Monday, November 30, 2009

The Latest Craze: In Which I Explain My Little Fads, and Discuss the Newest One

I go through crazes, stages or fads, artwise. I think I'd have to make a chart to show how it works precisely, but suffice it to say that every month or two I develop some new and strange artistic interest and throw myself with much alacrity after said interest.
Some of these interests become new hobbies and never really go away, while some fade out after a day or two to be replaced by more exciting things.
My Roomie has said that one of the things she finds interesting about living with me is that she never knows what she'll come home and find me elbows-deep in. On one such occasion she arrived to find the entire kitchen strewn with fabric scraps in varying stages of drying, and me cackling gleefully over multiple pots simmering on the stove. That was the infamous beginning of my foray into fabric dyeing, which has yet to end.

Current fads include natural fabrics, and fabric embellishing, which includes fabric dyeing, natural dyestuffs, embroidery, applique and quilting, all with various fibers. So, fiber art in general. This is being expressed as I make clothes for my doll collection and for my reenacting, and I am also trying to make a big art quilt coat.

I've wanted to make such a coat for a long time. I'll use it for reenacting and special occasions like caroling or performing, and it will be covered every inch in applique and embellishments, all handworked and all medieval inspired. I'm not sure whether I should plan a color palette for it or just let be what will be. I do have a few rules in mind for the making of the coat:
1. Use no Plastic. This means buttons, beads, trims, or any fabric containing too much artificial fiber. I want this to have a more honest texture.
2. Use no prints. This one's kinda flexible, but also kinda not. Printed fabrics look fake, and I want this coat to look more... Real.
3. Take your time. Anything I rush just to see it Done never comes out as nice as I want it.

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