My Life Through Projects

It seems lately that I have done nothing but gain new interest in fiber arts. I'm sending my Celt to Pensic (the 2 week-long SCA war) with extra money to find an inkle loom; I've been teaching myself how to embroider; I’ve started learning to crochet; I've purchased cross-stitch kits and two books to help me make stuffed animals; and yesterday, not only did I received a lesson in sewing period (late 9th century) kirtles, but I saw yet another period project I’d like to start learning. Not all of these projects are SCA period, of course. But there's a part of me that's always been jealous of friends who could knit or crochet, and making my own creations by any method has always been a huge draw.

It was with this jealousy and vigor that I attacked learning how to crochet. Once I got past the initial confusion and resistance to learning something that might challenge me, I discovered that I actually enjoyed doing it. I made a potholder, at first, and taught myself more stitches than the original single stitch that my fiber arts mentor, Meadhbh started me on. I found myself sitting in front of the television, crocheting blocks for a blanket I decided to tackle with ease and pleasure. I shopped for yarn with a friend with the glee of a child in a candy store. And I got an account on ravelry.com to show off my new found passion, as well as search for patterns to further my practice.

The beginnings of a granny-square blanket for my goddaughter, Lybbe.

Once that was conquered, it was easier to get past my life-long fear of sewing. As my sewing mentor, Samona, cut out rectangles and triangles of fabric, I dutifully took notes on measuring properly, the right side of the fabric to cut out, and how many of each shape I would need for which purpose. While my Celt practiced sword slinging andwarfare, I happily (yes, happily) sat at a sewing machine and plowed through my very first kirtle ever: a piece of garb for the littlest Celtling. This morning, I woke up with a drive, a desire, to pull out all the other rectangles and triangles Samona had cut out, and stitch them together too, all by myself!

My very first Kirtle, sewn for the Littlest Celtling.

This blog is labeled “one project at a time,” but as I write this opening entry, I’m wondering if perhaps it should be called something like, “my brain is on over-drive,” because even as I write this, I’m thinking of dozens of other things I could do. “My life through projects” sounds even more actuate. I think I’d just like to take a beginner’s look into learning all these things, and hope that some of this helps someone else.

If I can encourage one person to try something new, then I can feel like a success.