All sorts

 It is indeed a funny old studio time - it seems like a time of slow momentum. Of things happening slowly, on a small scale, and not in quick bursts. So many bits and pieces taking small steps - some barely getting any momentum, just the odd nudge.

The commission is the main game at the moment; but it is having its moments.  And funnily enough, every time I think I have a chunk of time to have a really good run at it, life happens and I end up only getting a small window to make small things happen. As an observer of my own making, I am finding this an odd project in the manner in which it is evolving. 

That aside,  I am beginning to try and work out the additions to the lettering. The marks and images and things that will personalise it as a gift.

Here I am playing with travel lines - journeys and places. I am using a heavy tracing paper to make the imagery and then lay it over the page and determine how it would sit; how it interacts with the lettering - does it interfere or does it support? How will I make the marks - solid? light? and so on.

And now playing with some symbols and imagery that are part of the person's life. Figuring out potential placement, and sizes.

I do like tracing paper! Such a usual bit of kit.

And here is a piece I used to sit on top of a book cover I was gluing to protect the book from any transfer marks from the weights upon it overnight.  I couldn't create these magical wave-lines if I tried.

In amongst everything I was considering my sewing set-up at home.  It was poorly organised and did not reflect that I no longer packed up my sewing on a weekly basis and travelled to my sewing class. I had previously had everything arranged for transit; and there was not  a lot of practicality in my set-up for sewing at home.  In a bit of  rush and a roar, I purchased a secondhand Horn sewing table - most excited - and then started sorting my fabrics and 'things' that were stored alongside my former table.

Now everything has a home and is packed away neatly (except I have to go through my dressmaking fabric boxes - two of them, with oodles of lovely fabrics, waiting to be made up).

And this is what I had to sort through at the end of my first tidy - dyed threads waiting to be wound on their pegs and labelled, scraps of material  and old cotton scarves. They all needed ironing before I could tell if they were of any value.  I quite liked the look of the stash.

And out of some of the scrap linen fabrics, I hand stitched this purse-pouch. On our last trip my very old jewellery pouch gave up the ghost so to speak, so I thought rather than go looking to buy one I would make one from scraps, and I did.

The sense of contentment and happiness I found by sorting out my sewing world has enthused me for more hand stitching and making. But I just need to be patient...