Handiwork -or - what I've been thinking about a lot lately...

Handiwork is becoming increasingly important to me in my creative pursuits/missions.  More and more I feel the need to learn/value/pass on this skill set that WAS so commonplace that in quilting/sewing patterns and books from eras gone by, there aren't even descriptions or explanations of the process of sewing by hand (how to hold the needle, fabric and thread, etc.).

So what images come to mind when I say "handiwork".  Blue hair, shawls, hot tea and cats?  Umm, I hope not - not that any of those things are bad!  But that's mostly what came to my mind for a long time - because I didn't really know more than one or two people my age doing the kinds of "crafts" I was doing.  What is handiwork anyway?  Webster's II defines it as "1. Work done by hand. 2. Something accomplished by a single person's efforts. 3. The product of a person's work or actions."  Well, that's a pretty broad definition - I associate handiwork with anything fabric+thread+needle related that is done by hand. 

Please don't misunderstand me, I am not anti-sewing machine.  I LOVE my machine.  I just happen to LOVE hand sewing more.  It's portable, quiet, precise (I can sew on the machine, but am much less likely to screw something up if I sew it by hand) ;), s l o w e r (see precise) and there is just something special about sitting down with a needle and thread and all the love that goes into the finished product.  Natalie Chanin's books are great resources for hand sewists and a new hand sewing book Sewn By Hand by Susan Wasinger is out, which I have not seen yet, but would love to!  While patterns and books might not be specifically labeled for hand sewing, there is no reason they can't be used that way!  I've heard a lot of people who come to my booth at the craft shows say things like, "Oh, I wish I could sew, but I don't have a machine".  I try to tell them that they don't need one!  It seems that the slowness and "make do attitude" is just not part of our society anymore.

This is where some huge role models for my handiwork cause come in - Natalie Chanin (of Alabama Chanin - I spoke about her here), Anna Maria Horner and Susan of Plays With Needles.  


Hand sewing is what Natalie and her company are all about (and producing items slowly and locally using sustainable methods and talented sewers right here in the states).  


Recently, Anna Maria has talked about the importance of hand sewing and I believe she does quite a bit of it herself.  She talked about the dynamic of having a business and handsewing/making and whether the two together are possible.  As small as Sunrise Folk is, it's something I think about a lot, too.  I am increasingly inclined to take the plunge and go mostly, if not all, hand sewn in the shop.  Anna Maria also posted a video (courtesy of Etsy) that discusses a dying art and it really got me thinking about how important it is to keep these art forms alive.  

Then, Susan had a wonderful post about the time it takes to do handiwork - how most people don't understand why we do this, but how important the work is (and in her case the work is amazing ARTwork!).   

For quilters out there, I am quite sure you all know who Jinny Beyer is (I didn't know until a few weeks ago!).  If you don't know, she is a prolific hand quilter - she pieces and quilts every one of her quilts by hand.  And they are AMAZING!  She's written several books, has a website stocked with info and free patterns, has a fabric line and even has handy quilting tools for sale.  I recently purchased Quiltmaking By Hand and I'm SO glad I did!  It is a treasure trove of information, not just about hand quilting, but color selection, pattern drafting, hand sewing and skill building.  One thing I am incredibly impressed with about Jinny is how 'free' she is in her instructions/sewing philosophy.  She never says "you must do it this way or you are wrong".  Quite the opposite, she says there is NO wrong way.  *Love!*

Do any of you do hand sewing/hand quilting/hand embroidering/etc.?  Please let me know if you do, I would love to hear from you and try to round up a group of us!

Inspiration

Here is a little bit of what has been inspiring me lately...

Folksy music 

(if you like Ruth, check out Heather Masse and the Wailin' Jennys also!)

Ruth Moody

The beautiful, dreamy photography of Samantha Lamb

"Putting the Peach in my Cheeks" 

from her series Lion*Light*Lamb: The Perpetual Picnic

(doesn't that look like the best place in the world to read a book!?)

"The Sea, The Surge and the Seamstress"

from her series titled the same

Rolled up jeans

(and this awesome rug!  Lion Brand has the pattern here for free!)

What's inspiring you these days?

Blessings - Daphne

"like June Cleaver amid teenage angst"...and other stories

This was going to be post about how I successfully (or not so successfully) completed alterations on my jeans.  Because, well, the thing is, after I had the baby, my size fluctuated a bit and I got several different sizes on the way back down to my normal.  Now I'm back to my normal weight, but normal size???  Not sure that that will ever happen.  The last pair of jeans are still a bit big and I had great plans to take them in and make them my own.  

See, I even took a "before" picture.  I'm thinking this will be the "after" picture.  

Which reminds me: If you are getting rid of clothes that are still in pretty good shape consider taking them by a shelter or thrift store - go green/helpful!  Or, turn them into something else...it's not such a new idea, you know.  Our Grandmothers and beyond used every scrap they could.  And what a great way to exercise your talents and creative ways!

But where was I.... Oh yes!  Alterations.  So the plan was: I employ my fabulous (yet non-existent) alteration skills to my saggy jeans and transform them into bottom hugging things of wonder - or - I mess them up and end up going out and buying a new pair that actually fit.  I figured it was win-win!  It still is, once I get around to finding a pair that fit.

How about style?  That is one thing I'd like to work on this year.  Cultivating my own style.  I'm sure I have one now, but it's not one I'd like to be known for (randomness/sometimes kind of frumpy/blah?).  I'd like to wear more aprons and I'm pretty sure I need a pair of cowboy boots.  A waitress at a local burrito joint has become a huge inspiration for me.  For one, her outfit was adorable (description in a second), but a big part of it was how absolutely different her 'style' was from all the other waitresses and quite a few of the patrons in the place.  It was kind of like a cute little June Cleaver amid teenage angst.  Tiny cut-off shorts with fishnet stockings, lots of piercings and tattoos, dyed and crazy cut hair.  All fine and dandy, just not exactly "me".  Then, there was this outfit - plain white long sleeve shirt, jeans with the cuffs folded up about 4 inches, cowboy boots, a beautiful vintage half apron in a pink floral print and .... pearls.  Seriously, a small string of pearls around her neck!  I mean, come on!  Something to aspire to for sure.

What are you aspiring to, these days?  And while you're at it, check out this post http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/apronevangelism.htm.  I found it enjoyably worth the read.

Craft Sanity Magazine!

Hello and my apologies for the extended absence.

The wonderful Jennifer of the wonderful blog and podcast Craft Sanity has produced her very first Magazine!!!  For the complete story check out this blog post: http://craftsanity.com/2010/11/craftsanity-magazine-pre-order-preview/ , for the highlights keep reading!

Jennifer put out a call a month or so ago for sponsors for this project of hers and I was so excited to jump on board!  So, inside this gem you'll find a little ad for Sunrise Folk (!), but more importantly you'll find: "44 pages featuring 15 projects ranging from knitting and crochet to sewing, weaving, paper craft and embroidery; interviews,  handmade stories and Q&A interviews. You'll also find recipes, gift tags, and an adorable paper doll with a penchant for quilting, reviews and a gift guide, too.

So, you're totally excited right?!  Well, there's more!

Work by the following artists and crafters is inside: Cathy Carron, Lindy Graff, Anna Hrachovec, Sarah London, Alessandra Hayden, Rebecca Green, Alyssa Thomas, Cydney Colvig, Linda Tieu, Steven Rainey and a generous knitter named Jake. You'll also find Diane Morgan's delicious recipe for homemade graham crackers and a peek inside the sketchbook of knitter Debbie Bliss!  Jennifer included a few of her own projects, including a mod hexagon apron tutorial for you to enjoy, too.

Want to know how you can get your very own copy!?!
You can purchase a copy of the print publication here.
The electronic edition ($3.99) will be released the same day the hard copy version will be shipped out: Tuesday, December 7.
I can't wait for mine to get here so I can curl up with it by the Christmas tree, tasty cup of hot tea in hand!


(Up-date since I wrote this - mine has gotten here and it is WONDERFUL!  Order a copy, you'll love it!)

Blessings!

and then I found it...

I  have got a bug to get going on all the projects swimming around in my head….my hands are just itching to get started…and I’m sitting at work, in a cubicle, looking at a computer screen with a word document that requires lots of brain power and I just can’t focus!

And then I found it.... I was doodling in my notebook and I came across a note I had written after listening to Jennifer on Craftsanity.  She was talking about how she wants to get an airstream trailer to park by a lake on a farm and use as her studio.  Heaven!  So I went to the internets and found this beauty:

source

I could TOTALLY handle that!

Off topic – but the cubicle.  DRAB, BORING, MUTE (in a bad way), BLAH, BLAND your choice of favorite adjectives.  SO – mine has multicolored Christmas lights year round (probably why I'm so drawn to this picture!), a shelf full of pretty things I’ve collected through the years, pages torn from magazines tacked to the walls, a picture section with people and places I love and a fruit cocktail can as a pencil holder.  It does make it a little better to be in here, but I don’t know how much longer I can last…

I’ve got a year and 3 months before I can ditch the cubicle.  Don’t get me wrong, I like my ‘job’, I just don’t necessarily like what I do and I certainly don’t like being in a cubicle and well, I just feel this isn’t where I am supposed to be forever.

Perhaps I'm supposed to be here forever instead?

source

Yes, you say?  I agree.

Inspiration

First of all, the market was fun - full of good food and music and lots of fun booths!  Still haven't signed up, but I'm gearing up to have a booth at the October 2 event.  What's holding me back is the actual set up (I don't have a tent or table yet...) and I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to make enough "stuff" in time.

BUT, I need to just do, even if I only have a few things ready.  At least I will have one market under my belt.  It can only get better, right?

So this is where I will be come October 2:

Now, on to what's been on my mind...

I found a podcast about a week ago that I have been listening to non-stop since.  CraftSanity (accompanying blog found here) with Jennifer has been such a treat!  I'm pretty sure I'm the last person to find this gem...where have I been???  But I am sure glad found her!  Jennifer interviews all sorts of crafty ladies and has the most wonderful conversations that we are fortunate enough to be able to listen in on.  CraftSanity and the little bits of wisdom I've gleaned from the interviews as well as from Jennifer, have really given me so much inspiration and a little kick in the pants to get myself going.  It's so fun to hear about all the aprons and running in Jennifer's life too - both things I enjoy!

Another podcast that was the first one I listened to, and am always waiting excitedly for the next one to air, is The Quilted Cupcake (found here) with Jean.  Although I wouldn't call myself a quilter, it doesn't matter because Jean has so much information about EVERYTHING - book reviews, product reviews, tips, updates, tid-bits about all the crafty trips she takes.  She is so fun to listen to and she's been a great source of information and inspiration for me (and she loves aprons too!).