Are you REALLY using your Creative License? Part I

 Photo courtesy of PDUB productions)

All creative work is made by many small steps. 

The steps themselves are rarely great leaps. 

It is the faith to begin that we must cultivate.  

~ Julia Cameron

I've been so inspired by Julia Cameron, author of quote above and the books, "The Vein of Gold" and "The Artist's Way", etc. I've never read her books but just following her on FB has been inspiring. 

Anyhow, with all of this encouragement I've felt compelled to delve into the arena of Fashion Design sketching. I think to a degree most home sewers are designers. We take established patterns and make them our own. We often tweak & morph designs to create something to our liking.  Earlier this year I began sketching designs, not because I'm so good at it but because I want to capture the ideas floating around in my head. I know I've got to do more to cultivate those ideas. Hence my draping training that I'm about to embark on. I desperately want to bring my own ideas to life.

But this newfound desire to explore my creative side hasn't been an easy process. It seems I need to train my brain to think creatively--I mean push it past it's current barriers. We all know that everyone has 2 sides of their brain that controls different functions. The left side is the more "logical & objective side" and the right is more "intuitive & subjective". There are a few debates about the function of each side so I'll steer clear of all that. I only mention it to say that it seems that out of the two I'm more left-brain dominant (there's some fun online quizzes that can help you establish which you are).This fact is true and evidenced by how I've been sewing for the last few years. In the past I've been so concerned with the technical skill that I hadn't really allow myself to be immersed by the creative possibilites. I'm becoming more and more comfortable with my sewing ability so it's time to shift focus. This shift requires a more intense use of my right brain. So I'm devising ways to tap into my creative side more and to stimulate right-brain thinking. This is REALLY exciting for me!!!  There's all kind of ways/methods to encourage creative thinking.

Here's some interesting articles I've run across on the subject.....

Creativity Boost: How to Tap into Right-Brain Thinking

By Martha Beck

 How to tap into your Creative side

Success Magazine

I'm really excited about all of this!!! I look forward to making steps to
cultivate my creativity. In Part II of this post I'll talk
 about the measures/ routines I plan to take to do so.

Anyhow, where do you stand on the subject? Do you feel you're 
adequately using your creative license? Are you highly creative
 by nature? Need more creativity? I'd love to know your thoughts!!!

What Inspires my Sewing (in pictures).......

(Nature)

 (The possibility of my own runway show)

 (Inspiring others)

 (Vibrant colors)

(The Book title says it all---my aim in sewing for sure!)

 (The Peace & Tranquility it provides)

 (The crusade against negative self images)

(Bold patterns)

 (The smiles of satisfied clients)

 (Special Occassions)

(My Grandmother In Law.)

(Other Creators/ Artists such as God........)

( and Michelangelo, etc.)

(My Daddy)

(The Full spectrum of beauty. I love sewing for them all!)

(My daughter. She inspired this dress. She's my youngest muse)

(My custom dressform. Just makes me want to drape and sew til' my hearts content)

(Freedom of Expression)

(Saving Money)

(Lots and lots of fabric)

(Spreading the message to others. Sewing for others allows me to do that.)

And many, many, many more things!!!!
What inspires your sewing????

Try Fast, Fail Fast / 1000 Pair of Pants???

  So I was doing a little research the other day pertaining to the habits of successful people. Most of you have read the book "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" (I've read some of it and it's still on my reading list). But every now and again I need a refresher. You know you get into a slump and don't feel like you're getting much accomplished.
  Well during an online search I ran across an interesting website---www.lifeoptimizer.org. I ran across the article "5 Winning Habits of Successful People-Do you Have Them All?". Needless to say at first glance the article offered the usual and common advice of 1. Having an end in mind, 2. Have a support group, etc. But it was habit # 5 that really stuck out to me. Habit #5 is "Try fast, fail fast, keep trying and never give up. There was something about that point that REALLY stuck out to me. I've never entertained the notion of "try fast  & fail fast".  I interpret this phrase as don't waste any time. Get in there and give it a go and if you fail, do so, get it over with and take another stab at it! So I started to think about this concept when it comes to my sewing. I can't tell you how often I seem to "mourn" over a failed project or how often I put off giving a sewing project a try due to a feeling of intimidation. What I'm learning to do is just go for it. Heck, OUT with all of the reservation!!!! Just take a stab at it. Ok, I might not know EXACTLY what I'm doing but that's where learning comes in, huh? But we should never let the fear of failure prevent us from giving something a try. What have I got to lose. So if I waste 5 yards of silk, It's only fabric, right? LOL (wink)!
   Well as I mentioned in my last post, I had the notion to sew up some white pants and that's exactly what I did this weekend. Unfortunately I didn't have stellar results. I used the Jalie 2909 pattern that I sewed up HERE.  The pants which are a cotton sateen turned out great with the exception of the back leg wrinkles.  I had this problem when I originally sewed this pattern in black cotton sateen but they seem to be more pronounced in white.

 (Front turned out great, just like last year's version)

(The fit on my bum is good, it's the upper leg wrinkles that I detest.)

Either way, although I sewed up my pants and they didn't turn out as perfectly as I wanted them I'm happy I just did it anyway. Sewing very fitted pants is a special skill and I just need to figure out how to reduce the length of back leg pant on this pattern. I already found this helpful info and I have some other resources to check out. I'll take any of your suggestions as well. Also, I have other pants patterns I plan to give a go at. I have pants I want to deconstruct and convert into patterns and ultimately I plan to draft up my pants sloper. I've enjoyed sewing & fitting pants because it's so complex and I learn something new every time!
  So I'm cool. I can't wait to have another go at it. I just have to get some more white fabric. But I'm left with the lasting thought of "Try fast, fail fast, keep trying and never give up". Again, I love the "try fast & fail fast" part. What a great reminder!!!! You can't just embrace your success without doing so with your failures. It's your failures that makes success so sweet! Besides, it's been said that Thomas Edison tried more than 1,000 times to develop the filament for the light bulb . When asked about this Edison simply said " I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."  What a great response!!!!! He's also quoted at saying "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time".
Such wise words!!! So let's get out there and  push the boundaries of our experience. Remember: "Try fast, fail fast, keep trying and never give up"!!!

What have you been wanting to sew but have been putting it off? Why? Do you feel courageous enough to tackle it???

Love at First Sight.......

I"m hard pressed to believe in the concept of "Love at First Sight" when it comes to people (it happens just not as frequently as some may think) but I am a believer in it when it comes down to the way I choose my fabric. For years I couldn't understand my connection and "instinct" when it came to buying certain fabrics. I always just had a gut feeling and attraction to the fabrics I chose. I've come to realize that I intuitively select my fabric and this is something I've grown accustomed to.

To clarify, there are 3 ways that I shop for fabrics. I purchase fabrics specifically for a project, I purchase a fabric because it may be pretty, on sale, and I have a use for it, and I purchase a fabric because of "love at first sight". Again, it's fabric buying for the last category that intrigues me the most.
Case in point, just the other day I was at Hancock Fabrics and ran across this little number. I hadn't bought a piece of fabric in a good while.  I looked at it and I just knew. Right then in there I wouldn't have been able to give you a detailed explanation of why I liked it (intuitive people feel before they can usually explain anyway) but it was that initial "love" that let me know I needed to get it. Looking at it now I can tell you it's the colors (I LOVE the yellow mixed with the red, dark blue and gray) and paisely pattern that I love. The picture does it NO justice. I grabbed 2.5 yd and will scout out the perfect pattern for it later.

I have to admit, some of my most memorably sewn pieces came from fabric selected in the same manner.
I love my Easter Dress and although I had a pattern picked out but it was the fabric that I made an "instant connection" with.

This dress is one of my FAVORITE'S!!!! And Lord knows when I picked up that print I had no earthly idea what I was going to do with it. Those circles are HUGE! But there was just something about it that intrigued me about it and I'm so glad I got it!

Here are a few other fabric in my stash in which the same thing happened. I love unique prints and colors.....

I don't buy fabric as often as I used to. I'm not into impulse buys or collecting---my fabric closet is full already. And although I try to be careful and discriminatory in my decisions to buy fabrics I ALWAYS, for the most part, give into these "love at first sight" moments because I believe it's in those times that I can see the the raw nature of my creativity at work. Trust me, for a person who's as careful, intentional, and frugal as I am, it's good to have a moment of raw instinct:)

So how do you shop for fabrics? Do you buy fabrics for projects, at discounts, or just pick fabrics and decide on a project later?