Decision.

I think about love art will travel all day long.  I think about fabric, about designs, about marketing, concepts, equipment, photography… and everything else in between.  Something I have learned recently is how LONG it can take to get from idea to sellable product.  

Many months ago, I wanted to expand the silk line into maxi skirts and curtain panels.  I searched far and wide trying to find some simple, plain silk skirts that I could buy in large quantities for painting, to no avail.  I did find a few in other fabrics, but none of them were quite what I was looking for.  I realized if I was going to get what I was envisioning, I was going to have to make it myself. 

Then proceeds the ordering of a billion fabric samples, stalking sewing blogs, upgrading the sewing machine, creating a sizing chart, deciding on skirt styles and cuts, etc.  Months later, I have decided on two fabrics and have five skirt samples complete.  The first one is of a crappy scrap fabric.  The second two will only fit a 4th grader. The third and fourth ones, I like.  They fit well, they drape beautifully, and are the closest thing to what I have been envisioning so far. 

However, throughout this process, it has become apparent that sewing clothing is a drastically different animal than sewing things with straight lines such as pillows and scarves, and much more time consuming.  Obviously. But, these are precious hours that I would prefer to be using to paint said skirts. 

So I started to explore the idea of finding a seasoned seamstress to contract with - someone who loves to sew as much as I love to paint.  And I found someone!  After Christmas, I will be providing her with massive amounts of my favorite fabrics to be crafted into delicious skirts!

So, about a year after the idea was first hatched, my line of handpainted silk maxi skirts will finally come to fruition in early 2014!  I'm so excited!

Around the same time I realized I wanted to do the skirts, I added curtain panels to the list of things to explore as well.  In that time, I've painted a couple and haven't enjoyed it as much as I thought I would.  I think that once I have a bigger space and can stretch the full panel out rather than in smaller sections I will be able to approach it in the way I would like.  Until then, the curtain panels will be going on the back burner.  

4 days until the Lakenheath Holiday Bazaar! I'm a scarf machine this week!