The Art of Manipulating* Fabric (Blogtoberfest 2010 - Day 2)

This is the story of the second book that I so tantalisingly alluded to in the previous post...
Way back in March of this year, I put this little box on my sidebar

 - because, after all how hard could it be to challenge myself to one specific project a month? - 12 itty bitty projects in a year ?- a complete and utter PUSHOVER...hmmm...not quite.
Here is my 'half-way' (I use the term very loosely!) review of the 12 month Challenge...

Some projects happened in the 'right' month, others have happened in other months and some just didn't get touched at all. Of course there have been a few sideways steps - other projects that have been completed in the mean time, so not all is lost.

Report Card

March - softie - ü

April - something lined - ü

May - enclosed zip - û Fail

June - self designed/drafted - û Fail

July - pleats - û Fail

August - hand embroidery/smocking - û Fail...or was it????

Here is what I discovered in August...

I have a lovely memory of primary school sewing where were given some 1/2" gingham fabric and were taught how to pull the checks into ‘kind-of-smoking’ pattern. The resulting fabric was made into a floppy little hat. I can still picture the pink one I made for myself. I also begged Mum to buy me some navy 1/2" check so that I could make my Nanna a floppy hat too.

This was to be my August project...I'm going to reconstruct a memory I told myself, that's what this month's challenge will be...but where to start. The internet, of course! But what was it called????. Two weeks of putting every combination of 'smocking,' 'check', 'gingham', 'tucks' and following every link and possibility till I came upon those two magic words…

NORTH AMERICAN SMOCKING

and there on Google books was page after page of the most amazing book...I had to have it.

Thank you The Book Depository (casually, I said to MATH that this wonderful website has free delivery and I am buying a quilting book, would you like to see if there is a photography book that interests you? - clever huh?)

So now I am sitting here, with this book beside me, MARVELLING at what can be done with fabric. I am smitten.

I just really wanted to say that with these sewing challenges, it's MORE than the actual finished product. There are challenges in the chase, the process, the planning, the learning. I stuck at it till I found what I wanted (sorry kids I know dinner was quite late a few times and maybe there were a few to many toasted sandwich nights - oopsie). I can re-create a memory if I put my mind to it.

So far, I am satisfied that I have challenged myself in the last 6 (or so!) months. Thanks Carolyn for the idea.

In all the excitement of posting for Blogtober I completely forgot to say that it is all {tinniegirl}'s brilliant idea.

Blogtoberfest 2010 - Post 2

*For the record I did not say mutilating OK?

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...