often it's correct!
ReplyDeleteYour shrimp dinner looks delicious. Curry is something I haven't ventured into yet. Maybe I should!
They say that in archery, the target you're aiming for is yourself! If you haven't tried curries you might like them. To take the spiciest edge off, a cream or milk addition to the liquid near the end might suit you.
DeleteI just looked up instinctive archery and see your idea. Yes, that's a great parallel.
DeleteThat curried shrimp looks terrific! this really is an interesting and very thoughtful post. And I had to laugh about you looking through your volumes... that happens to me, too!
ReplyDeleteEspecially since I was so sure I knew exactly where to look..
DeleteI've kept my sketch books and all my binders of designs I created for the etched glass. I don't often refer to them. One of my sketchbooks got ruined when the house flooded. it was mostly ideas for cast glass sculpture.
ReplyDeletelooking forward to seeing the finished skirt. my skirts without a pattern are very simple affairs.
Yes, those are documents to keep.
DeleteI rarely plan out a project and usually just wade in, willy nilly, and hope for the best. Sometimes it comes back to bite me, but most often it stretches my creativity and that's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good approach.
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