In putting together this month's feature, Maddie and I swapped quite a few emails finding we have quite a bit in common. I love to shop for vintage-inspired clothing (or at least drool over the unattainable), and she works at corporate for the store that is number one in my Pinterest/drool-worthy list. Seriously, my husband knows when I say 'Mecca' that we could only be shopping at one store. She went to SCAD, one of my little brother's is getting ready to graduate from there and half of my family lives in Savannah (it's where the hubby and I got married). So I definitely have a love for that area. Ok, well maybe it's not stuff that's totally in common, but we definitely had so much to chat about!
And after reading her interview, I was so excited to learn more about her upcoming projects. I hope you will be too, because it can only mean more sewing projects for the independent pattern-maker obsessed. So please, read on, and check out her links at the bottom.
Happy Friday everyone!
What inspires you?
It’s not about what inspires me because everything sparks my mind into imagining and creating. It’s more about when I’m inspired. I find that there are certain times when my mind is creative beyond imagination and there are certain times when my mind is blocked from dreaming up anything.
I’m most inspired in the morning. Way before the majority of the world wakes up, I can create and create and create forever and once forever is over, I could create some more. Thoughts come from every which way and each grow off each other. I think about my current projects, future projects, what I can do better, what I have done wrong, etc. You name it, I think of it. Although I carry a notebook with me almost every place I go, I make sure to keep it with me in the morning so I can record all my thoughts, even if that means bringing it to the gym.
I find that I am least inspired midday. My antsy and nervous side comes out around 10:00 a.m. when I realize what I have to accomplish for the day and usually subsides around 5:00 p.m. when I wrap up my daily workload and have about 1 thing left on my to-do list. During this window of time, I couldn't create for the life of me. My mind is focused on too many other chores and tasks and I'm not dreaming up my next creation.
What is your craft space like?
I’d like to say that I have a room dedicated to sewing, where all my supplies are stored and where all my projects are completed, but I don’t. Sewing has taken over my entire apartment and I like it that way. I live in a one bedroom apartment in Philadelphia, so space is tight. My main piece in my "craft space" is a book shelf in my living room with loads upon loads of books stuffed and crammed into the shelves. The World of Fashion, The Complete Guide to Sewing, 9 Heads, The Spec Manual, Modern Art, Hamlet, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Great American Cars, A Little Book of Western Verse, The Creative Habit, Longfellow, as well as so many other books here fill each and every cubicle. Although I love my book shelf for its obvious purpose of storing books, it’s the table that extends out from it that really makes me love this piece. On most days, my computer sits on the table but when I start crafting, sewing, or pattern making, I usually remove it and use the for laying out my patterns, measuring garments, or hand sewing. It’s longer than most tables which makes it the perfect crafting accessory, actually the perfect crafting necessity.
Also in my craft space is the usual - a Juki DDL 5500 and a mannequin. All of my sewing supplies and tools are stored in my closet, in my kitchen cabinets (who needs food?), and sometimes, in my oven (along with my shoes).
My other craft space is my bedroom. I use it as sort of a photo-op area. It’s where I take all the pretty pictures of my pretty garments.
Let us in on your stash... what is coming, what's in progress, what are you stumped with?
I’m a planner so I have a lot of projects in the works. First up is a matching top and short ensemble. I was inspired by woman's outfitting during the 1950s, particularly how women looked Jackie-O on a daily basis. Dresses, skirts, boleros, and tops matched and were only made with the finest cottons, tweeds, and brocades. So I decided to do a modern take on this with a simple top and a high-waisted short. This project is extra exciting because after I make the pattern, which will be drafted/draped using my mannequin, I plan to grade the pattern to all sizes and sell it online so that others can create the look too (yay!). But there’s more to this project. After I make and grade the pattern for this top, I will manipulate it to create another top that ties in the front or the back into a bow. This top can be sleeved or sleeveless – the sleeve pattern can be sewn onto the first top or the second top. All three pieces - the first and second top and the short - were designed to go with each other.
What is your favorite craft to work with?
I have many crafts and each provides me a break from the other and each prevents me from getting burned out with one craft. Of course, sewing is my favorite craft but pattern making, blogging, and scrapbooking are my other crafts. Even though I could waste an entire day, usually Sunday, sewing, I couldn’t do it seven days a week. So when I get tired of sewing, I pattern make, and when I get tired of pattern making, I blog, and when I get tired of blogging, I scrapbook. Jumping from one craft refreshes my mind so that when I go back to one particular craft, I’m ready and excited to get back to it.
What is your favorite thing that you've created so far?
My most priced sewing creation is nothing special, it wasn’t even an intricate piece to sew. It’s what I like to call a dress-up everyday piece. It’s a circle skirt with pleated ruffle exposed at the bottom. The skirt was made of a very lightweight wool and the pleated ruffles were a silk twill (the pleated ruffles were attached to a silk lining). It hits right above the knee, not too short or too long, and can be worn with a tank top, cami, blouse, sweater, heels, or flats. I made it four years ago and I’m still head over heels in love with it.
Where can I read more?
I have an Etsy shop but until I finish the project I just described, nothing is being sold yet. Not to worry though, you can find me on Facebook! If you “like” me, I can pest you with all my status updates, only good ones of course.
Blog: www.madalynne.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
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