Adding my few cents

I’d been wanting to say something the last few days but didn’t think I had the right, because after all, I didn’t really know her. But after seeing so many total strangers pay as much respect as close friends, I guess it’s okay for me too.

I never met her. Never crashed on her couch, never went out on the town with her, never worked with her on a project or exchanged gifts or talked on the phone. Never, I think, even sent her an email. We both belonged to the same online discussion group, many years ago. She was one of the original A-list crowd; I was one of the newcomers that everyone claimed were ruining the place. She was popular. I wasn’t. To be honest I don’t remember a single specific conversation we both participated in - but at least that also means we didn’t hate each other.

Over the years, reading her many magnificently written and designed sites, I came to think of her as like that cool kid who’s a year or two ahead of you in school. You pass her in the hall most days, you know her name but doubt she knows yours, and later when she grows up to be a bestselling author or Olympic athlete or something, you have the privilege of saying you knew her way back when, although you really didn’t in any way that counts.

These past few days, searching through links for details and memories, I’m gratified to see that a lot of people from those days have stayed in touch with one another, even if I’m not one of them. My “catching up” with their lives now feels a little voyeuristic, but it’s also reminding me of other old friends I’ve lost contact with and that there’s no time like now to remedy that. Because Life’s Too Short and You Just Never Know.

I wonder what else would have been in the Advent calendar. I wonder if someone will be charged with finding it and posting it for us all to see…not now. Maybe next year. I wonder, had this happened at any other time of year, how much more slowly the news would have spread. How many of us would never have known at all.

Thank you and goodbye, Leslie. The world and the web are better places for having had you in them.

Little Brown Dress

No, I didn’t make a little brown dress. This woman did, and she’s worn it every day for almost a year, as performance art and commentary on people’s relationship to fashion. One of her most interesting discoveries is that hardly anyone noticed she was wearing the same thing every day for months until she specifically mentioned it to them. And I can totally believe it.

I can’t help but think of a former coworker who noticed our boss wore the same outfit every Friday. None of the rest of us noticed until she pointed it out, and then she started taking bets on whether the boss would wear it again each week. Sure enough, she usually did - and I really wonder if she (the boss, that is) was even consciously aware that she was doing this, let alone that people talked about it behind her back. The other thing I remember about that coworker is that she was mean and petty in general, and habitually judged everyone on superficial details about their appearance and possessions.

Anyway, I think it’s way cool to make yourself one garment that’s practical enough to be worn every day for a year, and I admire a person who’d try it. I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to keep it up. And despite most people not noticing until you tell them, and then thinking it’s cool when you do, there’s always going to be that one person like my coworker who will be all snarky about it behind your back.

Art

Last night we went to my friend Amber's art opening. Saw some art, ran into some old friends, had way too much wine and Italian food (at the restaurant next door). At the gallery across the street was a bronze casting demonstration. We'd never seen that done before, and it was fascinating. The portable forge was made out of an old clothes-dryer drum, lined with ceramic and heated by a propane tank. The woman we talked to said the regular forge they use (at one of the local colleges, I believe) cost thousands of dollars, whereas the guy spent less than $100 to make this one, and it actually works better and is easier to use.

I wish I'd had my camera with me. I had only seen molten metal on TV, I think, not up close and in person. It's just indescribable how it glows (and sets afire almost everything it touches, like grass and steel washtubs).

The big news is that I'll have an art opening of my own, of a sort, next Friday at Tennyson Gallery. I'm responsible for 1/3 of one piece that'll be in their upcoming show, "The Delicate and the Strong". Amber and I and another friend, Kelly, collaborated on it. Yes, the gallery misspelled both my first and last names on their site. I'm wondering if I even care enough to correct them. The photo on the gallery's site (haha, no link, I'm gonna make you hunt for it) shows it only partially finished. Here's Amber loading the completed version into her car:

You might, as my husband did, be wondering what those things are attached to it. "Are those…crocheted vaginas?" he asked when I brought it home. "No," I said, "actually they're knitted." I have now taken to referring to Amber as the Vagina Knitter.*

Talking to Kelly last night I mentioned my trepidation about doing the last part of the piece - her beginning part seemed so happy and joyful, and Amber's contribution so tongue-in-cheek political, that I worried my ideas would bring it down into a big whiny complain-fest. But she said I interpreted her part completely differently from what she was thinking (not a bad thing, just different) and Amber seemed to think my addition was the perfect complement. All in all I'm pleased with it. We'll leave it up to the audience to decide, I guess.

In other news, I just got my first spam comment here. Considering it's the second comment I've gotten at all, ever, I suppose I should be glad at least someone's paying attention. Yay.

*And what an amazing trick that would be!

Arrrrrghhh.

My sewing machine just decided to jam up and bite the dust, for no reason, in the middle of a project. Maybe it's got some moral objection to my resurrecting a pattern from 1982; I dunno. This means I've got to find time to take it to a shop and spend money I don't have getting it repaired, because I need it for other projects that are under a deadline.

It had better shape up, 'cause I'm inheriting my grandma's old machine (probably newer than this one) as soon as my parents can bring it to me. Maybe it knows. Hey. I can personify it all I want; it's been with me for 23 years. It's a dear friend. Who had better watch its mechanical back if it wants to avoid being given away to a boy who's never sewn before. He has his eye on you, Bernina. He wants to use you on polyester.

Before this setback I was googling around for some podcasts to listen to while sewing. I happened upon Dennis Stevens' Redefining Craft, which is most excellent. This interview with Stanley Bulbach is about a year old, but it touches on lots of subjects that have been on my mind lately. They articulate these ideas much more eloquently than I could, bein' all formally un-edumacated in such matters. I need to find more resources like this to edumacate myself.

Things I learned today:
- There are other topics to discuss on craft-related forums than Birkenstocks, grandchildren and cats, and I am not the only one eager to discuss them.
- The distinction between American Craft (no) and the DIY craft movement (yes)
- I really like the word "fiberist".

And now I must back away from the keyboard and compose a list of my further thoughts on related subjects, so I can post them later when I'm more coherent.

Fangirl

Last night I met Debbie Stoller!

Acquisitive

It seems that in my universe, “Using What You Have” doesn’t preclude you from taking in lots more stuff. My friend Joey gave me a humongous pile of his old unwanted clothing - most of it in excellent condition. He said he knew I’d think of something good to do with it. Gifts don’t count as acquiring new supplies, right? I’m using what someone already had, and I didn’t pay any money for it. It’s still all reused and recycled, and I’m saving it from the possible worse fates of rotting in a landfill or being worn by someone who doesn’t appreciate it…. Right? See me rationalize!

I’ve already begun one project using some of his stuff. I’ve managed to re-injure my knee TWICE in the last week by tripping over nothing and falling on it. I think it’s because I’m favoring it and walking off-balance. I won’t be back at skating practice any time soon - I’m angry at myself about that, and everyone else seriously doubts my commitment (to Sparkle Motion), but I have to be sure it’s fully healed. Anyway, that gives me more time to work on my craft projects. And maybe even a little housework. Hey, it could happen.

Check it out!

One of my favorite crafty web sites, Art for Housewives, has a link to my sister’s art! For those of you in the Cities, her show is going on at Rosalux Gallery all this month.

Shoes, booze, bruise

We met some online friends in person tonight; went out for dinner and drinks and had a great time. Searching my cluttered closet for something to wear, I found the long-forgotten Miracle Shoes.

About six years ago I had this dress that needed a very particular pair of shoes to go with it. I knew exactly what they were - unfortunately it was impossible to find a pair of cheap velvet China flats in pale blue. Finally I bought a pair in dark blue, thinking I could just bleach them and be good to go. But soaking them in bleach only turned them dark gray. I think next I tried some kind of color remover, which produced a peachy-beige the color of vomit. I was alarmed - I had a big trip coming up for my birthday and had been planning to wear this dress, and now I didn't know what I'd do for shoes. Discouraged, I rinsed them out with water…and before my eyes they miraculously turned the perfect shade of powder blue. I added a little embroidery and beadwork to match the dress, which is long gone now. But I think I'll invest in some comfortable insoles and get these shoes back into occasional rotation.

I've wanted to post pictures of people I see whose outfits I like. I've started carrying my camera with me for that reason, but there just seldom seems to be the right opportunity to stop strangers and ask to take their picture. So here is my coworker Barb:

This outfit is entirely thrifted. I just love that belt - it's denim with varying sizes and colors of metal eyelets. She says she got it at Goodwill. (I'll have to get a closeup shot next time she wears it.) I'm also particularly impressed with the purple suede loafers - they look brand-new. She has such an individual style and great color sense. 

I finally got around to taking a picture of the back of the elephant coat.

Have I mentioned I've recently taken up roller derby? And that I am not very good at it yet? This lovely accessory - that's the inside of my right knee in extreme closeup -
is the result of brand-new skates with slippery toe stops and borrowed, ill-fitting knee pads, plus my own general clumsiness. I'll be working at (not skating in!) the bout this Saturday, but I think I'll be taking a short break after that to let this heal. I've gotten some arnica on a few friends' recommendation; I hope it helps speed up the process.

It’s a carnival!

Jill at fiftyrx3 is having a Sustainable Style Carnival - she invited readers to send in pictures of their own reused and recycled clothing and creations. Some very cool stuff over there - and my coat and sweater-yarn made it in too!

It’s so inspirational to see the ideas other people came up with. I love those ReModern bags that the Worsted Witch wrote about. I do not need more handbags. I do not need more handbags.