How do you take decisions when eighter way would turn your life in a completely different direction?
Even though I embrace change, and I was even provoking it. Now the changes are coming over me, I am absolutely overwhelmed.
While I am juggling around my life, having thoughts running in all the directions possible jumping from revelation to despair back to inspiration, I am trying to keep up my sewing. Not that easy.
I tried those last days. Passing the fabric through my hands, that is looking at me from the floor since a while, asking why I don’t want to cut it apart and sew it back together. Into the shape I had foreseen for it.
But because I also progress sometimes and learn from past projects, I didn’t force any creative behaviour, that would end in a disaster and more unfished projects and fabric cut into pieces on the floor.
Therefore, I decided not to sew any more clothes for myself, until I do not have a proper space for my sewing machine and my thoughts.
That doesn’t mean I am not going to do any sewing at all. I have to say that sewing clothes is usually the most stressful type of sewing-project. Because I always want to wear the pieces as soon as I start sewing, which leaves zero patience for a sewing process that could take hours if not days.
Meanwhile I am having a lot of ideas for future works and ways of working on various slow fashion themed projects. I guess they will get a little bit more time to ripe in my head, before I can spit them out.
Maybe it is my life I am about to upcycle and not some secondhand shirts, this time:
Taking whatever I have Infront of me and fit it back together in a different way.
That, you couldn’t tell anymore what it used to be beforehand.
Aaah isn’t it beautiful how you can turn any creative process into a life allegory?
Dramatic? Maybe yes.
There is still some progress to share. About a theme I started a few weeks ago.
I wouldn’t necessarily say it is a project this time, but rather a direction I want to follow for, hopefully, a while. Figuring out ways techniques leading to a result I do not know yet.
Upcycling fabric waste.
In my last post I gave a little introduction about this idea, that had grown on me over the past few months.
To give you the short version, it went something like this.
I realize that I do not enjoy producing new things in a world where everything already exists.
In any sewing project I find more and more attraction for the off cuts in the end. Eighter, I get inspired to create something using those little fabric pieces, or I love taking photos of them.
There I take a few steps back and allow myself to go back to upcycling. If it is the subject that interests me the most, why not follow it. Digg it. As far as I can.
Instead of going “back” to upcycling secondhand clothes, I remember the off cuts. What about them?
How could I use scraps to create functioning textiles?
What methods could I use, other than “simply” sew the pieces together? And why not taking embroidery in consideration?
Layering pieces of fabric scraps.
Thinner ones over thicker ones.
See through over contrast colours.
Stitching scraps together with lines...
...and shapes.
In the end I am cutting out the shapes.
I create more off cuts.
This story is never ending.
I would love to use the little pieces straight on the fabric. Embroider over them in order to stick them to the bigger fabric. But that would mean risking my fingers to get pierced by the needle, while I hold them inside the wooden frame.
And even though I think creativity has few limitations, I prefer my fingers as they are, in one piece.
Who would hold up the off cuts for me otherwise, when I want to take a photo of them?
In the end the attraction is maybe all about the changes. The changes in life, nature or within a sewing process. Not stopping at the off cuts, but reuse them, change them, again and again.
And even if you think you arrived at an end you can still take it all apart and keep going.
If you want to share any thoughts, answers or questions to my jumping thoughts and ideas of this post, you are most welcome! Thank you to have stopped by, I appreciate all of you!
All photos are mine taken by me.
Have a lovely week!!
