Sometimes trying something new is good .... after a while. As a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild we are allowed to be in an exhibit at the Folk Art Center In Asheville. There is always a theme. This years theme was black and white - two "colors" that I NEVER have used - so it clearly was a challenge. I had a design in my head and made four large pieces of felt. I even knew what pattern I was going to use. As always it was close to the deadline, but I knew what I was going to do. One of the pieces of felt was hand dyed shibori and still needed to be stitched and dyed.
So .... my simple pattern didn't fit when some of the shibori pieces didn't come out as I hoped. I moved pieces, changed shapes, shortened pieces and nothing made it work like I had it seen it in my head. Then I spent hours trying to decide what to do - I had lived with that image for so long I wasn't ready to let it go. But as 4 AM approached I really decided I needed to move forward.
In the end, instead of working to make a carefully planned piece it was all painfully off the cuff piece by piece, totally different than the original.
But in the end, I was very happy with the piece but it took a lot of work and patience. It opened up my mind to new ways of garment construction that will certainly use again. So many people think artists just whip out new designs and don't realize all the work and experience that goes into a piece. This was certainly one of those projects.
If you are in the area, the garment is currently on display at the Folk Art Center in Asheville, NC.
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