This time I had to realize that sometimes it is more about the learning process, then to end with a finished product… or the project that made me question what my Hive blog should be all about?
I was hesitating to share this recent sewing project with you, because I wasn’t satisfied with the result. But I made up my mind and that’s why I am here now sharing with you my latest work, that I started and probably won’t finish. But even if there was quite a bit of despair involved, I did learn a lot in this process, and I think sharing that with you is worth the article, even though I don’t have a proper result to share.
I was hesitating to share the project with you, because I failed in the sense of not being able to finish with a piece of clothing that would be wearable. I didn’t fail regarding what I learned, about my patience about my workflow and ways of dealing with problems and failure. And in the end, it also made me question what it is that I want my hive blog to be about... (so, there is actually a lot of things that came out of that project, just not the expected)
Well so far what I shared with you, where projects I started and I finished, and where I was happy with the outcome. But this is only half of what goes on behind the scenes... I do have a lot of never started Ideas in my sketchbook, plenty of unfinished projects in suitcases, a bunch of materials I adore and still try to figure out how to acknowledge them best, the things I learn with every steps and new techniques I get into, the ideas in my head I never put on paper…
All of that is part of my working process, part of expressing my creativity and my resonation (and not just the finished “end-product”) so why should I not talk about those aspects of my artistic work?
After going through those thoughts, I came up with my own answer to it. Which is, that I do not want to pressure myself to have to come up with a finished product every time, but that my Hive Blog can be a lot more than that, it could be my actual sketchbook. A place where I can share the process, the Ideas, the failures, the stories behind the objects I am creating and those I am working with and within that still share the finished things I am proud of as they came out. I can actually be more honest about my work in the sense of showing different aspects of it and telling the whole process it takes me to get there. And I am very excited to see this Blog in such a different way now, since I really appreciated all the interactions and inspiring feedbacks and discussions, I got so far with you guys I think it is very well worth it to open up a step further and also talk about further aspects of my work and my ideas.
So welcome again and back:) to my new way of calling this blog my sketchbook the sum of my thoughts and inspirations that I love to share with you and get into conversation about with you.
Now let me start getting into the process of failing a dress and learning about my workflow.
All of what I just wrote about I did not know nor expect, when I found a dress (or pieces of it), I started sewing last summer.
I remember that I was telling myself to make a simple dress that would take the least effort to wear it as it would take to make it (lol so there I am one year later).
It should have become a long dress with lots of fabric to float in the wind and keep a fresh breeze around your legs in the warm days. The back should be completely open. That’s what I remembered. What I couldn’t recall was what the measurements of those fabric pieces, where about. What was supposed to be where and how much was just addition (for the finishings or for me to have supplement fabric to have space for fuckups)
Since I didn’t know I thought it would be better not to stick to the old Idea but create something new out of those left-behind sewing pieces. (little did I know where that would bring me)
At that stage I remembered a dress I saw once that I wanted to reproduce. Some sort of cut out long dress, with stripes and strings holding things together. All in all, a long dress covering up to the ancles up at the same time showing parts of skin on the sides, the legs, the back.
Usually, I do not use the internet for inspiration, here I did, some proper research actually. Looking up different dresses in the stile I was imagining and then I even made a sketch about it. (That was a moment when I loved the project, I felt super prepared and really figured out how much I enjoyed putting more effort in researching the design, instead of going for my initial Idea straight away. Later I doubted the use of Internet though, I think it leaves me with too many impressions, adding up to all the thousands of ideas in my head...))
Another thing I fell for, as I realized afterwards, was that I just started to cut the fabric pretty much by no calculations but by pure intuition. Which work sometimes, but maybe I created too much of a gap between my detailed research and sketching and then just work on with my intuition instead of following the plan.
At that stage I was still in the beginnings, still really excited about how amazing I thought this could turn out.
Choosing fabrics that would fit into the color theme I wanted to go for. (I wanted this to become a summer countryside dress to walk over fields, buying bread or milk being all covered and comfortable but sexy at the same time. Casually and easy wearable but dressed up at the same time.)
(making linen strips for the edges)
I spent a lot of dedication on making everything look clean from any side you would turn it on, finishing all the edges really nice and proper.
(...and what it feels like to have to open it all again because I had to shorten the top)
So-on I made all the strips that should connect the different parts of the dress.
The bottom part was a disaster, I realized I didn’t have enough fabric. And that’s where I started to fix one problem that left me with the next one.
(I tried to cut out some parts and replace it with that lace, looked beautiful so far)
(even with all my worktop I got attracted by the floor again..haha)
(how is this supposed to work? and loosing my focus..)
Already at that stage you can tell how I switched between being to organized of myself and going completely random and overconfident almost at the same time.
(trying to find some solutions, again)
Overall, I never lost my intention and will to keep those edges clean, a dedication I was positively surprised of.
After almost a week of work (I still had other things to do as well, as much as I would like to spend all my time in front of a sewing machine lol) I gave up. It wasn’t a bad resignation though I just felt that I didn’t have to drag this on any further, and that this was fine.
I learned, that I can’t force things, since I did put in the dedication, that it doesn’t resonate with me to fix problems caused by badly fixing others. That I can also gain something “just” from the working process without having a result to show. And it made me question (as I mentioned before) what it actually is that I want to share with you in this blog. Where I am very happy about all those thoughts and emotions this project brought me through.
Since I still have some stubbornness left about having some sort of clothing to present, I thought of just using the top by itself as a crop top and not a dress... that’s what you get to see here and the glimpse of the dress, how it could have been.
And the top...
Now the whole project went back into a bag though, maybe I’ll try again next summer hahah
Well If you managed to get through all those thoughts and expressions I had to share this time (ended up to be a really long post oups) I thank you even more to stop by once again. I really appreciate you lovely feedbacks, comments and the exchange! See you around and have a good time until then!
This post is exactly what we’ve been trying to encourage this community to do for some time now. Let me give you a bit of history of the NeedleWorkMonday Community.
When we first started back in 2017 there were only a handful of us. We were this little family encouraging each other with every project we shared. Some weeks we just posted about our thoughts and ideas, other times we shared pieces of getting started on our projects. We didn’t always show a finished project and the fancy results thereof. That’s what was so real about it. We shared in each other’s struggles, failures, victories, mishaps and growth. We followed the journey of being an artist and all that came with it.
I am sorry I am getting to this post so late but I wish for everyone in the community to read it. This is what we love to see and hear…your thoughts, ideas and journey. There’s no need to wait to post until a project is fully complete, the process is also part of the project and we love seeing and hearing about it.
I love how you picture the places you will go in your finished projects. I do this with most of my crocheted projects (except I envision the toy being played with or how a hat or scarf would be worn since I don’t sew lol). I’m glad you showed us an idea of what the dress would look like and I love how you modeled that.
I am even more excited to read your blogs as I love the approach you’re taking with your art and creativity. Kudos!! 💓
Ciao @crosheille - I loved reading this response you made: it really encourages me also, and helps me figure out how to present what I am creating! :-) Blessings and huge gratitude for your work in making and maintaining this beautiful group :-)
I’m so glad it encouraged you as well. 😉
Aww wow thanks so much! It’s truly a pleasure being here with all of you. I love the growth, the learning and all the sharing and supporting we do here. Thanks for being a part of it ~ 🥰😘
Thank you so much, this was such a pleasure to read this reply!!
It is so inspiring (and reassuring) to me to get this kind of comment, especially since I went through doubts about the project and posting about it. And to get this response to me taking action in stepping out of my comfort-zone is amazing!!:)) And that you point out the "picturing-the-place" is great to hear since I am having a lot of fun with that in fact! (one of my next, soon hopefully, projects was to start taking the photos in those scenes I imagine the garments)
Also to see how this community has its flow and to read about how it started is such a valuable thing to me. Since I do not find many places like that (especially not in the internet) where we can actually exchange knowledge, techniques and (honest)thoughts in that way, that we can grow from it.. is something I didnt expect when I first came on hive, and it makes me appreciate even more to have found it now!!
Thanks again and See you around soon💕
Oh gosh I read this and thought I'd already responded, so sorry about that.
I am so glad I could help inspire and reassure you ;)
I do love the sharing of knowledge here. I have grown in many ways learning from others!
Looking forward :)
💓
Ahh yes sometimes it gets confusing keeping up all the different conversations, that started on different posts:)
Exactly :)
I really must commend your effort!
Sadly, our designs sometimes might not turn out to be what we envisioned, I'm presently working on my wedding dress and every week I have to visit the fabric store to grab some more fabric or change some fabric, it can really be so discouraging but like my boss will always tell me, your self confidence is all that matters and every time you take a step to try it out and it seems to not work the way you want, it is a step getting you closer to your desired result.
Thank you so much for your words!! this is a wonderful way to see it, to actually acknowledge and appreciate also the steps you take, that didnt turn out to bring you where you wanted to..
And wow you are making your own wedding dress, I guess there you have to confront a lot of expectations, must be a lot of work.. but I would love to see it:)
Yeah, I am, its really a dream come true 🤗 but then the stress and challenges isn't easy, I had to gathered 60yards of fabric using hand stitch which is just the least of it all
Of course, I'll share my challenges and also a picture of it here after I'm done.
ooh I imagine!! well good luck for your further process:) and i am looking forward to see the results!!:)
Thank you
I guess I have the answer to everything and its not a number in the forties: somehow my nemesis the woven-fabric-monster sniffed your trail out, followed you and bit down…
I am so sorry (should I sew something with woven fabric while the monster is on your trail?)
Ok, joking aside. I feel you. To be honest I sadly more often sew things which -ahem- may not look as I planned than the other way round. And although you are not satisfied with the dress, I still am amazed how fearless and skilful you worked with the (woven) fabric. And the design you created does look complex to me.
And with the sketchbook-blog idea: I am always more interested in the process, in the story behind the object than in the finished product itself. Accordingly I love your idea.
Aaah the monster yes hahah we should built it a trap maybe... Thank you!!:) well to have you encouraging words is reassuring my new approach, so even more inspiration to keep going:) I must say to write about it and put together all the photos in the end made me re-reflect on it and starting to see some positive aspects of it again (even though I still do not want to touch it anymore, and its going to stay in that bag (with the woven-fabric-monster hopefully))
I'm glad that you posted and shared everything regardless of how you wanted the end results to turn out. I think it's your blog so post what you want. Keep up the great work and i loved the creativity in the flow of this design.
Thank you!! well I am happy to hear you enjoyed it, in the end I did have a lot of fun writing this post actually, even though first I felt really uninspired about that project(when it ended).. but I guess thats the point also to have fun with it:) so yes keeps me inspired once more to share my ideas:)
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I love the result of what you made. You're so talented.
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Thank you so much!!:)
I adore reading about and seeing your work process, dear @kesityu.fashion !! It is an honour to be let into your mind and emotions: I relate so much to what you share, and feel myself like am at the very beginning of a steep mountain of learning... I knew a lot about sewing when I was young, but am taking it up again now, and I feel a weight of neuroses kicking in, every time I reach a hurdle! Lots of projects begun, but few powered-through right to the end! Nevertheless, I LOVE reading others' posts here and have added you also to my favourites - thank you for your vulnerability, beauty and tenacity! xx Blessings!
Thank you so much @clareartista for your lovely reply!! Really appreciate it:) To hear that you enjoy following my work-process and the thoughts I have, is so nice, I guess I couldnt ask for a better feedback to writing about all those ideas and thoughts!!:) Have a lovely week!!💕