getting organised

I've been busy working on building up a sketchbook for my textile art course.



I've gone through various phases of trying to get organised over the years, and it confounds me.

I have another life as a senior manager in my day-job where I'm super-organised (have to be!) and not only that organise and manage business processes and planning not only for myself, but also for a department of over 200 people within a large complex organisation. My house is tidy and organised, so are my wardrobes and cupboards. I cook from scratch every night, manage a garden, chickens etc etc etc.

So why am I so hopeless in my creative life? It got me thinking...

I've come to the conclusion that it's not about being organised or not. It's about inner demons, doubts about the value of my own ideas, and a certain strange lack of confidence in expressing my own creativity.

So here's my notebook saga.. it may be of some comfort to those of you who are facing your own notebook and design issues... any of this familiar? I'd love to hear about your experiences..

1) I bought endless styles of notebooks, trying to find the 'right' one - the result of that is a pile of partly started notebooks, because, of course, my inner negative demons tell me that my writing/drawing/painting/poems etc aren't quite beautiful or good enough for the perfection of the notebook.

2) I have tried one notebook for each theme I want to develop; so one for drawing, one for books I want to read, one for quotes, one for places I've been to, places I want to visit, designs ideas etc. That way I have a confusion of notebooks, none of which are in the right place at the right time. I have been known to pack more notebooks than clothes to go on holiday, because of course, I think that when I'm on holiday, I'll be able to do all the sketching I've ever wanted to do.. the result of this strategy for me is never to have the right notebook in the right place at the right time.

3) I have tried one notebook for everything to carry everywhere, except that I forget to transfer it from one bag to another when I change bags.

4) I then tried one notebook for each bag, but found that I could never remember where I'd noted stuff, or it was all terribly disjointed and my notes made no sense..

5) I then kept notes, cutting, photocopies in folders and box files for a while... they're all gathering dust on the topmost shelf..

6) at one very confused stage, I decided to do without notebooks and just remember stuff..

7) I used post-it notes in every bag, and a corkboard to stick them on when I got home

8) don't even get me started on the topic of art-journalling...

So, now I've enrolled on a course in textile arts, and you can imagine the paralysis that ensued when I realised that the first thing I have to do is keep a logbook and a sketchbook (actually more than one). And that I have to send them to my tutor for her to see (it's a distance-learning course)

What's a logbook? what's a sketchbook? what size should they be? lined or blank? cartridge paper or watercolour weight? patterned cover or plain? Hardback, softback? ringbinder/bound? looseleaf folder/boxfile..

The answer to these questions? - there is no answer! I have to find the solution that works for me... in other words, there is no perfect solution..

Ah, now does that leave me back with numbers 1-7...? No, because I have already learned something. The point of keeping notes, sketches and samples is about the process not the product. Ideas and sketches are personal and a learning journey.

So, instead about worrying about the tools I use and how to store them, and whether my work is perfect enough or not, I have found this very successful strategy:

>I bought 6 ringbound plain covered hard-back A4 sketchbooks. One of them will be my logbook to write thoughts, progress, reviews etc The others will be sketchbooks. Because they are plain and all the same size, I can swap pages about from sketchbook to sketchbook and also sketchbook to logbook. I can tear things out I don't like without spoiling anything. I can cut holes in the pages and reveal what's coming on the next page or what went before. I can colour them, scrawl over them, glue things in. I can look at things a week later and see them in a completely different way. I've realised that inspiration is all around me, and that by capturing it in my sketchbooks, and letting my inner positive demons defeat the negative ones, my creative energies have been set free..

[but I also now carry a mini-sketchbook, drawing pencils with a notebook, block of post-it notes, various pens and fabric/yarn samples with me at all times... I'm thinking about buying a mule or donkey to carry it all..

There's also a pin-board in my craft-room and endless box-files of stuff, and when I'm in the mood, I spread it all out and wallow in it all.... because the other thing about doing an art course is that you need so much stuff... ]



So here's what I've learned:

• I don't have to worry about how it looks because it's not about that.
• Mistakes are a good thing.
• The only person judging it is me.

Also, more purses (unfortunately you can't see the bead details very well):

secret pal 14

I'm so delighted that I've been accepted for secret pal 14

Here are my answers to the questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? I love all natural yarns, anything from wool to cotton. I love handpainted yarns as well

What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I avoid angora and mohair these days, and anything scratchy.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I keep my needles in an old writing desk, and my hooks in a plastic binder, plus various plastic bags...


3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting and crocheting for over 40 years, so would consider myself advanced in both, though there's always something to learn!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I have an amazon wishlist

5. What's your favorite scent? I like light fresh scents. I wear Bulgari 'eau du the vert' and Clarins 'eau dynamisante'

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I have a sweet tooth :)

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I sew, dress-make and embroider. I'm interested in all sorts of textile arts. I've just started studying textile design at the moment, so will be experimenting with all sorts of fabrics, materials and techniques. I haven't done any spinning for years.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like folk music, all sorts of acoustic music, classical music, old heavy rock, good singing of all kinds. I have an MP3 player.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I veer towards blues, greens, teal, violet; I also like neutrals. I avoid yellows and oranges

10. What is your family situation? I am married and have a 20 year-old son. now at University Do you have any pets? 2 cats and 6 chickens

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I love scarves, hats and mitts. I don't wear ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I like lace-knitting, and tailored and designed garments, and unusual accessories

13. What are you knitting right now? Heartstrings 'Wrapped-up in bows' stole, ; Hanne Falkenberg 'Diva; a crocheted-motif blanket by Erika Knight

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? I always value hand-made gifts

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I have no preference at all... other than that I prefer to use small sized needles. I use them until they fall apart

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? 1 year old.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Anywhere in Italy, or on a narrowboat on the English canals What winter holiday do you observe? Chrstmas and Hogmanay (New Year's Eve)

19. Is there anything that you collect? I collect ceramics by Sally Tuffin, thrift-shop fabric finds, buttons and beads, old needlework and recipe books, bits and bobs of vintage lace and embroidery... a bit of a magpie..

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? Filatura di Crosa knitting and crochet books, Dale of Norway patterns, Elsebeth Lavold books What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I subscribe to Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Sew Hip

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I'd love to learn how to knit in a continental style; I've never tried broomstick or tunisian crochet; I'm intrigued by Estonian and Latvian lace and colour knitting. I'd like to learn more about yarn and fibre dyeing.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? No, sorry, I don't and won't knit socks, but I love the yarns

23. When is your birthday? 5th November

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes, I'm on ravelry, but only visit sometimes. My ID is Thrissle

Catching up

There's been a bit of a gap, sorry. Not so much camera as computer problems.. anyway I'm back now (on another computer!)

This is my garden on the 1st June, and for good measure here's a photo taken in the other direction from the vegetable plot, towards the house.



and here's a quick catch-up..

Since I wrote last I've done an art fair, and got energised always by the lovely people I met and the positive comments I got from all who visited the stall. I even managed to sell some stuff which is good going in the Black Country at any time, but especially just now with people watching their pockets.

Here is one of the purses I made to sell at the art fair. The material is an upcycled printed Thai cotton; cut, stuffed, quilted and beaded, and then lined with violet silk.


First draw round the purse frame. Then make a paper pattern. Cut out fabric, batting and lining. Quilt, bead and then sew and glue. Some details in the photos below:



I've finally made the decision to enrol on an art course. I'm very excited about it, as it's something I should have done years ago, but took another path that led me to all sorts of interesting places, but art and design have followed me around all this time, and it's time to let them flourish. I hope to get myself organised (all those design ideas in my head, whirling around, overwhelming sometimes), push myself beyond my comfort zone, and, most importantly, develop and learn. Here's the course I'm about to start... http://www.oca-uk.com/distance-learning/textiles-1-a-creative-approach



see? I'm artistic already and I haven't even started....

I've also now completed 719 of the crocheted motifs for the blanket, so only 31 to go (hurrah!). Photos of the crocheting and knitting I've been doing to follow later.

June

Sorry about the gap in writing... new camera problems, hopefully to be sorted by the weekend!

Sheep

Sheep in a mural on the wall leading to the market in Lancaster...


... and some lambs...


.. and a fine stained-glass window in Ye Olde John o'Gaunt pub.