Home Sweet Home
It all started when I went to a quilting party at a friend's house a few years ago.
So, Kelly, thanks for my newest obsession.
My sewing machine had traveled from apartment to house and didn't do well in the trip. The needle was broken and it was desperate to be cleaned. I replaced the needle, and cleaned the machine of dust and bits of thread. I even oiled it
I didn't get much sewing done that day, but it started me solidly down the path of figuring out how the damn thing worked, and of using it enough to make figuring it out really worth my while.
Quilting seemed like a good, solid place to start. I greatly enjoy geometry, pattern and color. I really hate measuring, using a ruler and making straight lines.
You can probably see my conflict rising.
For those of you who haven't quilted, it's kind of like baking.
Measure, mix, measure, mix, and if you got it all right, bake, and then you have something delicious. Quilting is, measure, cut, sew, measure cut sew sew sew sew, ta-da! I am by nature very patient with kids, animals, kids with animals, kids who act like animals..... not with adults, and definitely not with machines or processes that involve measuring. Measure twice cut once? How about observe, estimate and try not to cut yourself? That's why I only cut mattes once n my entire college career: The night before my senior show. And it took me 6 hours... and a lot of swearing. (no blood though, thankfully)
After a while I got into the whole process, as always happens to me. Process is the greatest of my loves in art. The method, is the entire purpose of the madness for me. I made quilts, pajamas, blankets, stuffed elephants and more quilts. I planned even more, my bins of fabric are proof.
Then I decided clothing and costumes would be fun. I started small, with a medieval wedding gown, in black tapestry styled paisley brocade, lined in magenta and silver metallic fabric.You know, something EASY. I make a french hood with horns to go with it, and I was my favorite Disney villain of all time, Maleficent. It turned out alright. Since then, I have continued this obscene obsession with biting off more than I can possibly chew. Now I am making an 1860's period ball gown and under pinnings.
What follows is a tour of my sewing space, and my current project status.
Primarily because Steph Laberis told me to post it.
So, here Steph, this is for you.
Check out my tractor chair. Got it at Target! Love it! My sewing desk I bought for $10 on craigslist. It's a piece of crap, but I repainted it and pulled the drawers out to put one of my sewing cabinets in it.
These are my hoopskirts. They are 135". I did not make them. Hahaha.
I did make this. These are the bottom of my drawers that go under the hoops.
The first quilt piece I made, and Wall-e.
(My dad gave me that backpack when Wall-e came out, and I take it with me when ever we move)
My beautiful sewing machine, a Brother machine, with quilting bits. She is perfect.
The sculpture of Mr. Turtle that I made 7 years ago. He needs some gluing, but watches while I sew.
I have the skirt of the ball gown about 70% finished at this point, and I will post pictures of it on Saturday when I start the bodice.
