30 days of Happiness making

I've been thinking all morning about what I would write today. Time for a blog post...time to start sewing again after a couple of days off. All of these "shoulds" keep crowding my mind. I've been having quite a conversation with myself lately...constant inner dialogue is a sometimes very unwelcome companion. I am wary of getting to the point I was at a few years ago when I was making handbags...I had a certain degree of success, but it wasn't good. I was making the same thing over and over...soul deadening, sweatshop, assembly line sewing. But as I was sewing this morning (my lovely Mia watched Lily while I spent an hour working) it all became very clear to me. What I LOVE about sewing and knitting and making things in general is figuring it out. I love to picture something in my mind and then figure out a way to create it. Taking a ball of yarn and making loops with it in a certain way to create a whole new item, a piece of fabric! is pure magic to me. Starting with a piece of fabric and figuring out how this flat, one dimensional material will look in three dimensions as a garment and then making it, is pure joy! So, I've decided that each item of clothing I make for my Etsy store or for sale privately will be unique. Perhaps there will be a common theme for some, but in general, each piece of clothing will be a little different. I want to be excited about each item of clothing I make. I want to be happy in what I do.

Speaking of happiness, Bluebirdbaby is really onto something...she has started her 30 days of happiness and I have decided to join in!

Today, this makes me happy...

Balls of string that become cozy fabric

and this makes me smile....

That little red sweater from a lazy day a couple of weeks ago...is now a completed sweater.