Sew happy!

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use it, the more you have.” Spoken so eloquently by Maya Angelou and carried out daily by me. There is still some mystery about the amount of passion I have for creating things from scratch. I first started sewing when I was young and my grandmother taught me. There is a tiny stuffed turtle that still sits on my self as the very first thing I ever did. And even then, I remember deviating from the pattern and making it my own. That sense of individuality and ability to make it my own has stuck with me through all of my creative processes. There is no discrimination when it comes to creating something. I love making my own cards, painting, woodwork, cross-stitch, baking and jewelry making.

But my real passion is sewing. If it can be crafted from fabric, I have sewn it. I made quilts for each family member from the old clothes of my grandparents. I have created my own quilt patterns and lovingly made one for each of my children. I have dolls and bears, stuffed animals and wall hangings. There are crayon caddies, car organizers, curtains and tablecloths. And all of these things are so special to someone who received them from me. And for me, the magic is not in the result (though that is amazing too), but in the process.

The creative process starts with an idea. There is no limit to where my ideas come from and what might inspire them. Most recently, I began a sewing blitz that was inspired by a cardboard cutout of a cat found in a donated book. It was cute and unique and of course “I can make that.” So I did. The process is about the planning. Making the pattern, sometimes using logic and other times trial and error to get the size and proportion right. The planning of how it will all fit together.

Then, there is the choosing of fabric. I so love textures and colors and different types of materials. Because of this, much of what I use does not come from a fabric store. I don’t want to be confined to the standards. Why can’t I cut up a men’s shirt for an awesome plaid bunny? What about that lace that came from that pillow that will make an amazing border on the dress of the doll? Those linen napkins? Perfect texture in the middle of a scrap quilt. Pillowcases, vintage clothing, old curtains… any fabric can become something beautiful with a little creativity.

Each stage seems even more fun than the previous and now to the cutting. Sometimes really scary to make sure the measurements and directions are correct and cut into the amazing fabrics that will eventually become an exciting creation. But also exciting to start to see the product take shape. Measure twice, cut once!

The most recent project is Mr. Owl. As a I prepare for a craft show, the efficiency of creating is essential. Mr. Owl has 60 individually cut and placed feathers on his belly. Each fabric is so exciting to work with from flannel to fleece, corduroy to cotton, and everything in between. The individuality of each owl and the process of creating each one is my therapy.

I’m a mental health therapist. I work from home doing teletherapy since this pandemic has kept us all from being mobile. And, in turn, mental health services are in high demand. My computer station and my sewing machine are literally side by side. Every minute I am not in a session, I am sewing. I might have ten minutes between appointments and something is getting cut, traced, pressed, stitched or stuffed. It is my way of finding peace in the otherwise unpeaceful times we face.

Sewing is an artform that doesn’t get as much recognition as other types of crafting. It makes me happy. I can bring my ideas to a tangible form to share with others. That makes me happy. Upcycling fabric that others may have used in different ways makes me happy. I have dozens of scissors, several rotary cutters, cutting mats, two sewing machines, a nine-foot craft table, dozens of drawers of supplies and three closets full of fabric. I am a happy girl with a plan to sew until my last breath.