The Skirt This Morning

I'm trying to be better about taking in-progress photos of stuff because I know how much *I* like to see process photos. After all the stitching on the wave, I wanted to do something different--I try to switch up the stitching, doing some heavy stitching (6 strands of floss--requires more effort to pull through the fabric), then maybe fine stitching (smaller stitches with fewer strands--easier to pull, requires finer skills and more close-eye work), and then beading (easiest on the fingers, harder on the eyes, tedious to pack up and take with me to do out of the house). As we get older, if we want to keep doing the things we love, we have to pay more attention to balance, rest, rotation. The artists I know who are middle-aged think about these things, about doing close work when your eyes are fresh, about scheduling time to stand up and move around and stretch. Lisa Lichtenfels told me about putting a tv in her studio so she'd have to look up and re-focus her eyes regularly (she watches educational stuff on DVD, so don't go thinking this is permission to watch crap!).

[Note: Oh, my! Lisa has a show up at CFM Gallery in New York City. If you live there, pleasepleaseplease go and see it and then tell us about it. While I've seen a lot of her work and have her book and have her in MY book and have talked to her on the phone, I have never seen one of her pieces In Real Life. I have spent wonderful time looking at this current exhibit, though, and you should, too. Make sure to read the text--Lisa is brilliant and has a fabulously curious brain (maybe that's why I thought of her and Roz Stendahl together this morning--two of the most intellectually curious people I know). Anyway--go here, take some time, enjoy.}

Roz schedules painting when her eyes are freshest. Everyone who loves what they do wants to do it as long as they can, so we think about these things. If I do a week of heavy stitching on denim, I'm going to have trouble typing. So.

So. On to some beading. On the first journal skirt I ever made, I beaded the back yoke rather heavily--I think it was a little thin, and the beading and thread helped solidify the old denim. I figured the thread would break and the beads would start to fall off fairly soon after the first couple laundry cycles, but years and dozens of washes later, I haven't lost a bead. Amazing. I think I used regular thread, but it might have been beading thread, so I decided to use the latter--I tested the threads by seeing which was easier to break with my fingers; the beading thread was slightly stronger--and bead the back of this yoke, as well.

The blue beads are size 8 (sewn on first) and 11, I think. I can't wait for the bead show in Grapevine in May so I can buy more beads; it's when I stock up (I don't buy a ton, as I have a good supply already (and aren't you surprised about that?), but I get the colors and sizes I use most often so I never run out. I like buying beads when I can see them up close, so even though I could order these online, I hardly ever do except in emergencies. And Jane's people are the best--one time I called because I'd run out. They didn't have any in stock and wouldn't get any for about 10 days but rummaged around and sent me an open tube, about 95% full, rushing it out and charging me only for shipping. That's customer service, and that's why I'm happy to make the trip to buy from them in person.

OK. So after the beading, it was time for stitching. And because I hadn't done any heavy stitching in about a week, I used 6 strands and did the waistband. Notice that the knots are on the outside--I'm like the Princess and The Pea (snort) and can feel even little stiff threads, so there's no way I want a bunch of knots against my tender skin (I wish you could see me rolling my eyes at this. Oh, wait! You can!)

So whatever--I didn't want the knots on the inside. No big deal, right? But when you're USED to putting the knots on the inside, and now you don't want to, and you're changing the thread every couple of inches? Major pain in the butt involving much gritching and ripping out of knots.

I think when I get this done--not much left on it--I'll paint another panel, let it dry, heatset it, and start stitching on that. But there's no hurry--I've got that odd little animal to work on! Yay--nothing like a new project waiting for you to jump in--

What are you working on? Remember:  you can always tell us and then send us here, to our Flickr group, The Voodoo Cafe, where you can upload photos and text for us to enjoy (hint, hint).

Happy Friday! XO