WIP: hangin' out with a bunch of like minded women...

... renamed: culturing a meaningful relationship with creative women

I need more fabric like I need...

Last week, I visited one of my favourite women, Jocelyn, of "Jocelyn & Co." in Gimli, Manitoba. Unfortunately (for me) she is retiring. Fortunately (for me and other fabric fiends (I mean this in a craving-sense and not in the devilish way; if you haven't noticed, I like alliteration)), Jocelyn has found what I hear is an excellent group of women to fill her store when she moves on. Although I'm happy to know that Jocelyn is moving on to something else, her not being in that store will leave some emptiness in my life.

For me, it takes a lot of energy and time to find a good match with other creative people. I blame myself and my selfishness. Saying that, life is short and I'm pretty sure that half of mine is over. Am I wrong to be selfish? I certainly don't mean to offend others, but if I have only a handful of decades (or less!) left, I'm going to make the most of them.

Part of what attracts me to a creative person is... my Mom. (Hello Dr Freud!) Seriously though, my Mom encouraged and cultured me in my relationship with fabric and creating textile things. Sure, Dad was there too, but, to my recollection, Dad saw the finished product and wasn't part of the planning and problems... THAT was Mom. Dad knows the fashion show. But Mom knows the tears and frustration. (And yes, I know I'm very lucky to have both of them.)

So, meaning no offence to all of the wonderfully creative people I meet in stores, guilds, and classes; when I meet you, I'm looking for a unique combination of my Mom, other women I love (like my good friend Lillian), and women who help me push my boundaries (like my good friend Louise). I also seek out women who can help me answer the questions I haven't yet figured out how to answer myself (thank you, Judy), and women who are so bold in what they do as their follow their seam line in life, that they inspire me to rethink a lot of my opinions and things I take for granted (thank you, Andrea).

Other than at Jocelyn & Company in Gimli, MB, I have felt that sense of kinship in The Yarn Bank in Taylors Falls, MN, and the Periwinkle in Saskatoon, SK. I know there are many, many other small businesses that provide a welcoming cocoon for creative types like me... I simply haven't spent enough time in them yet. I mention the businesses above, because to me, they are more than simply a business. These organizations create a fun, witty, and creatively challenging and educational environment. And, Dr Freud, I have found a bit of my Mom in some of the people who spend their days there.

I don't mean to exclude men in this short story. I know there are creative men with whom I can culture an excellent creative relationship. I have found that they don't come my way very often and they leave way too soon.

Oh, by the way, that fabric pictured at the top of my post is what I found while chatting with Jocelyn (more WIP!).

I have more embarrassments of richness. Ain't life grand!  

WIP: are we there yet? (the journey with Lily the art bra)

To me, creating something original is more about the journey than the arrival. If I'm simply following someone else's pattern or rules, it is far less challenging, interesting, and rewarding than making my own journey. I believe that it is the journey that makes the finished product worthwhile. Perhaps you agree.

However, sometimes, in my journey to finish a project, I'm not sure that I have arrived at the end of the journey. Sometimes, I take side trips. I think that perhaps I should add something more. I add it, step back, and realize the project was better before I added that "something more". And I take off what I added.

I've been in this state with "Lily" my art bra for a couple of days now. Some things I've left, some things I've taken away. I really think that Lily is finished. I'll post photos of Lily once she finds a new home... after the 2nd Annual Waterloo County Art Bra Fundraiser Show & Silent Auction: "Her Cup Runneth Over" for HopeSpring Cancer Support Centre in Waterloo, Ontario. I hope Lily goes to a lovely home. She deserves it.

Lily has become very much a tribute to my good artist friend Lillian Parobec-Dzwonyk. Because I live some distance from my biological Mom, I adopted a handful of local "Moms" to fill the void. Lillian was one of them.

I miss her dearly.

WIP: "knittin'"

On Twitter, I follow several journalists. While some journalists Tweet only notable items, others post information of a more personal nature. I like that I get to know a bit of the personalities of the people I choose to trust or question with my news.

I often wonder what it is like to have that kind of celebrity and what benefits and drawbacks the profession might have. We all see the extremes of that life; those stories make the news.

Lisa Laco, host of CBC's Superior Morning, is one of the journalists I follow. From the information on her Twitter profile, I learned that she is an avid knitter. Yet, I would never know that from the few radio broadcasts I hear from her. Now, on those odd occasions that I listen to her radio broadcast, I think of her as a knitter, mom, and spouse first... and as a journalist second.

Knitting is not the first textile art I seek out when I feel the need for creativity... but I enjoy it. Usually, I see something that I really like, buy the pattern and yarn, and follow the directions. Or, I'll find some great yarn and knit a simple scarf. I wear scarves daily for the winter months (we have a lot of those in Winnipeg) and like the variety. As well, our homeless shelters are seemingly always asking for donations of warm winter wear, so I often knit for charity. 

This spring, while doing a bit of travelling, I saw a stunning shawl at The Yarn Bank in Taylors Falls, Minnesota.  It was the "yarn" that caught my eye and the ladies in the store that caught my ear with the entertaining banter of their "stitch and bitch" session. The pattern is simple. Cast on 100 stitches, knit each row, and cast off with the end metre or so of the yarn. Stitch it together. The finished shawl (click to see the photo) is simple; the yarn makes a statement.

work in progress

I'm almost finished Lily, my art bra. When I need a mental break, or when I need to think about a next step, I pick up the knitting and stitch a row. This shawl is one of my new WIPs. 

I'm posting to TN&TN's WIP Wednesday link-up today. It is open to all Canadian textile art bloggers: please post a link if you are one. If not, please check out the projects of other Canadian artists. 

WIP: quick back-to-school project

I love that technology has allowed for significant advances in textile printing. Images are now three-dimensional and the colours are incredibly vivid.

Last week, while shopping for something else, Monsters University™ fabric called to me. I quickly made some piping using coordinating fabric and made a pillow.

finished the piping

completed pillow

It was a quick little one-hour fun project for back-to-school.

WIP: memories in the Textile Lab

This week, I had a wonderful opportunity to go back to my old textile sciences lab to take a walk down memory lane. Since a fire in the building (but not in the lab), the lab has physically moved to a different floor and a lot of the equipment is new, but I was surprised with seeing a lot of displays that I remembered from my first textiles lab thirty some years ago.

I took lots of photos; some are below. I think most of the display boxes must be from the 1950s or 1960s. I adore them.

I must think of a way to incorporate some of these memories into a project.

silk cocoons and thread

life cycle of the silk worm (with human intervention!)

Bunsen burners for fibre identification (and other things)

lots of fabric

more fabric (perhaps I can learn something from their organization!)

flax plant fibre and all!

a new! (to me) abrasion tester for fabrics

gotta love the four-legged fibre producers!

hemp, sisal, and jute for rope...

can't forget cotton!

small weaving loom that I would love in my studio!

The University of Manitoba has closed its Human Ecology faculty. The Textiles Science specialization is now moved to the University of Manitoba's Biosystems Engineering department.

WIP: my day with Lillian; tick tock

The clock is ticking, I must focus on finishing my Lillian project for the Her Cup Runneth Over auction. Back to my "grande valise"! Off to MY version of a Mr Dressup "Tickle Trunk" (shown on the right) to find that light pink silk to make a lily for Lillian!


I almost allowed myself to be distracted by the four metres of gorgeous black cashmere that I found years ago at a price I couldn't resist. Then, I managed to ignore the beautiful red silk print that Mom gave to me years and years ago. I've never been able to think of something significantly special to make from it. Then there is the linen, the silk embroidered pieces, the vintage surfing fabric my honey found in San Diego. Too much fabric, too little time!

Back to Lillian, or "Lily" as one of my very helpful creative friends calls my art bra. I am determined to make significant progress on her. My mess of tools is in the picture below. I may use it all... I may use none of it. Well, time to move on...

I'm linking-up today with TN&TN's WIP Wednesday.

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