LagniappeOctober 10, 2025 Sometimes I have trouble getting to the sewing machine and getting my work done. I've had a couple of things cut out and ready to go, and even some fabric ready to cut out, but something seems
to get in the way. Family was here over the weekend and that was great and I love that, but it does cut into my serious sewing time.
So I put together some "little" things. I always loved the Lagniappe section of a cookbook, which had sort of "odds and ends" in it that were essential but didn't fall into any specific category. Some of these are videos and some remarks.
Things come up, and that's just life. I'm accepting that, but my sewing is a way to stay sane, and too much time away from it makes me a little antsy and frazzled around the edges! Particularly when I'm looking right at the cut-out project on my ironing board, and all it requires is seven seams, hem, and finishing (mostly ironing).
And there are other things that need attention,
keeping me away from sewing - normal life things. (cleaning the house, grocery shopping, canning about 37 jars of tomatoes when a windfall came my way, and then family). And now I'm behind the eight-ball and getting a little frazzled.
Getting back on schedule, is something we all have to deal with. And by "Getting Back on Schedule," I mean that sewing schedule - or whatever activity you use to keep you sane! It's easy thing to say "Oh well, for this week, I just won't sew," or "Oh
well, I just have to make it up another way, but not now." But that doesn't really work when I'm relying on my sewing to keep me sane. The more time away from sewing, the edgier I get! After so long, it's not good for Claire not to sew. The world is a better place when Claire can sew.
We are all that way. We have specific activities or rituals we do to keep us functioning well. Getting off that schedule is tough, and yet with a bit of
discipline and care, we can return to the things that keep us sane and reasonable. Thinking that we can do without them is not good thinking. This can lead us to thinking that we can do without them either permanently or on a semi-permanent basis.
We are engaged in these activities for a reason, whether it be one or many. To deny that is to mess with the creative process, which is a very ethereal thing, hard to describe because it's not something we can put our
hand on. Most of all, it's not good to mess with the creative process. It comes and goes so ethereally and mysteriously that kicking it in the rear is not suitable for one's well-being. (See Extra Note below). For me, that's sewing and all its parts:
- thinking something up to sew
- working with a pattern to make a variation or
- working with a pattern to create a new hem, new collar, new closure
- cutting it out
- putting it together
- developing different techniques to use to make the look I want
All of these are exciting, rewarding, and create a tangible result that I can look at and take satisfaction and delight in - some projects more than others. To remove that from me would be a death sentence. I've said this often, but we as sewists are blessed to have found something that is enjoyable, engaging (and that means challenging, with the risk of reward and failure - that's the only
way you get the engagement), satisfying, and one that brings delight in the result. So few others have this richness in life. Many aspects of this are not only endorphin-soaring but also involve an engagement that utilizes our thought process, keeping us actively engaged in our world. Our lives on this planet are so much better lived when we are engaged than when we are not. Having a passion is key to living a life of joy, delight and gratification. Truly, there is
nothing more we can add to our life than to live it fully as an example to the younger generation. So don't discount your sewing passion as something as busy-work. It's much more than that, and something to be nurtured, guarded and always respected as part of who you are.
Drawing A Straight or Curved Line
Even though a lot of you will deny the label "artist," you are nonetheless an artist when you start variations on your patterns, doing minor alterations that make for significant style changes, and any reconfiguring of a pattern. Those are all classified as
artistic, and therefore, a person who engages in artistic activities is an artist! PERIOD!
Drawing your patterns sounds so advanced, and it's really not cause most of the time you are tracing what you have already - either taking one part here and putting it on another pattern (such as putting a different neckline on a pattern you've made many times). However, when artists attend school and graduate with the ability to draw a complete line without bumps or jags, it means they
have learned how to draw. That's right, drawing isn't always an immediate thing that artists have. Some artists know how to do that. I had to learn how to do that. And there's a technique to it.
The technique is that you don't look at the point where the pencil hits the paper - you look ahead of it, and where you want your line to go. Not five feet ahead, but about ½" to 1" before where you want the line to go. Here's a short
video on how that looks.
The fantastic thing about this technique is that I use it when I'm sewing. I
start out my seam where I want, and have my eyes focused clearly on where to start. I look at where I want to end up - usually marked with a pin. Then start sewing (looking at the place I'm sewing), then as I'm going along, switch my eyes to where I want to end up, and yes, sometimes, that's as much as 15" away from the start of the seam, and sewing toward that place I'm looking.
So I start with my focus on the start, but after I get started, then I'll move my eyes to the end, and yes, this looks far away, but try it. You will be surprised at how well it works. I don't try to do this over about 12" to 15", cause that's too
long. But over a short space, this is very effective.
As most of you know, I don't really like most fashion shows, and with the death of Armani, we're seeing the end of the stunning fashion that made the '70s and '80s so filled with beautiful clothing.
But not so fast. I still subscribe to Vogue
online, simply hoping that something will come out of it. Every once in a while, something does come from it, and it's an enjoyable thing to play with. Mostly what I used to do in the 70s and 80s was look at the fashions and then do my own knock-off. This means it would be fashioned, lined out for my shape, and cut along that line to create the most flattering "version" of a style for my figure. I still do that, but don't use much fashion inspiration from the runway
anymore.
But then this little article passed my way (click here, and if Vogue makes you subscribe, try this link. I've had limited success with this. Some say that they get all sorts of computer warnings
when they click the other link. If you all do, then I can run up a PDF of the site and send that out. LMK). This is an excellent article on the new fashion item, the "Sneakerina," which is a sneaker-ballerina shoe.
Uh- yeah, that price caught my eye too. I'm not spending $1,000 for a pair of shoes (unless they can clean the house by themselves in 1 hour!!!) 😁 But that doesn't mean I can't have a pair for me.
I got on Zappos, and apparently they
aren't into sneakerinas yet, so went to Amazon and found some really cute shoes. I'm into playing with this style cause I want to do some other things with it, so I'm not into spending a lot, but found these:
for a really economical price ($40). If I get a little more comfy with this style, I'll order these:
These really are cute and have good line, I'm just not there on the price yet ($160).
But I did take the cheapie shoes and put a ribbon through them instead of the shoe string it came with. I found this in my stash.
and this was just perfect for these shoes. They came out really cute.
Just perfect for that sewists look!
These have been my go-to shoes lately, and I'm loving the look. I'm getting a little more guts up to try the $160 model and order some more of that Offray Ribbon to use with it. Most of these shoes
look like they are using satin ribbon, which is a recipe for disaster. Satin slips unmercifully, and I would never use satin to tie up my shoes. But a nice moire or grosgrain would be perfect. My ribbon was from my stash, from Joann's, but apparently, Walmart is picking up some of these ribbons. They are only online (you can touch or feel them), but if you've had something and need more, it's at least an option.
Walt and I went up to the farm to watch them cut corn - it's dry enough now. This is field corn, which has to be at least 13% moisture before the elevator will accept them. The elevator is the silo. Sometimes with more moisture, they literally
have a place cleared off to unload the corn for it to dry out a little more before they put it in the silo.
So minimal sewing was going on. I'm anxious to get back to sewing (I'm really off schedule), and my mood will improve!
Truman Capote wrote his most famous book, In Cold Blood, about the murder of a family in Kansas who had a measly amount of money at the Clutter farmhouse. He became close to one of the murderers, Perry Smith. Capote became so close to Smith
that, in the end, Capote couldn't separate himself and was forever mournful of his death. He felt he used the relationship with Smith to get at the meat of the story. Truman became an alcoholic and didn't really write anything noteworthy after In Cold Blood, showing how delicate the relationship between the art and the event can destroy a person. Today, most artists know better.
The truth is that if I left myself unmonitored, I would sew till I dropped at the
sewing machine. Then go to bed, wake up at 2 in the afternoon, sew more till 2 am, then drop into bed, and on and on with no life other than sewing. We know (hopefully) better today. It's better for me if I consciously stop sewing, make a list of where the next sewing session should pick up. Making a list like this is so empowering and energizing, and it starts the next day with a considerable boost. You know exactly where you left off and exactly where to begin
again. Not only that, but the creative thinking that you were on when you left comes right back to you when you read your list of where to start up the next day. This is almost magical, the way this works.
It's essential to keep the creative drive and juices from taking over your life. There should be a course called "Balance" in art school about how to keep the spigot of creativity on, when and how to turn it off, and when you want to start up again, how to turn it
right back on, right where you left off! But I guess that's what life is about. Artists like Truman Capote have taught us that giving in to the creative process completely doesn't benefit the artist, the artwork, or the creative drive. It all blows up in the end. The creative muse must have rest, just like we humans. This rest time is time to fill up. Taking that away means there's nothing in the creative juices jar to use.
Like the rest of life,
balance is the key to living well. The problem has always been how to stop it so that when you have the time and space, you can start it again. Most artists felt that once you were on a creative jag, you shouldn't stop; you should keep going, or the creative forces would stop and never return. That isn't true. Consciously stopping, either when life or your body says stop, is actually as good for you as it is for the creative force. Making notes about where
you are and where you need to start again is probably one of the most empowering things I do.
So how does that look? Here's a good example of notes I've done.
Note I don't go into a lot of detail, just the act, so that another note might be: Shoulders, Serge, Collar, Hem, Green Pants - side seams & hem. It often takes only one or two words. It's uncanny how just a word or two, brings back the whole
thought. These notes not only contain the first steps, but they allow me to go back to where my mind set was, which was that I was working last night to match the stripes at the bottom of the hem (it matters less under the arm), and to match as best possible on the shoulder seams, but sewing a regular non stretch seam, and then check to see if they match, and only then would I serge, and take out that non-stretch seam (done in red thread), to make sure those seams match, and using
that same basting red thread method to add the collar (this will be a cowl neck). So in a few seconds, I'm right back where I was without having to think through all that to pick up where I left off last night.
Not only is this empowering, but it's time-saving. When you practice this regular giving up (quitting working is not quitting to me, it's giving up the high I'm experiencing by pulling my creative thoughts into reality which is my favorite kind of high), it becomes
easier and just in a matter of seconds, I'm right back where I was last week, last month, last night or whenever I let the project go.
The SewingArtistry Resource Library is designed to contain information to not only make your sewing better, but to aid in you fitting and flattering your shape, size and style. Check it out.
I'm taking a break from teaching right now, but I am able to do Zoom demos or talks for your sewing group. Contact me for details.
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This is a sad day - the loss of a classic tradition. Armani held the line
to fashion style that ...
Tracking a fashion trend isn't all that hard after seeing a few of them.
Living from Mid-Century Modern through Twiggy...
It's worth the time to look at these styles, particularly today as
there is a group of that wants to look....
This is the way fashion used to be -- pretty, flattering and I can't wait to make some of...
NOTE: There are some folks who can't get my email, or it's sporadic, or something is hinky. I will always respond to any of you who send a private message, whether it's about the topic of the week or something else. If you don't get anything
from me, it's probably because the support@sewingartistry.com email is blocked, and even a private message can't get through. In that case, I'm on Instagram often, and you can always PM me at @sewingartistry.
As a precaution,
please ensure I'm in your email Address Book and check your spam, junk, and trash folders. Some email clients get extra excited when they see emails coming into the Inbox that go to many other receivers. They automatically think it's trash or spam, and it never makes it to the Inbox. I must constantly check my spam and junk folders to ensure I'm getting the emails I subscribe to.
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Tracking a fashion trend isn't all that hard after seeing a few of them.
Living from Mid-Century Modern through Twiggy...
It's worth the time to look at these styles, particularly today as
there is a group of that wants to look....
This is the way fashion used to be -- pretty, flattering and I can't wait to make some of...
NOTE: There are some folks who can't get my email, or it's sporadic, or something is hinky. I will always respond to any of you who send a private message, whether it's about the topic of the week or something else. If you don't get anything
from me, it's probably because the support@sewingartistry.com email is blocked, and even a private message can't get through. In that case, I'm on Instagram often, and you can always PM me at @sewingartistry.
As a precaution,
please ensure I'm in your email Address Book and check your spam, junk, and trash folders. Some email clients get extra excited when they see emails coming into the Inbox that go to many other receivers. They automatically think it's trash or spam, and it never makes it to the Inbox. I must constantly check my spam and junk folders to ensure I'm getting the emails I subscribe to.
To view in browser along with past emails, click here. We respect your email privacy. |
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