This morning on Sewing on the Side, made an interesting post about sewing through the stress. It reminded me how many times in my life sewing has saved me from the ravages of stress - through decades of busts and booms, life changing events and the general ups and downs of life - through all of it sewing has been there and saved me. I attribute a lot of this to my clients, but it's the sewing I do for them that really saves me.
It's sort of hard to describe this process as you are either in the love it or leave it camps of sewing. Obviously I'm from the former.
But sewing has been more than just "something to do". It has been a life and mind-saver. Without it I would definitely be in the nut house. There's a peace and calm that comes over me when I sit down in my studio and start to create. I've often felt that when I pass through the threshold of my studio, I'm no longer the regular Claire, I'm the super-creative Claire - and the Claire of my dreams - in my studio, that is! The best proof of this is when I start my day at around 8 or 9-ish and look up a few minutes later and it's 10:30, then a few minutes later and it's 5:30 and wonder "What happened to lunch?!!!....where did mid-afternoon slump go?!!!....where did the whole day go?!!!"
I'm told by experts in this sort of thing, that this is "being in the zone" - whether it's playing football, an artist creating a sculpture, a pianist playing his/her fav Debussy (I can relate to this as I'm working on Arabesque right now!).
Reading about the art and creative process, sewing is also the manifestation end of the creative process that so many visual, performing and dramatic artists may not understand and therefore can't/won't accomplish. Creating in the mind is the first step, but the creation must be completed or made real for it to be complete. At least we sewists have that much ahead of other artists as it seems to be understood that you would make up something or it wouldn't really be complete - I know - it's a duh! moment for us!
Sewing has also been empowering to me. It has been so long since I have been a slave to even the most minute desires and decisions of designers, store buyers, store clerks, fashion magazine editors and the like, that I just don't even think in those terms. I get an idea in my head, and poof, it's done...no more shopping, no more leafing through catalogs, no more surfing the net, no more delving on the price, it's just done and onto the next design. I have grown to take this for granted, and have to remind myself that this is the world of most of my clients, and have to re-educate my brain periodically about shopping.
Don't get me wrong...my fav t-tops, stretch capris, and comfy active-wear is all purchased, but the mainstay of my wardrobe is designed by me.
But by far, sewing has been a peaceful and productive escape from some of the scariest times of my life, exactly when I needed it. Times that if I had not the talent, benefit and expertise of my craft, would have consumed me and defeated me.
I'm interested to hear the effects - good and bad - sewing has had on your life. Is it something you turn to when things are scary and tough, or is it a way to escape to a more peaceful environs or is it an outlet for your creative juices? How does sewing affect your life other than putting beautiful garments on your back!
Claire


