Needle and Thread with...

[BeeKeeper]

Hi Friends,

I left the subject open because there's a bunch of things you might do. Embroidery, sequins, beads, collage, etc. If you put your heart and soul into it, even a little bit, it's "ART".

Two crafts interest me: sewing, and beading. Share  your more recent completed projects and let's admire our work.

[CactusFlower]

That's beautiful! I appreciate your ability to work with such small pieces, too. I crochet (but not in this heat wave) and sometimes watercolor paint or sketch.  let's see.... This one is not my best, but it's my favorite.  

[bluepalm]

I've only recently learned to crochet, taught by a kind friend, and I'm absolutely loving it.

I draw and paint too, and those are integral to my expressing myself, but I find crochet has a different quality to its creativity - it's very peaceful and at the same time I feel as if my fingers are dancing and hands are alive. It's so pleasurable.

I've also taken to hand sewing clothing recently and again find this a peaceful creative activity which is also gratifying as I get to wear my works. The dresses I make are simple in form but I choose colourful and high quality fabric so the actual handling of the fabric feels lovely and the end result brings me joy.

I've wondered whether the strong recent urge to clothe myself in colourful, high quality materials is a release of the frustration I felt as a child at being made to wear ugly ill-fitting home made clothing. I was wearing the same clothes at university that I was wearing when I left primary school at 12 years of age. I didn't grow after primary school and so my mother just left me wearing the same few clothes for years. It felt shameful.

Now I can create my own joyful flattering clothing with my own hands. Mind you, since I rarely go out I wear my clothing for myself - for the sheer pleasure of it, even if no one else sees it.

(I'd attach photos but I can't work out how to do it - sorry.)

[BeeKeeper]

CactusFlower and Blue Palm,  so glad you've joined the thread! (no pun intended!)

Love the watercolor! So nice and happy. I can see why it's your favorite.

Thanks for the compliment. I am on a "roll" with this particular design, called Russian Leaves.

Blue Palm, I was hoping there were one or more "sewists" out there. That's the new lingo for people that make their clothes. I started out doing that in my early years, then got bit by a quilt bug, but back to clothes again, because:

this a peaceful creative activity which is also gratifying as I get to wear my works.

Clothes mean so much to adolescents and young adults, just when the social identity is being formed. I'm sorry you had to go through your school years feeling shame because of this neglect. I'm very happy to know that you've taught yourself a skill which means so much and brings out the joy in life.

Clothing yourself in colorful, high quality fabrics is (to me) a sign of exquisite self -care! Can you describe your favorite so far?

[Libby183]

Hi everyone.

Just wanted to join in, as I am another "sewist." I pretty much make all of my clothes.

I hear you, bluepalm. I was never allowed nice clothes as a child or teenager, and carried on wearing the same rubbish clothes for years, even after leaving home. Definitely believed I had no right to be nicely dressed, or even comfortable.

My m always wanted to truss me up in tight jeans and I used to get terrible abdominal pains.

Now my clothes are soft and comfortable. I don't go out much either, so I wear my nice clothes to walk my dog!

It has been a real struggle to convince myself that I deserve nice clothes but it's definitely a great example of self care, for all of us here.

Thanks for starting this thread.

[rainydiary]

I am enjoying seeing others work and learning about your experiences. 

I enjoy cross stitch.  I had trouble including a photo of my current project, but it is mountain scene. 

I learned cross stitch from my mom.  It is truly the only hobby or leisure activity I was taught as a child.  It's interesting I continue to do it - I find it can be a form of meditation for me. 

[Libby183]

I had completely forgotten that I used to do cross stitch, Rainy Diary. It was very enjoyable. I don't think my eyesight would make it possible now, but I also enjoyed tapestry, so think I might try that again.

The mountain scene sounds lovely.

[BeeKeeper]

Welcome rainydiary and Libby183 

Learning, meditating, enjoyment, the meaning of leisure, comfort, teachers.

Cross stitch
Sewing clothes
Tapestry
Scenes

[CactusFlower]

All the cross stitchers! LOL  Not my thing, but I wanted to chime in that my brother does it. it's the one hobby he's been able to stick with, given his ADHD and other issues. It takes him a really long time, but the precision kinda makes his OCD chill out somehow. I keep telling him he should frame the stuff he finishes, it's soooo pretty. His last one was this blue and purple dragon with gold notwork borders on black cloth. I'd go blind doing that!

As for sewing, I used to love to sew and was kinda into quilting. I didn't really have the patience for clothes and being an apple-shaped plus size person made patterns a pain in the tuchus to alter. I haven't in years and don't have a machine anymore, as fibromyalgia means a lot of pain for all that pinning, cutting, and being over a machine. I do sometimes miss it. That's part of why I crochet. I can produce similar things with less pain. Although, thanks pandemic, for driving the price of yarn through the roof. 

[BeeKeeper]

It's funny how we "forget" all the things we used to do and love. Cross stitch seems intense and scary to me, but objectively speaking, the patterns I read, or make up are probably very similar.

The physical act of setting up, bending over, cutting, ironing, is work, but as time goes on, it's possible to make that suit our new abilities, choices and stamina.

  I love to hear about new or old crafting experiences. If something jogs your memory, please post. 

[CactusFlower]

Well, there is a type of "sewing" sometimes with crochet if you join pieces a certain way, such as the seams on a cardigan pattern. When making amigurumi, parts are often sewn together with the yarn. These are small stuffed cute things. Let me see if I can find a few pictures... (might be a day or so before approved, I get it.)

Kelly the unicorn, a merman with a goatee, baby Groot, and a non-binary squishball (lol)

[BeeKeeper]

Sounds good CactusFlower!

It seems (seams! ha ha ha) vaguely familiar... I look forward to seeing it. Yeah Baby Groot 

[BeeKeeper]

Yeah CactusFlower, I can see everything now! 

Thanks so much for posting.

These are calming and fun. Kelly's green nose/mouth are sweet. Who knew mermaids had goatees? And Groot reminds me of Gumby. I can see myself throwing the squishball around for fun.

Do you have a place where these are displayed or used by others? Periodically I get myself a stuffed animal, but always give it away after a while. The only thing I've kept that's soft and cute is a miniature fabric pink and white check bunny with hug long ears. She sits in a small pink fabric basket over by my beaded ornament shrine.

[CactusFlower]

Unfortunately, I like in a small place, so projects often either end up as gifts or stuck in a box. Kelly was given away and the others are in a drawer with some yarn. I do have a couple stuffed animals that stay on my bed.

[BeeKeeper]

Hey Cactus Flower,

I can relate to small spaces! Sorry for the delay here, tried multiple times to respond with one or two attachments-but algorithms prevented that. I'll try again when I'm feeling optimistic and naive! I'm happy Kelly found a good home, and that you keep some of your work on your bed. 

First, it's a real challenge to pick and choose what to do, save and where to keep it. There's some freedom in having "more" space, but I find that being forced to focus actually leads to better outcomes. Or at least for me, less procrastination and most activity. There's a balance though; I often long for the days of abundance when I had scrap-booking, braiding, beading, stamps, loom, yarns, ribbons, papers, albums, etc strewn all over and I could pick and choose what I "felt" like does that day. I'm big on "feeling like" whatever. That applies to food, crafts, going out, exercising or staying in.

The thing that helps me now is to "listen" to my inner self and if she only feels like doing an itty bitty thing, that's OK! It doesn't have to be a full fledged completion. How about you? Do you feel driven to reach a certain point, or are you OK with seeing wherever you go that day?

Do you have a dedicated space, or have you assigned a living space so you can work? Do you clear it off periodically, or find you're motivated to do more if you leave it all out and in progress?