My Dearest Needleworking Folks,

This past week was a strange one; I’ve been digesting the relative un-success of my efforts in my pop-up un-shop, and generally trying to accept that I am not destined for fiat/ commercial law wealth – and wondering “WHY THE F****!” do I keep plugging away at it…

But at the same time, I was creating with new gusto and inspiration these past few days: feeling more in my element, for having had to let go of the idea of relying on mainstream ways of earning. I made two pairs of quite magnificent (even if I do say so) cotton trousers from vintage fabrics. One was made from embroidered cushion covers, and the other from an old nightdress (which was rather more like a shroud): both new trousers are long and very very wide.

I love a wide trouser! I’ve always loved them – from my first flares – a pair of pinstripe dungarees with a glittery ELO patch on the front pocket, to flowery hippy trousers in my teens, epic New-York-bought ‘street’ kecks in my twenties, brushed cotton deep-red pantaloons in my thirties, and ‘drop bottom’ trews in my forties…. Now I get to sculpt my own, and I am so ready to make them just how I always wanted them: huge!

I felt the need this week to step out of my ‘driven’ mind, which had fallen into that programmed groove of prepping a shop for during the busiest month of the year – without stopping to assess whether or not I actually wanted to set it up. Hmmmm….. Interesting how these things can catch us up in their tailwinds, as we follow certain habits, without looking at the bigger picture. (I might reflect on that in another post, but suffice to say, I left town in the middle of the wine festival, came back for the last two nights of it, and was exhausted and glad to close at the end of the few hours that I opened my botega for.)

So putting all that to the side, I took some days out of things completely, letting myself siesta several times a day - to cope with the overwhelm of the high temperatures, and the lingering negative effects of that familiar disappointment of not having earned money despite having put on a great display of my lovely work and expended huge amounts of creative energy.

The kind of numbness at all of the overwhelm, and the relief from taking proper time out to let my body cope with the heat, led to a more relaxed-unthinking creative outflow, and I picked up a pair of trousers that I’d bought at the 50c stall to see if I could make something like them… Long and full-legged. I rummaged around in my big cardboard box of bedlinen type things. I have a load of old bed garments, pillow and cushion covers, and tablecloth things. I quickly grabbed these beautiful pieces that I’ve had for a year or more, and which I most wanted to work with: they have such a good vibe for me, of things handmade and lovingly gifted within family...

The process of taking the cushion covers apart was easy; the seams ripped nicely, or I cut into the old cotton effortlessly. Working with very old materials again, reminds me of what a completely different quality old things have – and how much we have compromised when we are desperate for new things, which have such horrible sensations on our skin. This old fabric might be as much as a century in age, and the weight of it, the softness and yet the durability of it, the smell of it even, and the coolness in the heat – all these qualities are incredibly powerful, to drape on my body. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

The cutting of such cloth, and the sewing of it, is also a great pleasure. Though I must say that handsewing through multiple layers can be a tad straining! The threads of old cotton like this part effortlessly for a needle, even leaving a neat hole where it has punched through, but thickers layers can break a machine needle. I more than once pricked myself, whilst pushing through the fabric forcefully and then the needle suddenly coming through and catching a finger. Ouch!

Both pairs of big white trousers are really nice models that I came to intuitively: they sort of made themselves, in fact – the dimensions dictated by the size of the cloths that I chose, both in the cushion covers and in the nightdress. I often just grab what is in front of me, to finish a piece, and so the extra width of the first pair was from the cut edge of one of the cushion covers, and the waistbands on both were either incorporated parts of the cushion covers or the left-over edge of another nightgown. I re-used the button from a cover, for the second trouser closure, and both zips were recycled from old garments.

end of pair number one

Finishing the big trews, I feel nostalgic for old ways – for the conventions of commerce, even, and the old idea of wanting to run a shop or a market stall. I know that these times are over for me, and that I do not want to go back to them (nor to paying taxes, doing paperwork, submitting to ‘authorities’ and ‘govern-ments’; no, I want to make Art. and to Gift it and receive Gift in return. I thought again about how to share my garments across the world, and not keep them preciously in my cellar botega!

start of pair number two

The evening socialising was nice these past weeks, with neighbours along my wee street being out eating and drinking, on wee chairs and tables, enjoying the quieter side of the old town, during the festivities… I often pop down to the street to say ciao to my weekend neighbours, and to show them what I’ve been making that day.

They’re the best kind of audience; always enthusiastic and complimentary – and starting up interested/ interesting chitchat about clothing and vintage things, old ways and returning to Nature. This keeps my spirits up.

Now these two pairs of big white kecks make me feel into what else I’d like to build a collection around – particularly a white and black based collection might be nice – and I am thinking too about how to make a catalogue type of document online, with links to all the Hive articles I’ve made about each garment. I really like that idea, of using the internet to have a new kind of an unshop, and finding new audiences through the decentralised world; taking payments in HIVE, HBD, Litecoin and Bitcoin. Instead of feeling stuck in not being rich in fiat, I can let go into the natural wealth that flows via our blockchains and non-mainstream channels. Though, calling it ‘non-mainstream’ might be a less and less accurate phrase… Seems like more folks than ever are moving into Bitcoin, and out of the old models…

Here’s to our new world growing up like grass; bright sharp blades pushing through old concrete and tarmacadam.

LoVe!

www.claregaiasophia.com