DAY 2

Three days at the recycle pad
Almost everything I found today is either blue, white, or blue and white. Mostly dress shirts. I found one child's blouse in autumn colors and Some flannel burp clothes that are rather well worn but might work well as the batting for a few small quilts that will come out of this project. I did find a knit shirt with some beads that I will salvage to embellish at least one quilt.

I do hope the next and last day I go to the recycle pad for this project brings me different colors to work with.

three days at the recycle pad

If you have not heard about our wonderous recycle pads here in Fairbanks do a google search or I am sure they are mentioned in our local paper somewhere. The Daily News Miner.

 I have really been enjoying my opportunity for some peaceful quiet sewing time. I have been making some wall hanging quilts and I have inspired myself.

When people ask where I get my fabrics, my typical answer is that I salvage what I can collect or occasionally someone’s scrap stash finds its way into my world. Both sources have the recycle pad as the vector.

 So  after several years of sharing my goodies with others I have decided to challenge myself to one or more pieces made purely from the scraps and salvaged clothing I find on my local recycle pad in the course of 3 days. The batting could be a bigger challenge unless I find some felt or such.

 Day 1 collected so far:

Note this was done latish at night with poor lighting and I have not yet looked over my spoils closely.

 1 pair of small scrub pants with a bright green Dr. Suess green eggs and ham theme

1 pale blue button down oxford type shirt

1 med. Dk. Blue Chambre shirt

1 blueish bed sheet with blue circles as the pattern.

Once I have washed these and ascertained their real colors and condition I will figure out how usable they are.

I am looking forward to seeing what I find next.

Sustaining Creativity

When I look at other works of art or intricate crafts done by others I often find myself more in awe of the time involved rather than the skill.  The ability to sustain my interest or drive to complete a project sometimes escapes me.
I am also learning that different types of projects take different methods to get myself to sustain my energy and interest.

For example fiber art and quilting I need people.  I need the energy of other people, the vibrancy of their input/feedback as well as the inspiration of their own efforts keeps me focused on my end result.
Beading and wire wrapping are meditative to me.  I can work on them as completely unrelated noise and activities take place in the background. Both are easy to put down and pick up without missing a beat.
Writing and painting though I do better in solitude. I tend to follow a winding path with these and I have no clear picture of the end product and so I let myself wander and experiment and paint over or erase as I look at the results and search for the level of satisfaction I want. A fly on the wall might hear me talking to myself or the skull in front of me.

With some forms of creativity I need a road map to know when it is complete and with other the project leads me and I cannot always guess what the outcome will be.
I find that it is easier to sustain a long-term creative effort if it is a project that leads me. There is excitement and surprise.
But a well mapped project needs to be quick or I will get bored and give it up before my objective is reached.
For other people I know it is opposite. The unknown uncharted end has to come quick or fear of the possible outcome will keep the unfinished project in a drawer. And it is the well charted design the may take long hours of carful stitching they prefer.
My mother and I worked well together this way. I loved designing cross stitch pieces and latch hook patterns. I could even sustain through the painstaking process of creating the color chart for my mother to follow, but then the actual repetitiousness of making the rug or the pillow front bored me and I was ready to move on long before it was done.