A language of making

A diary of making

Day 6

An ode to doubt.

Doubt,

you are the loudest part of my silent, unspoken language, 

my critical companion, 

reaching all my edges,

your touch holds my hand throughout the process, sometimes gripping, sometimes letting go, 

whilst I am being creative nothing is wrong, there are no mistakes, 

am I free to play? 

I doubt it. 

Just going to plough through this slump. Start a new element and see if it works.

I have never made a duvet before, a duvet cover of course, but never a duvet. I can work out how to. I choose a pink brocade vintage curtain, that is beautiful, again why do I hesitate to cut it up? – *come back to this.

I have some hot pink taffeta which will draw the eye to the border and compliment the soft pink of the curtain. I judge size by eye then measure it out, so I am precise. Started using an old feather pillow to fill the duvet, but I am not happy using feathers even repurposed ones.

So, I pull out my bag of polyester toy filling. I aim to create something fun and tactile. The padded element is comforting to touch. Or maybe it just invokes a sense of comfort or an associated sense of comfort?

*On further reflection, I hesitate to cut it up because it’s vintage, one of a kind, they don’t make fabric like this anymore. Can I repurpose it into something good? or will I make something crap and then I have wasted the beautiful fabric. I have held onto fabrics for years, is it really the time to use them?

Day 7

Saturday morning, stealing some time to pad the duvet cells. Weighing out the padding on the scales so each cell has the same amount. Feeling and deciding from touch as well as appearance.

17 grams, judging the amount with my hand and eye, always correct when put on the scales. Like the ability to cut 50 grams of butter from sight alone. The eye, body and mind learn fast.

Some things become instinctual.