My sewing mojo seems to have flown the coop and I am struggling to get excited about very much on my 'stitching' plate right now.
Perhaps my funk has something to do with finally packing up my sewing machine for a long-overdue spa day for some repairs.
While it's out of the cabinet, but not yet at the dealer, I have my smaller machine in place. It's nice and works just fine, but it's just not the same.
Even so, a few things continue to move forward. Another of Dave's cousins is expecting twins so, not one, but two baby quilts are needed for a baby shower in June. And pin basting is always a nice non-sewing distraction. Below right, one of the two star quilt tops I stitched up from a pile of citrusy stash fabrics is pin-based and ready to be the first project on the rejuvenated sewing machine.
Going off-topic a bit, since Dave and I both enjoy books by Neil Gaiman, we attended an author lecture sponsored by the local library foundation.
Yep, we bought a few books (signed, of course) ahead of the lecture.
Both Neil Gaiman and Art Spiegelman, who are friends, were the featured speakers. So you might be thinking: What in the world - listening to two authors has to be as dry as toast!' In fact, it was quite the opposite.
Neil Gaiman has a huge variety of publications from graphic novels (comic books) to children's, young adult, and adult literature. Art Spiegleman is perhaps best known for his Pulitzer prize wining graphic novel, Maus.
Both authors are used to a fair amount of controversy over their writing - they are each a bit edgy and not for everyone. The evening was essentially a dialogue between the two, which was filled with funny anecdotes and stories. Toward the end of the program, the authors took questions from the audience. One question was about how they continue to be creative when controversy - even censorship - can create disruptions to the creative process. Their response, I think, is good advice for any of us.
They said that, from time to time, they close it all out - take a break from news and online media - and escape to their form of creativity which is building characters and stories.
It's quite simple, isn't it? Even so, I found this profound, and as a creator with needle and thread as opposed to pen and paper, I also find my escape in my sewing studio. Crazy stuff can and will always swirl all around us. Getting lost in something productive and creative provides an essential place of sanity. If only a temporary one.
I'm sure I'm not fully capturing that moment from the lecture, but I hope you get the gist. Despite all the troubles that swirl around us every day, you can't control much of it. But you can create and control your own creative space.
Happy Stitching!
Head Hummingbird
Hummingbird-Highway.com
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