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Sunday, June 20, 2021

Creativity in a past life

 I'm guessing that many of us who quilt, also have a history of doing lots of different arts, crafts, and other creative outlets.  I think that NEED to create is strong.


In a "past life" I did a lot of drawing and sketching.  And following a fabulous art course I took as an elective in college, I did a lot of pen and ink work. Pointillism was the technique I really loved - meaning my whole drawing was basically done with tiny dots of ink.  This is one of very few surviving pieces that I did in the mid-70s and it hangs in my daughter's living room. I'm glad she enjoys it.  If you zoom into the picture you can see the dot details.  

I learned to sew - doll clothes - sitting on the floor next to my mom while she sewed at her machine.  She would give me fabric scraps, needle and thread, and a scissors and just let me do whatever.  But she gradually taught me the best techniques.  And I spent hours and hours as a kid with colored pencils "designing" clothes.  I filled notebooks with my designs. LOL

My grandmother taught me to knit and crochet, and tried to teach me to tat lace.  None of those skills caught my attention like sewing however.

What other creative things have you been doing over the years?  How about paint-by-number?  Painting on wooden shapes?  Etching glass?  Making flower arrangements?  I even dabbled in making artificial flowers from some kind of wood fiber "paper" years ago.   

7 comments:

Vicki in MN said...

Sara, I am so impressed with your drawing! I am glad it survived and would have loved seeing more from you. I dabble in beading, stamping, scrapbooking, crochet, knitting(both hand and machine). I am sure there are more that is not sticking out right now! I always wanted to do the wood snowmen and paint them, I tried and let's just say I should stick to quilting!!!!

cityquilter grace said...

embroidery, knit, crochet, crewel, doll making, garment sewing, ceramics, cross stitch...pretty much everything but macrame and candlewicking...lol

Kate said...

You are definitely multi-talented. Most of my creative endeavors are with needle and thread: cross stitch, embroidery, and sewing (clothing when I was younger, quilting now). I really enjoy photography, but that's really My Guy's thing. I learned so we had a hobby we shared.

Astrid said...

Glad you still have one of your beautiful drawings. For me it started with sewing clothes for my Barbie dolls, knitting, cross-stitching, stitchery, Hardanger embroidery, doll making, garment sewing, a little bit crochet. The last years it's all about quilting.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Well you sure can make an interesting drawing with dots!!
I have tried many crafts, I love to make cards and crochet...lately mosaic crochet has captivated me because it is real artsy! I do some hand quilting and have a Grandmothers Garden totally hand sewn ready to hand quilt. I like doing bead work...making bracelets. I woodcarve. I learned how to knit socks. Years ago I did macrame. I would love to do stained glass but our neighbor did that and had her own glass work room I think you need that! I also love to paint...but I am not very good at it.

Moneik said...

I did a lot of sewing clothes when I was growing up. I also did plastic canvas, cross-stitch, Hardanger, crochet, and a bit of tole painting. I want to do the Hardanger again, but quilting is still my passion.

woolyjooly said...

Similar to Moneik, I did Hardanger, cross stitch and a lot of sewing in the 70's-early 80's. Also calligraphy and photography! Then KNITTING dominated my creative life since about 1983. Now and then I do a bit of card making (stamping mainly), and I want to increase my confidence with sewing/quilting, like you dear CUZ!!