The Value is in Making

I am finally wearing the barn sweater which I cast on last October. I am not a fast knitter and sometimes I stall when I have to learn or figure out a new technique. I finally blocked, seamed and added buttons to it in September. Now that the days are cool and and an extra layer is welcome, I get to cover myself with a cozy, very imperfect hug that I know I will wear all the time. With something that has taken so much time and effort, it is tempting to keep it precious and protected but despite the slow work and many stitches, I want to use it, wear it, care for it, when needed, repair it.

I’m finding more time in the evenings to create, which feels so good. Last night while sewing, I listened to an episode of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Magic Lessons Podcast. Nearly every episode reveals something invaluable to me about the creative process and creative living and I kept pausing to jot down thoughts from episode 204. She talks with a poet about the value of participating in something ancient, like writing poetry as people have done for thousands of years. Clothing ourselves must be as ancient as humanity and I often think of the generations of women who spent hours weaving, stitching, gathering scraps, repurposing, remaking and patching. Crisscrossing the line between necessity and art form, they had an intimate connection to the seams that covered them in comfort, durability and beauty. It is easy to romanticize the hard work of making clothing before machinery and mass production and hard to forget the slavery and oppression that is also part of the history (and present) of garment production. I am lucky that I can choose to make clothes for myself and be part of every seam.

In the same episode, Liz Gilbert talks to the poet Mark Nepo and one of the things he says that has stayed with me is, “The vitality of life is staying a verb.” It doesn’t mean anything to be a writer or maker, the value is in writing and making. For me, the value in knitting or sewing things to wear is as much in the creative process as the final wearable garment. Fashion isn’t really something that I think about much but this month is Slow Fashion October and I have been, again, pondering why I revel in slow processes and in making everyday things. It is a practice and connection that I engage in wholeheartedly without any concern for perfection. I still have a lot to learn about knitting and this cozy gray cardigan is riddled with mistakes, but it fits well enough and looks good enough for me. We scrutinize ourselves and our creations far more closely and critically than any outside observer while we each need to find and make what brings us joy, perfect or not.

Home Sweet

When it comes to the comforts of home, like with so many other pleasures in life, it is the little things. Maybe a delicious homemade pizza for dinner, maybe a new shower curtain, a new catchy song, sharp knives in the kitchen, or a good book to curl up and read. Over the past several months we have been making many small improvements to our living space. I appreciate each one and they have added up to a refreshed and very comfortable apartment.

I am terrible at thrifty and bargain finds so I focus first on making due with what we have and repurposing things into better use. My my most recent repurposing and improving project has been with pillows. It seems inconsequential and hardly worth mentioning, but it also one of the simplest easiest small changes you can make to refresh, brighten and make a space more comfortable. First, I washed our pillows in the washing machine, dried them outside in the sun and gave them a turn in the dryer to remove any lingering dampness. Our pillow cases weren't feeling very clean, despite recent washes, so I soaked them in the sink with three parts water to one part vinegar. After several hours soaking I tossed them in the washer and they came out feeling soft and clean (this vinegar soak also helps to refresh cloth napkins and tea towels).

With our pillows and cases almost as clean as new, I decided it wouldn't hurt to have a couple of new pillows. I've been trying to prop myself in comfortable pregnant sleeping positions so it is helpful to have a few extras around. Pillows, of course, need cases and these happen to be one of the easiest sewing projects I can imagine. I had sewn two cotton sheets into a duvet cover which never really worked with our comforter but I realized it would make a few nice pillow cases. I simply cut large rectangles of fabric (measured to the same size as an existing pillow case) with the already hemmed edges of the sheets at the top and sewed up the other three sides. For extra reinforcement I added a zigzag stitch all the way around the outside of the seam.



I had another big pillow kicking around which was looking much worse for wear and I almost tossed it after a recent spate of organizing. Fortunately I realized that it just needed a wash and a new cover and it would be perfect as an extra cushion or seat in our living room. For this pillow case I used some recent fabric favorites in a simple appliqué design. An envelope cover is my favorite for this type of pillow case since there is no need to fuss with a zipper or buttons.

When I have the time and motivation, I like to put some energy into making our home comfortable, clean, and inviting. Although these domestic projects sometimes seem tedious or unnecessary, I believe that caring for our living space is an extension of caring for ourselves. If you are so inclined, the handmade touches are a small way to nurture our homes and make them even sweeter.

Making with Care

I'm not sure the weather could be any more dismal than it is this morning. Everything outside is gray and brown. The snow is almost all gone but there are few welcome signs of spring to take its place. On a more positive note, I have seen lots of robins, I haven't worn my winter coat in a few days, and hopefully the April showers (whether rain or snow) will bring lots of flowers in May. Also, the lack of enticing spring weather means that time I would spend outside in the fresh air and sun can be spent stitching and knitting.



I've been working on a number of projects in preparation for the baby. I know he won't know the difference between handmade or not, but I but it is a fun way to get ready for this new and huge addition to our life. Making things that we will use and he will someday cuddle with, chew, or drag around the house is a chance for me to create things that I love and infuse them with joy and care. I imagine, in a few months, we will be too overwhelmed and amazed by our new baby to appreciate these small handmade gestures, I am having fun with them now.



Baby things aside, I love that making a scarf or a quilt or a jar of jam for someone goes beyond just being a thoughtful gift. Making is a way to put some of yourself, your time, energy, skill and care, into a treasured object. Ideally the process is as enjoyable to the maker as it will be to the recipient.

I hope spring comes soon, but until then I will keep stitching with care. 

Fearlessly and Imperfectly

 

I made corn tortillas for the first time last week. Over the last few years, flour tortillas have become a regular addition to our meals but I've always been uncertain about making corn tortillas. Clearly I have some practicing to do before they turn out perfectly round but they tasted sweeter and more like corn than the expertly made tortillas that I buy. I used them to make enchiladas and they worked perfectly for filling with beans and fresh corn and cilantro.

Other day to day challenges can be much more daunting, but when I am in the kitchen I feel totally comfortable, full of ideas and eager to create. When I saw this recipe for corn tortillas I knew I had to finally make some of my own. It didn't matter whether or not they would be perfect. In the world of blogs they are probably not even worth posting since they look far too amateur and homemade. I wanted to share them because I am convinced that creating fearlessly and imperfectly is something that everyone should do.

My days are caught up in making with food and fabric, in capturing the beautiful and simple (and imperfect) moments, in striving to share them in some way. I share a lot of that here, but I am eager to share more ways to create and help you explore the way handmade connects us more deeply to where we are. I won't keep plugging my e-course all the time but I am excited about the possibilities it will open for all of us.

In Mid-December

Every year, I seem to wait for just the right moment to start my Christmas preparations. Starting too soon makes me think of the the way stores roll out holiday decorations earlier and earlier every year. But I like to start early enough so that I can enjoy the spirit of the season and build those cozy feelings that are essential to the holidays. I can never quite get the timing right. Ideas for baking, decorating and giving come to me when it is practically too late to accomplish all of them. I always think: next year I'll start sooner. So far that hasn't happened.

But here we are in mid-December and, while I would like to be more organized, maybe this is the best time to just enjoy the season. I think of the cookies we bake, the foods we serve, the way that families gather this time of year and the importance of these traditions that knit us together. Then there are the years when traditions seem like a burden or they fall by the wayside. I remember the year that someone stuck a sombrero on the top of our family's Christmas tree, then there was the time that we decorated a ficus tree instead of a fir. Momentary decisions that made us smile, made life easier and are still woven into the tapestry of my memories.

So this is the year that I stitched together stars for our tiny tree. Maybe I'll hang them next year, too, or maybe I will make something else. Our Christmas shrub is an upgrade from the Christmas branch that Ray and I have had for the past few years. The stars are a little too big for the tiny tree, but I love the look of imperfect stitching and the way that the colors and textures contrast. I cut the shapes out of two layers of white fabric and tucked a bit of cotton quilt batting in the middle. The tight stitches of the sewing machine bind it all together.

Maybe next year I will start sooner and get more done, but it is fun to create and decorate when inspiration strikes.