Stepping into/back into something you’ve done before can still be frightening.

It’s nothing earth shattering. It’s not dangerous, or WooWoo. It’s not something that is going to take tough lessons to develop. It’s not something that someone else is going to feel is wrong, or that could damage things in intent and function.

Such drama! It’s not that dramatic but it is scary for me personally.

Since Vic died, i have kind of drifted from day to day. He truly was my anchor. One of my first Things i wanted to do was redecorate. I have gallons of paint, all the tools, wallpaper and i bought a new couch (an AWFUL one, more on that later), a dining set (bistro size ’cause there’s really only me and Last Cat won’t sit still at the table…), rugs and curtains and sheets. Hell, i even have Decor for the Loo, and who does that? I have also of course copious notes and sketches and colour samples   —–   and nothing has been done, except in my  head. Oh, in my head it is

GLORIOUS.

(By the way, and this is the last time i will say this because some say i sound defensive, as if i’m trying to “excuse” any unseen (to the world) behaviour and him not “allowing” these things. He would, he did but i never got to them because you know, Life. So fuck you if you thought i had a controlling husband while i played “good little wifey”. Construe what you like.)

AHEM.

I will get to the House Thing when i have got the Other Thing going, And this is the part that “afears” me.

Twenty plus years ago, i had a wearable art business. I’ve mentioned it a number of times, usually vaguely. Actually i had it in my mind at least 2 years ago to go back to it. At the time, it supported myself and my son, not richly, but comfortably enough. I had a base of customers on first a small island, and then later on a not so crowded coastal area. People knew me, in person. There was no web yet, that came at the end of my business.I specialized in what i would now call evening outer wear, though i did garments for day as well, and hats and bags and Christmas shelfshit too. Most of it was somewhat glitzy–i had a passion for the metallics and velvets and lame etc from Little India in particular at the time. My specialty was the smoothest machine applique in everything from florals and geometric to celtic and abstracts. And things had POCKETS.

First i thought of doing wearable art with the natural dyes and fibres. Still do-able, some will surface i am sure, but the way people care for things makes their care of natural dubious at best. I’m not going to fight somebody about returning cash for the pit Ph stains, the guacamole lemon rings on the lap, the faded folds from leaving something over the back of a chair. And yes, Maiwa does it beautifully. I can’t compete and don’t want to with that. Kudos to them for the quality, and their long enduringbusiness  model and ethics. I will as i said in a previous post, still dye cloth and threads for the artists out there, the ones who supported my little online biz for 15 years. THANK YOU, BLOSSOMS.

What i have designed and will make then is Fun Stuff. I HOPE you think it’s Fun Stuff. My fear is no one will like it. I’ve made it a stand too that most of my “line” will fit bodies that are curvier, rounder, luscious and sick to death of polyknits with kitties, sequins and dumb slogans printed on them. There will be elastic, ties and looseness. If you want something fitted, sorry, these are going to be comfy loose go to town, go to read or stitch on the couch, go to hell with what you “should” wear after 185 lbs/50+ years, but not sloppy tents. Some will fit “off the rack” sizes.

I like quirky details and bold colours and prints. I like mixing them, manipulating the fabrics, adding offbeat, vintage, unconventional, ethnic details. Honestly i went a bit wild buying fabrics, but i just couldn’t resist certain prints and patterns and colourways. I have a plenitude of goods to work with. And i NEED to be DOING again, something i enjoy, something others may will like and that is bright and happy.

I even refitted the big bedroom upstairs to be my main studio now. It’s bright, it’s “connected” and it’s ORGANIZED. The basement will be the secondary area, storage, a huge table for large pieces to be embellished and bookcases with books, beads, trims, notes, etc etc etc. I always felt cut off down there because of course there are no windows. I don’t care about the drywall or the concrete floor: WINDOWS WITH NATURAL LIGHT ARE CRUCIAL for creativity.

I’m planning on “opening” Unkn0wn Sister the end of November. Unfortunately it WILL be late for a lot of Christmas spending, but i can’t wait longer than that to get back into the pond. I’ll be giving some little visual hints until then to entice and lure (i hope 🙂 )

 

PS This post is an affirmation. By writing it all down, i HAVE to do it, or lose credibility/face/respect. Maybe i should get out the lipstick and write it on the bathroom mirror.

Well, SOME of it, the mirror ain’t that big.