30 before 30: #1 and #10 - the crafty seamstress

There are some rather ill-conceived goals on my pre-thirty bucket list. Number 1 and number 10, for example, both have substantial overlap and, while I know that months ago I had lofty ambitions of completing these exclusively, I am now lumping them together and calling it success. Some would call it lazy, others a study in efficiency...

In any case, I'll start this post by letting you in on a secret. I'm a pretty poor seamstress. I was never taught how to sew or use a sewing machine at school, nor did I have a mother or even grandmother who sewed. Knitting, yes; but never sewing. However, I love most crafty-type activities. To me they're like a form of therapy - a way to escape and immerse myself in my thoughts and some quiet time. Based on this logic, a couple of years back I purchased a sewing machine, with grand ambitions of cladding myself in all sorts of fabric awesome. 

I made a delightful wrap skirt and a vaguely acceptable pair of pajama bottoms, but my sewing career came to a screeching halt when I went all out and attempted a maxi dress that made me appear seven months pregnant (I'm not exaggerating at all here!). It's not that I made a conscious decision to give up, but my *epic fail*, coupled with a bunch of other goings-on rendered my time very limited, and so I put the sewing machine to rest for a little while.

Now that time is a little freer (post-MBA completion - huzzah!), I made a decision to dust off the white plastic lump that is my sewing machine and make something I can't mess up - cushions. A trip to Ikea was first required in order to procure the cushion insert and, while there, I discovered that Ikea is a one-stop-shop for pillow-making, as they boast a pretty funky range of fabrics. I opted for a grey print, hoping that a neutral pallet would mean that any flaws wouldn't be as obvious, and $25 later we were on our way (and yes, I understand that I could have simply purchased two ready-made cushions from Ikea for this price, but where's the fun in that?!). 

After a wee bit of fabric pressing and measuring, it was time to get my sew on - a bit of machine work, followed by some hand sewing. I'm pretty happy with the outcome, especially given my disaster maxi of 2011!

At least one of the cushions is actually destined for our replica George Nelson Coconut Chair, which is being made somewhere in the world as we speak. I think it'll look pretty swell...

Overall, not *sew* bad, right?!

How to "make" a Christmas tree

Make

December 6 – Make. 

What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? 

(Author: Gretchen Rubin)

Now this is a simple reverb10 prompt for me. 2010 was the year of metal clay. This obscenely expensive hobby totally consumed me in mid-2010 when it was first brought to my attention. For those unacquainted with the art of metal clay, I can tell you that it essentially involves molding pieces from clay into desired shapes, drying them thoroughly and then firing them either in a kiln or on a gas stove top. 

Here's a rather rustic scrabble letter made for a good friend who happens to be a Scrabble whiz (on second thought, whiz may be an understatement!).

This piece was made for my Mum....just because....

I suppose I'm not being perfectly honest - this wasn't technically the last thing I've made. I've certainly baked and (tried to) sew since making these pieces. I say "tried to" sew because my last attempt at following a pattern resulted in a cross between a crop top and a moo-moo! For the record, it was meant to be a maxi dress. I'll let your imagination envisage this "wondrous" creation.

As for the second part of today's prompt: Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? That's equally easy to answer. I would love to get back into metal clay jewellery making. Now that my time is a little less occupied (to say the least!), I think it may be an opportune time to return to this very absorbing pastime. I might, however, need to do some fundraising first - a small packet of silver clay (enough for a couple of chunky rings and pairs of earrings) can set you back more than $100! However, I really shouldn't be thinking too much about costs - the personal value I gain through the creative process definitely outweighs the fiscal outlay.