The 'C' Word

It seems Craft is a dirty word at our house.
Last year I saw a beautiful cushion in the window of an expensive homewares shop. It was exactly what I had been looking for since we changed our lounge room around. I went inside and saw the price. I walked straight out again. Then I did something I'm not particularly proud of. I took a picture on my phone, and vowed to make it myself. As a designer, I abhor the copying of other peoples designs, but I wanted to make my own version and it was not for commercial gain, just for me. Inspiration if you will.
So I set to with fabric and scissors and I did make my own version, which I am extremely proud of. I've never made a cushion or done patchwork before. I made a very fine job of it if I say so myself. I even put a zip in the back quite competently. Mr. B was impressed.
Now my creative juices were flowing, and I thought up a whole range of designs to go with this one. I wanted to have a go at a more traditional form of hand sewn patchwork, inspired by a little patchwork smoking hat that my dad was given a long time ago, but with a more contemporary aesthetic. This was all new to me so I found an online tutorial. I used some of the fabrics from my original project and found some exquisite scraps of Japanese fabrics from a local emporium. I made a start. I had a vision. I was on a roll.
Then, one evening Mr. B. arrived home from work to find me surrounded by bits of thread and paper, sewing together tiny octagonal fabric pieces. "What's that?" he said. "It looks suspiciously like craft to me. You'd better get a job." He was only teasing, I think, but just like that, I put it all at the back of the cupboard and haven't touched it since.
That's not like me. Maybe I was more unsure of myself than I thought. Maybe I was just too busy. Anyway, near the end of last year a designer friend visiting from the UK took a look at my discarded pieces and thought I should give it another go. She saw my vision and fired me up again, and I have been champing at the bit to pick up where I left off, but Christmas and school holidays have distracted me.
Well, school's back next week and I'm thinking about the episode again. Does craft have a stigma attached? Maybe it does in the world of important architects. I don't care. I'm going to dive right in. It will be a kind of mild adventure. If it works I might share the results with you. I might even impress Mr. B.


My Shattered cushion - I'm quite impressed with my handiwork.

Work in progress . . . soon . . . maybe.