Did you feel it, too? The sudden, swift energy shift of the season transitioning? Did you also dump out your WIP bucket and finally start finishing things?
I am coming to learn (or rather: I learn, forget, feel bad about myself, and then learn again) that my creative practice is strongly linked to the seasons. I bloom the most in the shoulder seasons - the cusp of spring and the cusp of autumn. In the depths of winter, you can find me sleeping 9-10 hours a night and craving cold water, and in the high summer, you can find me sheltering from high temps under trees and in A/C, and craving cold water (I guess that part doesn’t change). I feel a bit like the crocuses outside our house - briefly and unexpectedly blooming, and otherwise composting & storing up my energy.
When March started, I suddenly felt compelled to tend to projects I’d let linger for a long time. I finished my first lampshade, which I started in June of 2023 & which is entirely hand-sewn. I let it sit for probably 8 months before Ruby came over and helped me realize that the stitches did not, in fact, have to be invisible (sometimes my brain gets stuck on things & I can’t see a way past them - always good to have friends to help you get un-stuck). I lost (gave away?) the rest of the fabric I was using (a thrifted robe), so I improvised with what I had.
Then I decided to try other ways of making lampshades. Josh helped me get un-stuck here. The method he suggested is so simple: sew a tube, create a channel at the top and bottom of the tube, thread a drawstring through the channels (I used kitchen twine), insert the lampshade frame inside the tube & cinch until taught. I knew I was hoarding these thrifted lamps/lampshades for a reason! I went through several iterations before landing on the ones I am happy with, pictured below:
I finished my naturally-dyed quilted wall hanging trade for a lovely new friend :)
I mended these socks (again). I try to use a different color every year that I mend them.
I finished this curtain made of antique linens (+ a little silk organza piece I embroidered last summer). This idea has been percolating in my mind for a long while & really came into focus when I saw the lovely ones Alexa Stark made her inn, The Waldoboro Inn. Once we install a curtain rod, I’ll hang it in the guest room- until then, it (sort of) hides my studio mess in the background of my work calls.
I started the muslin for the bodice top that I plan to incorporate into two wedding garments: as the bodice in a dress and as the whole piece for a little bra top to wear under a silk organza dress (that I’m really crossing my fingers I can sew!)
I plan to share more of my process/progress on wedding garments behind the paywall - this is just to provide myself a little privacy for this vulnerable work! Who knows how they’ll turn out. If you’re interested in this, feel free to upgrade your subscription, and as always, if a paid sub is not accessible, reach out & I will comp you!
A couple of the messes I made in march (not an exhaustive list ;))
A few lessons learned & experiments tried this month:
Practice discernment: when do seams need to be finished “properly”, and when can I get away with shoddier sewing for the sake of momentum/play? (Not everything needs beautiful french seams, my dude!)
Let go of my need for control (at least temporarily): Can I communicate about my need for space to make messes? Can I negotiate this with Josh in advance, and can I pause and remind myself of my desire for creative practice when I slip into old habits of tidying above everything else?
Set intentions: can I pen a substack when I feel the surge of energy, predicting what projects I’ll have done when I send the missive? (surprisingly motivating! did I finish all of them? no! Most of them? yes!)
Make intentional transitions: Can I become Studio Ani when I put on my special overalls? (see below) Can I put my computer entirely away (as in, close the laptop and hide it) when the workday is done to signify that I’m OOO for the day?
How do you signify to yourself that you’re going into creation mode? What habits are working for you lately?
The weather lately might not know about the seasonal change, but at least these tulips seem to!
I love how often our seasonal cycle sync up :)
I loved reading this Ani. Your words are so resonant. Circadian creativity is always present in my life and I feel the tug to complete some new/old projects myself. The only tricky part is that with the move, some items are no longer paired together so I will need to use a bit of effort to locate them. Right now, for me to be able to immerse myself in creative mode, I need to create space, so I am using the vibrant energy of Aries season to tidy up and pair like with like. I committed to sewing a quilt block in the next month so I will need to get started on that soon as well. Thank you again for sharing 🌷