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December 7, 2018
Whenever I write this date, I think "A day that will live in infamy". For my generation, this set about a whole course of action in history which affected my generation, and really still does. The lines of countries in Europe were completely redrawn, new countries were established, old countries disappeared, old ruling dynasties disappeared, new ruling dynasties appeared, new social classes developed, and most
importantly for my generation, we were part of a huge boom in birth rates, so my generation had to always compete to get that place in the sun. This caused so many repercussions within my generation. We became a huge political, economic and sociological force - some to the good and some to the bad.
But it got me to thinking how it shaped me individually and how it affected me. How is it that today I am the person I am based on the effects that I have experienced through my life. Yes, there obviously where some genes involved too, but we are made up both of nature and nurture.
It's not only interesting but really worthwhile to discover where we are today and what are the paths that took us to where we are. I was a bit of a rebel anyway, so going against what I was told as the correct way to be (whether it was from my mother or Steinem and Friedan), I was going to trek my own path, no matter what! Maybe had I been born as little as 5 years earlier, I wouldn't have liked sewing at all. It would have been taught in all the schools
and it would have been available and even encouraged. Would sewing have had as much appeal if sewing had been mainstream?
It's not only interesting but worthwhile to think how we developed, what affected us, what didn't affect us and how we think about how we work through our lives today. So, I'm not really wondering how you all think about your sewing and how you approach it.
Is sewing something you dread?
Do you only work only on garments that you really know well?
How well do you do with problems, big and small, in your sewing?
Does sewing present a challenge waiting to be solved?
Is sewing like a puzzle waiting to be assembled?
Is the idea of stretching your sewing really appealing to you?
Does sewing really scare the daylights out of you?
At the end of the year, December, is filled with our creative juices really in overload, and we don't normally take the time to notice how we approach sewing. Not so much as to change or not change, but to notice about where we are with sewing, what we want to be, what we wish we could be and what we might do differently, what we might not want to do again -- ever, and most of all simply assess our skills and our goals and our progress.
December is a month usually packed full of shopping, decorating, family and especially camaraderie and celebrating. It's doesn't really remind of us of a time to stand back and be quiet and reflect even a little. It's all about getting the list done for friends and family, making goodies to pass out, getting things organized and most of all accomplishing and doing as much as you can pack into each day.
This year, think about pulling a little time - even 5 minutes a day - away from all that to think about where you are - with your skills, with your life and of course with your sewing. Not judgement - that's for later. This is a little smidgen of time to simply notice - that's all.
And then you can get back to the hurley-burley Christmas rush and the fun and flood of family and friends. There will follow up in January on this - and no it's not a test and no it won't go on your permanent record!!!!
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PS - I do a lot of posting on Facebook as both Claire Kennedy and SewingArtistry - if you want to friend me to check out the goodies over there for free!
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