A New Creative Endeavor

So, I bought a sewing machine! Inspired by watching Project Runway and reading Vogue Magazine, I thought I’d learn how to sew. Plus, my grandmother has been telling me how cool sewing is for years.

I bought a Brother cs6000i, which has 60 stitches, including overlocking and button holes. Then I went to the fabric store and got started.

At first, I tried making something from a pattern, but I quickly decided patterns were too much trouble and wouldn’t fit right. Instead, I’ve been making my own patterns using muslin, pins and a well-marked dress form. It’s the ultimate creative challenge because it has to be wearable and stylish as well as well-constructed. Each garment is a cool puzzle to figure out.

Here are a few things I’ve made this month:

A denim jacket (because it still gets chilly at night in spring in Colorado).

A pink sundress.

A seersucker shirt.

I *love* this new hobby. It’s so much fun to dream up an outfit then bring it to life. I’ll post more pics as I go!

Sunflowers

Here’s my latest project, a colored-pencil drawing of sunflowers. It’s based on a photo in a book called “Sunflowers.” (Clever title.)

I’m totally inspired to draw now, so perhaps there will be more of these posts. Or maybe I’ll take up pottery or scrapbooking. Just kidding.

Three New Crochet Afghans

Afghans I made this summer:

This one looks aquatic to me. It’s the colors and the waves.

I’d wanted to make this one for a while, because I *love* daisies.

This one I threw together from a few squares I liked.

For all of them, I used Red Heart Supersaver yarn and a 5.5 mm crochet hook.

Pencils

Here are the two pencil drawings I’ve completed. The first is Michelle Pfeiffer. The second is a Venice scene.

That’s it for the old stuff. I have one new drawing to post…

Paint and Pastel

This painting of Venice was my first completed project in oils.

Bourbon Street, in pastels

Here’s the only acrylic painting I finished that I liked enough to hang.