Dancing the Maypole has been blocked for about a month now. I’ve been pretending everything was fine and I just hadn’t yet figured out what happened next, but of course that was all self-delusion. And early this week my other story, the one that still has no name, ground to a halt as well. I sat here and tried to forcibly move the story on…a process that must be similar to moving a cow from point A to B when the said cow wishes to remain at point A. Futile! So feeling frustrated I decided I’d take a few days away from the computer to have a think about where I was going wrong with my stories. Since I wasn’t writing I had no excuse not to sew. Some time last year I designed and started to make what I called a “Pocket Purse”.
It’s a square hence “pocket” (the back is one piece and I forgot to allow length for the flap to fall without rolling, but I like the roll so it may stay. I made the pattern. Cut out the fabric and stitched the design and button onto the fabric and then it sat there…for over six months. I can’t actually remember when I started it, but I’m sure it was last year. Having decided I’d do some sewing I took another look at my little purse and realised (like my stories) I’d gone in the wrong direction. I’d been intending to use the wrong lining and the wrong width of strap; no wonder it didn’t want to be made… Purse: ‘No, not that slimy cheap red lining…or that red inch thick strap…nooo!’ Apparently prototypes have feelings too. So I cut out a new lining in sky blue (one of the Goblin’s old work shirts) and changed the strap to the thin red strap. I really like it.
The straps are sewn down the side of the purse so the lining has to be sewn to the top of the purse leaving both bottoms undone so one can sew the bottom of the purse on the inside. If you feel confused, I was so confused making it that at one point I’d thought I’d ruined it, but I hadn’t. After having to pick out stitching and resew the lining to the flap, that was a relief!
The concentric circles are supposed to be…circles…but they sort of look like ovals. I tried. In the drawing I put stitching on the flap and it I think that would look better, but I should have done that step before I stitched up the bottom of the lining. So no stitching on flap for the prototype, but I’m still very happy with how it came out.
So while sewing I think I figured out where I was going wrong on both my stories. With Dancing the Maypole I need to delete back to the previous chapter and go in a different direction that hadn’t occured to me. And the story with no name I need to delete the attempted next chapter and move to a completely different perspective. It’ll make sense…hopefully.
Now I need to make my ‘I Love King John’ bag. I’ve got this great canvas fabric. I was intending to draw the medieval letters onto thick paper, cut them out and stencil them on but the fabric paint isn’t going to work and I don’t want to use fabric…so…we’re going to draw the letters in pencil straight onto the canvas and then sew over them in various shades of thread… If it turns out looking rubbish it’ll end up in the closet. On the back I’m going to sew this great celtic knot that forms hearts I found on a photo of a French cathedral. If I ever finish it I’ll show you what it looks like. I really need a new bag…so it shouldn’t be too long. If I’m feeling productive it might by done by the weekend. I could embarrass my goblin and take it to church… I can overhear him now, “She loves me too!” Even if he was alive King John would be no competition for the Goblin!
So on to the next project…it feels so good to finish something! Hopefully soon I’ll finish a book…that would be really good!!!