There’s an air of familiarity…the whirl of the gears, the rhythm of the needle, the quiet hum of creativity that fills my work studio. I have been sewing since I was a young girl and it always has been a relaxing practice for me. Playing with fabrics, textures and patterns preceded my creating with paper as a collage artist. My mother taught me to sew…she was quite an accomplished seamstress. Her father was the local tailor, a German immigrant who brought his skill and resources to a small Northern Wisconsin town in the 1920’s. I like to think that I’m continuing the thread of their skills and abilities.

Every January I like to change things up for the month and take on a creative project that’s a little different from my normal art practice. As I was digging through a pile of fabric, looking for yardage for a friend, it struck me that I really need to do something with all this fabric. I hadn’t sat down at my sewing machine for quite some time…it was time to return from the hiatus. I also want to challenge myself to not buy any additional creative supplies for the year. With the pandemic impacting the financial side of my design business, I need to watch expenses more closely. And let’s face it…I have plenty of stuff…did I need any more…could I not create with what I had at hand…forcing myself to push the boundaries of what I had done to what I could do.

I hit upon the idea of making Artist Tote Bags…something interesting to create with a utilitarian vibe. I have a good supply of cotton and linen canvas remnants along with a healthy amount of vintage and specialty fabric scraps. As I dug into my storage bins, I came across fabrics I’ve been hoarding for an eternity as well as fabrics I bought to make pillows when we moved to the “new house”…that were now 20 years old…I felt that it was time for all of it to be put to good use.

I love everything about sewing…the design process, the materials and textiles, the supplies and the tools. I have quite a collection of sewing paraphernalia, including a vintage green cast iron Singer sewing machine which is the machine I have owned for over 40 years. I also have my mom’s Singer sewing machine, the same machine that I learned on as a child…it sits in my office…and while it is currently not in use, I like t think that the machine, in its cherry shaker cabinet, brings a calming aura to my space.

As I sat down to start sewing, it was clear that the vintage, chippy paint stool that I have used and loved for many years would have to be replaced…as a reflection of my word for the year - Adapt - I would need a chair with a back and a couple of cushions. Once I adjusted the tension on my machine, wound up some bobbins and threaded the needle, I was set.

As construction commenced, I refined the design process, building upon the challenges and successes as I completed each bag. It became clear that the large roll of webbing that I thought was plenty, was going to run out sooner than I had anticipated. So, instead of venturing out to the store for more, I improvised…fabric straps on one tote, twill tape on another, hand clutch handles instead of shoulder straps, complementary fabric facings. Each improvisation makes every tote one of a kind…no mass production here!

Everything was going along swimmingly…until it wasn’t. A particular piece of cotton canvas for the body of one bag would not align straight…and I couldn’t seem to find the right fabric for the outside pocket…and I had no matching color of thread in my supply…and so on…

And this is where the best art advice I ever received kicks in…WALK AWAY AND COME BACK ANOTHER DAY. I can promise you that if you continue on, impatience and frustration will follow…and you will take a step that is either irreversible or damaging to whatever you are creating. Best to leave it all alone…call it quits for the day…go take a walk outside, pet the dog, make yourself a cup of tea.

I did finish up 13 artist totes by the end of January…I listed them in my Etsy shop…and as of today, there are 5 totes left. I will be making more…because I still have plenty of fabric…and its been refreshing to work on a different kind of project.

As I was cleaning up my work table, I gathered up all the fabric scraps…not large enough for use in a tote…but I don’t want to toss them either…maybe a scrap collage with fabric instead of paper…I’ll let you know.

Meanwhile…what projects have you started in this new year? Need ideas? A nudge? A kind word? Let me know in the comment section…I’ll try to do what I can…