Resources

One of my last posts here was how reading Threads Magazine was giving me inspiration, from learning techniques, to being inspired by the creativity of others. Tonight I'm going to make note of a third avenue of inspiration... additional resources.

The editions of the Magazine that I've been reading are not incredibly recent, many more than 10 years old. Did I mention they were free to me? Yeah. So, styles have changed, but techniques have not, so I'm still getting some good information. Including from the advertisements. I've been looking up some of them online, and getting more places to look, be inspired, and shop. Some of the businesses and links are old, or no longer there, but some are fabulous.

Threads Magazine - I shouldn't be so surprised - is also online these days. Check it out if you haven't. It's more than sewing, and they have many techniques online. Enjoy!

Learning something from Gordon Ramsey

Ok, I'll admit it, every once in a while I watch Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, a show in which English chef Gordon Ramsey visits a floundering restaurant and tries to put things right. Because he is who he is, and uses bad language, and calls things like he sees them, he rocks the boat, and drama ensues... and then its television.

On the other hand, when it comes to restaurants, and cooking, the man knows his business. The messages he gives to the restaurant owners and employees are sound. A couple of weeks ago, I watched an episode where Gordon went around the countryside near where the restaurant he was working on that week was located. He looked for the fresh, locally grown produce that he knew would make a difference in what was being served. Fresh ingredients = flavor. When he brought the staff apples, they were like, "yeah, apples, big deal." His response? If you don't love your ingredients, how can you love your cooking?

So my brain cogitated over this idea for a couple of weeks, combining it with the reading I'd been doing (see previous post) until today, when it flashed to me. This is true for sewing/crafting too. If you don't love your materials, and know what to do with them, you're just making things. The creative joy, the spark, can continue as you learn more about your materials, practice more, learn and try more techniques. You may find your niche, or you may branch out, either way, the more you love what you are doing, the more inspired you will be. Hmmmm I think I feel a trip to the fabric store coming on... and the bead store, and....

reading and learning

I know that reading professionally can help keep one up on the latest techniques and theories. I do it when I can, and when in search of something that I feel my students use.

This summer, my friend Cindy cleared out some of her sewing magazines, and gave them to me to take to GHS to give to the sewing teacher there. While they are awaiting transportation, I've been looking through back copies of Threads Magazine. This is a magazine about sewing techniques, fashion techniques, quilting techniques, and evening knitting and beading techniques. Yeah, I bet you get the idea.

Most of the time - and one of the reasons I had never bothered to subscribe to Threads - I really could skim through it without reading many of the articles. Mostly they didn't apply to what I needed, or were beyond my useful skill knowledge. Now, however, with a year of sewing with Roxanne behind me - a year of sewing on an almost weekly basis - I have found some meaningful and useful information in several issues. For instance, last year, I did applique on a couple of garments, a denim jumper for Roxanne, and Raine's bionicle Halloween costume. In the first issue I looked at, there was an article by someone who designed appliqued garments, and appliqued the professional designer garments. The techniques that were written about meant something to me because of the experience I had. Where once I really had not been a fan of doing applique (but an admirer of the work of others), I feel the possibilities are opening up, and the creative juices are flowing.

There are also articles that I look at and realize I'm not quite ready for yet... a lot of the pattern modification, for instance. I'm getting there... I recognize what they are trying to do, but my brain and creativity aren't ready to get wrapped around it yet. On the other hand, I have asked Vic to include me in on some of her next projects to be created by draping. When I have done that, a little more, I'll feel more ready to cut up a pattern more drastically. When I get there, I bet I'll have a blast with it.

In the meantime, I think I will create a reference library of articles for myself, so that I can look back as I try out some of these new-to-me techniques, and advancements on my knowledge.