June 22, 2010

been sewing

Photo-25
 

Thanks so much for all the insight, feedback and thoughts, so far on my last post.  Of course, now there’s just more I want to tell you, but for today, I’m only talking 'creating', sewing to be exact.

For at least a year and a half, I’ve been desperately drawn towards sewing and embroidery? Why? I’m not entirely sure, probably because I love beautiful fabric designs, it’s fun, so tactile, calming and challenging me to step out of my familiar creative box ~ ok, fine...there are a lot of reasons why I’m drawn to this new medium. Oh, and also I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how inspired I am by artists like my favorite Mummysam, who has a book coming out this year {I cannot wait}, Mary’s Grandaughter, Kstudio, and my good friends Mavis, Veronique and Lisa. I’m still playing with how I want to express this in my work, but one direction I’m leaning towards is illustration with sewing, remember my tea towel? The tea towel was stitched by hand and now I’m attempting this with a machine.

Finally, finally! after one year of having a special kind of foot with a spring for free motion stitching, I actually took it out of the packaging and attached it to my sewing machine. Crazy fun I tell you. And crazy hard to get an illustration as smooth as you can with a pen or pencil :) But here’s the first result, hunny bunny. {thank you for her name Lisa}

Photo-26
 

And the story behind "honey bunny": She is my first ever illustrated face on the sewing machine. Her dress is decorated with my first ever illustrated, let’s just call it, abstract randomness on a sewing machine. Her turquoise ric rac is re-purposed from a from some beautiful packaging. Her back is made from my own fabric. Her feet are made from fabric I bought in Montmartre in Paris, and so is that red button she is wearing. I LOVE her and that is all.

More sewing to come.

Comments (19)

There just is something about sewing. I don't know what it is. It's like the past whispers to you while you are at the machine. It's comforting and makes me feel connected to some unknown. =)
Oh she is quite lovely! I adore that she is created from different fabrics & adornments that all have their own stories. You've inspired me to experiment with that foot for my sewing machine as well. Can't wait to see more! :)
You are so inspiring. I would love to make some thing like they are making over at <a href="http://www.mypapercrane.com/">http://www.mypapercrane.com/</a> (especially the coffee cups) I'd also like to try felting. I don't sew yet, but it seems like if I get into it, I'll be addicted. You bunny is adorable, just waiting to be hugged and loved.
LOVE IT!
love love love love.
i am so glad you will be sewing more and hopefully sharing your sewing!
i am in process of getting back into sewing (i have a degree in fashion design) and just got a new machine with computerized embroidery module so i am embroider any picture onto any fabric. so exciting i do not know what to do first and so i am moving kind of slow with it, lol!
Embroidery to me can feel like drawing with thread at times. There is so much you can do.

Your bunny looks great!
Gosh. So cute!
That's great you've taken the time out of the hectic schedule to sit down and sew. I've found it takes a different state of mind to have the motivation to sit down with the sewing machine and work with cloth, needles and thread rather than painting or drawing.

The rick rack button bow is a lovely accent! :)
Really lovely!!! There is no craft you can't do!
Ok, ok I get it, you must get more hours in the day in California to make so many beautiful things.
Good for you! Adorable.
Oooooh, I immediately recognized the fabrics you used for the legs :). The result is lovely and very "Creative Thursday"! And what about *your own fabric*? Is it just a test you made through Spoonflower?

I'm so very honored to be listed amongst such nice people as a source of inspiration...
I received a sewing machine for Xmas as a surprise gift from my hubby a couple years ago. I had mentioned in passing that I was thinking of learning to sew and amazingly, he picked up on it :-) It has been my favorite pressie of all time (that and my tiny Casio point-n-shoot and my iPhone :-))

There is something wonderful about sewing that provides instant gratification. And while I don't imagine ever ending up on Project Runway, I am getting closer to trying my hand at - gasp - clothing. Up till now I have been doing home dec type projects and having a ball. My machine's button hole maker never did work right so I finally sent it to be repaired and it is FINALLY back after one whole month! I can't believe how much I missed it!!
ooh! I want to try clothing too!!!
It looks super cute!!!
will we be using our sewing machines in the creative thursday course? so fun. so cuddly.
I've been trying something new these days too---I have been really interested in printmaking for some time, and I'm finally getting myself in gear and DOING it. Isn't it great fun to be doing something a little different?

Cute cute bunny! That free motion foot sounds like great fun!
we just might Ludid...!!
love her creations!
How lovely to ready whilst on vacation at my mum's house (the cheeks are blushing!) I can definitely see you having fun with this.....
What a sweetie Honey Bunny is!