Mar 182 min read

Designing the Star

Updated: May 2

Whenever I create a new design I sketch it first. Rough sketches, at first, as the ideas come to me. Sometimes as I awaken with my first cup of coffee. I have small piles of scrap paper and pencils always within reach. I never know when an idea will come to me. I have notebooks which I transfer the ideas to afterwards so that I have a record of my creative process.

Some of my initial rough sketches

I have boxes of pencil crayons. I color my sketches with colors as close to the fabrics as I can find.

Some of my students came to visit and helped me choose the colored crayons :)

I don't always, in fact most times, I don't have all the colors in the pencil crayon box but always enough to be able to create the "feel" of the piece.

These are the colors that we chose

I then sit down and create the sketch that I will be using. Sometimes I manage to do this on the same day. Other times, as with this piece, it took me about 10 days to work it out in my head. The vision, as well as the technique.

I teach my techniques so my process is different than if I were just creating an art piece. When creating for art I don't have to record all the steps and if it doesn't go as planned and I "amend" something noone accompanies me on that road.

When I teach, my trial and error must be mine alone. My final product should be free of amendments and come together seamlessly.

Sometimes the technique is very clear to me and other times I feel like a pioneer and need to create something new.

I search endlessly online for ideas and experiment in my sewing studio but I don't always manage to bring my ideas to fruition. I don't use fancy equipment and need to create techniques which can be created with a straight stitch domestic sewing machine only. No special rulers or glues either.

I know there are computer programs out there which would make my planning life easier but I choose not to purchase them, rather challenge myself intellectually to solve the dillema. I don't always succeed, but when I do it feels very satisfying.

The challenge, for me, is not to create the piece only, but rather, to be able to teach someone or some many to create the pieces themselves.

My basic Nova Star Sketch.